OTD March 30th.1633 Frederick II Landgrave of Hesse Homburg
March 30th. 1633 marks the birth of Frederick II, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg.
He was a member of the noble House of Hesse.
His parents had been Frederick I, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg and
Margaret Elisabeth of Leiningen-Westerburg. Frederick was their
seventh and youngest child.
Frederick was educated by the private tutors of the sons of his cousin,
George II, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt.
At the age of 16, Frederick started his Grand Tour of Europe. He visited
Italy and France. He 'studied' at the University of Geneva. There Frederick
learned dancing, riding, fencing and he polished his knowledge of the
French Language.
In 1654 he became a colonel in the army of King Charles X Gustav of Sweden.
In 1659 Frederick was seriously wounded during the storming of Copenhagen.
His lower right leg even had to be amputated. He was promoted as General-Major
and had since then a wooden leg. He left the army in 1661.
That year Frederick married Countess Margaret Brahe, a wealthy Swedish
widow. She died in 1669. With her money, Frederick bought estates in
Brandenburg where he became a friend of Frederick William I,
Elector of Brandenburg.
In 1670 Frederick married the niece of the Elector, Princess Louise Elisabeth of
Courland. They would have 12 children. Frederick entered the army of
Brandenburg where he served as general. In 1672 he received the command of
all forces of Brandenburg.
In 1681 after the death of his brother Wilhelm Cristoph of Hesse-Homburg,
Frederick took over the governance and ruled as Frederick II. There his
Court alchemist made for him a prosthetic leg. He received the nickname:
the man with the silver leg.
In 1690 Frederick's wife died. He married for the 3rd time. This time
Countess Sophie Sybille of Leiningen-Westerburg was the happy one.
She bore him 3 more children.
Frederick died on January 24th. 1708 in Homburg due to pneumonia.
He had the illness from his last journey to Leipzig where he met
King Charles XII of Sweden.
He was a member of the noble House of Hesse.
Frederick II, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg -
Source picture: Wikipedia
Source picture: Wikipedia
His parents had been Frederick I, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg and
Margaret Elisabeth of Leiningen-Westerburg. Frederick was their
seventh and youngest child.
Frederick was educated by the private tutors of the sons of his cousin,
George II, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt.
At the age of 16, Frederick started his Grand Tour of Europe. He visited
Italy and France. He 'studied' at the University of Geneva. There Frederick
learned dancing, riding, fencing and he polished his knowledge of the
French Language.
In 1654 he became a colonel in the army of King Charles X Gustav of Sweden.
In 1659 Frederick was seriously wounded during the storming of Copenhagen.
His lower right leg even had to be amputated. He was promoted as General-Major
and had since then a wooden leg. He left the army in 1661.
That year Frederick married Countess Margaret Brahe, a wealthy Swedish
widow. She died in 1669. With her money, Frederick bought estates in
Brandenburg where he became a friend of Frederick William I,
Elector of Brandenburg.
In 1670 Frederick married the niece of the Elector, Princess Louise Elisabeth of
Courland. They would have 12 children. Frederick entered the army of
Brandenburg where he served as general. In 1672 he received the command of
all forces of Brandenburg.
In 1681 after the death of his brother Wilhelm Cristoph of Hesse-Homburg,
Frederick took over the governance and ruled as Frederick II. There his
Court alchemist made for him a prosthetic leg. He received the nickname:
the man with the silver leg.
In 1690 Frederick's wife died. He married for the 3rd time. This time
Countess Sophie Sybille of Leiningen-Westerburg was the happy one.
She bore him 3 more children.
Frederick died on January 24th. 1708 in Homburg due to pneumonia.
He had the illness from his last journey to Leipzig where he met
King Charles XII of Sweden.
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