Agnes of Hesse-Kassel (14 May 1606 in Kassel – 28 May 1650 in Dessau) was a princess of Hesse-Kassel by birth and by marriage Princess of Anhalt-Dessau.

Agnes of Hesse-Kassel
Princess of Anhalt-Dessau
Born(1606-05-14)14 May 1606
Kassel
Died28 May 1650(1650-05-28) (aged 44)
Dessau
SpouseJohn Casimir, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
Issue
HouseHouse of Hesse
FatherMaurice, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel
MotherJuliane of Nassau-Siegen

Life

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Agnes was a daughter of Landgrave Maurice of Hesse-Kassel (1572-1632) from his second marriage to Juliane of Nassau-Siegen (1587-1643), the daughter of Count John VII of Nassau-Siegen. She was raised together with her siblings. She spoke six languages and composed music.

On 18 May 1623 she married Prince John Casimir of Anhalt-Dessau (1596-1660). During the Thirty Years' War, she managed to soften the plight of Anhalt-Dessau by negotiating with the generals, both orally and in writing. She was considered a keen economist and mathematician. In 1645, she built a fortified house in Nischwitz, which was later developed into Oranienbaum Castle.

Issue

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From her marriage Agnes had the following children:

  • Maurice (1624-1624)
  • Dorothea (1625-1626)
  • Juliane (1626-1652)
  • John George II (1627-1693), who was Prince of Anhalt-Dessau from 1660 to 1693
married in 1659 to Princess Henriette Catherine of Nassau (1637-1708)
married in 1648 to Duke Christian of Brzeg (1618-1672)
  • Agnes (1644-1644)

References

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  • August B. Michaelis: Einleitung zu einer volständigen Geschichte der Chur- und Fürstlichen Häuser ..., p. 624, Online
  • Christian August Wichmann: Geschichte berühmter Frauenzimmer, p. 741, Online