Today in History / On This Day: April 21st. 1673 - Wilhelmine Amalia of Brunswick-Lüneburg

April 21st. 1673 marks the birth of Wilhelmine Amalia of Brunswick-Lüneburg.
This took place in Hanover (Germany).

Wilhelmine Amalia - Source picture: Wikipedia

She was the youngest daughter of John Frederick, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
and Benedicta Henrietta of the Palatinate. Trough her great-aunt Louise Holladine
she received a catholic education.

Eleonor Magdalene of the Palatinate-Neuburg, who was Holy Roman Empress,
decided that Wilhelmine would became her daughter-in-law. The girl had to
undergo a medical examination to see if she was fertile.

All things went well and on February 24th. 1699, Wilhelmine married
Archduke Joseph of Austria, the heir of Emperor Leopold I. They would have
3 children.

Due to marriage Wilhelmine moved from Hanover to Vienna. She was
described as beautiful, religious and serious. In the beginning her marriage
with Joseph couldn't be better. But Joseph had during his life mistresses.
They could be servants or nobles. He even had an official mistress at the court,
which caused a lot of troubles. Wilhelmine went to the pope to protest this.
She was supported by her mother-in-law.

In 1711, Wilhelmine became a widow and regent, because her brother-in-law
Archduke Charles, couldn't return from Spain. This ended when Charles
returned. He became Emperor Charles VI.

Wilhelmine retired in 1722, after the marriage of her daughters. She lived
in a convent, which she founded earlier. Although her retirement, Wilhelmina
stayed very active. She left the convent very often for family and representative
visits.

She died on April 10th. 1742.

Wilhelmine Amalia - Source picture: Wikipedia


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