Landgrave Charles of Hesse-Kassel

Charles of Hesse ( _da. Carl af Hessen; _de. Karl von Hessen-Kassel) (Kassel 19 December 1744 – Luisenlund 17 August 1836) was born in Kassel as the second surviving son of Kassel's then hereditary prince, the future Frederick II, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel (or Hesse-Cassel) and his first wife Princess Mary of Great Britain. His mother was a daughter of King George II of Great Britain and Caroline of Ansbach.

His father, the future landgrave (who reigned from 1760 and died in 1785) had left the family in 1747 and soon converted to Catholicism, and in 1755 formally ended the marriage. The grandfather, William VIII, Landgrave of Hesse, granted the county of Hanau and its revenues to Mary and her sons. The young Prince Charles and his two brothers were raised by their mother, and fostered by Protestant relatives since 1747. In 1756, they moved to Denmark, to care for Mary's late sister's Louise's underage children. In 1763, his elder brother married their first cousin, Danish Princess Caroline. Charles followed suit on 30 August 1766 — his wife was Louise of Denmark.

Charles began a military career in Denmark. When the crown prince and regent of Denmark, the future Frederick VI married Charles's eldest daughter Marie Sophie, he made several unsuccessful attempts at substantially influencing decisions of the government and the regent.

Charles was a remarkable patron of theater and opera. He had his own court theater in Schleswig, and he involved himself extensively in its operations.

For most of his life, Charles lived in Gottorp Castle with his family. For several years, he was royal governor and commanding general of the twin duchies Schleswig-Holstein.

In 1768, Charles purchased the landed property and village of Offenbach-Rumpenheim from the Edelsheim family. In 1771 he had the manor expanded into a castle and princely seat.

In 1790, Charles obtained the property of Gereby near Kappeln; in 1807, property in Schlei in Carlsburg, Schwansen.

On January 25, 1805, Charles was granted the title "Landgrave of Hesse" by his elder brother, who had assumed the higher dignity and titulary of Imperial Prince-Elector.

He named the Luisenlund castle in Slesvig province in honor of his wife.

They remained in Denmark, becoming its important lords and royal functionaries. Only his eldest brother returned to Hesse, in 1785, when ascending the landgraviate.

Prince Charles of Hesse acted as royal governor of Schleswig-Holstein on behalf of the government of his brother-in-law, King Christian VII of Denmark and Norway.

Issue

On 30 August 1766, Charles married Princess Louise of Denmark and Norway, his first cousin, the youngest daughter of his aunt, Princess Louise of Great Britain, and King Frederick V of Denmark and Norway, who died the same year. The couple had the following children:
# Marie Sophie, Princess of Hesse (20 October 1767–21 March 1852), married on 31 July 1790 her first cousin the future King Frederick VI of Denmark and Norway
# Wilhelm, Prince of Hesse (15 January 1769–14 July 1772)
# Prince Frederik of Hesse (24 May 1771–24 February 1845), a general, married only morganatically Klara von Brockdorff. He was a Danish general and royal governor.
# Juliane, Princess of Hesse (19 January 1773–11 March 1860), Protestant Abbess of Itzehoe
# Prince Christian of Hesse (14 August 1776–14 November 1814)
# Louise Caroline, Princess of Hesse (28 September 1789–13 March 1867), married on 28 January 1810 Wilhelm, Duke of Glücksburg

Prince Charles died in castle Luisenlund in Güby, Schleswig.