Princess Friederike of Brandenburg-Schwedt

Friederike of Brandenburg-Schwedt (Friederike Sophia Dorothea; 18 December 1736 – 9 March 1798) was Duchess of Württemberg by marriage to Frederick II Eugene, Duke of Württemberg. She is an ancestor to many European royals of the 19th and 20th century.^[1]

Friederike
Portrait by Johann Georg Ziesenis
Duchess consort of Württemberg
Tenure	20 May 1795 – 23 December 1797
Born	(1736-12-18)18 December 1736 Schwedt
Died	9 March 1798(1798-03-09) (aged 61) Stuttgart
Spouse	Frederick II Eugene, Duke of Württemberg ​ ​ (m. 1753; died 1797)​
Issue	Frederick I of Württemberg Duke Louis Duke Eugen Sophie Dorothea, Empress of Russia Duke William Duke Ferdinand Friederica, Princess of Holstein-Gottorp Elisabeth, Archduchess of Austria Duke Alexander
Names Friederike Sophia Dorothea
House	Brandenburg-Schwedt
Father	Frederick William, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt
Mother	Princess Sophia Dorothea of Prussia
Religion	Reformed

Biography

Friederike was a daughter of Margrave Frederick William of Brandenburg-Schwedt and Princess Sophia Dorothea of Prussia. Her mother was a sister of Frederick the Great. Her siblings included Elisabeth Louise, Princess Augustus Ferdinand of Prussia and Philippine, Landgravine of Hesse-Cassel.

On 2 November 1753, she married Frederick Eugen of Württemberg.^{[citation needed]} He would succeed his brother in 1795, making her Duchess consort of Württemberg.

Friederike was described as witty and charming^{[by whom?]}. She belonged to the reformed faith, while her husband was Catholic; however, she brought up her children as Lutheran upon agreement with the Lutheran council, from whom she received an allowance.

From 1769, she lived at Montbéliard, which was being managed by her husband. In 1792, she abandoned Montbéliard because of the French Revolution. Her husband inherited the Dukedom of Württemberg in 1795–1797.

Issue

She had twelve children:

• Duke Frederick Wilhelm Karl of Württemberg (6 November 1754 – 30 October 1816); succeeded his father as Duke of Württemberg; would later become the first King of Württemberg.
• Duke Louis Frederick Alexander of Württemberg (30 August 1756 – 20 September 1817)
• Duke Eugen Frederick Henry of Württemberg (21 November 1758 – 20 June 1822).
• Duchess Sophie Dorothea Marie Auguste Luise of Württemberg (25 October 1759 – 5 November 1828), married to Paul I, Emperor of Russia)
• Duke William Frederick Philip of Württemberg (27 December 1761 – 10 August 1830); father of Wilhelm, 1st Duke of Urach.
• Duke Ferdinand Frederick Augustus of Württemberg (22 October 1763 – 20 January 1834).
• Duchess Friederike Elisabeth Amalie of Württemberg (27 July 1765 – 24 November 1785), married to Peter, Duke of Oldenburg.
• Duchess Elisabeth Wilhelmine Luise of Württemberg (21 April 1767 – 18 February 1790), married to Francis I, Emperor of Austria.
• Duchess Friederike Wilhelmine Katharina of Württemberg (3 June 1768 – 22 October 1768).
• Duke Charles Frederick Henry of Württemberg (3 May 1770 – 22 August 1791).
• Duke Alexander Frederick Charles of Württemberg (24 April 1771 – 4 July 1833), the founder of the fifth branch of Württemberg, from which today's head of the House, Duke Carl Maria of Württemberg.
• Duke Charles Henry of Württemberg (3 July 1772 – 28 July 1833), married under the name "Count von Sontheim" in 1798 Christianne-Caroline Alexeï (1779–1853), who was created Baroness von Hochberg und Rottenburg in 1807 and was raised, along with her children, to the rank and title of Countess von Urach on 12 November 1825. Of their five daughters three died young, while Countess Marie von Urach (1802–1882) wed Karl, Prince of Hohenlohe-Kirchberg in 1821 and Countess Alexandrine von Urach (1803–1884) married Charles, Count Arpeau de Gallatin in 1825, from whom she was divorced in 1843.

Ancestry

Ancestors of Princess Friederike of Brandenburg-Schwedt[2]

8. Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg 4. Philip William, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt 9. Princess Sophia Dorothea of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg 2. Frederick William, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt 10. John George II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau 5. Princess Johanna Charlotte of Anhalt-Dessau 11. Countess Henriette Catherine of Nassau 1. Princess Friederike of Brandenburg-Schwedt 12. Frederick I of Prussia 6. Frederick William I of Prussia 13. Princess Sophia Charlotte of Hanover 3. Princess Sophia Dorothea of Prussia 14. George I of Great Britain 7. Princess Sophia Dorothea of Hanover 15. Princess Sophia Dorothea of Celle