Ursula Katharina of Altenbockum

Ursula Katharina of Altenbockum (b. Warsaw?, 25 November 1680 - d. Dresden, 4 May 1743), was a German noblewoman and mistress of Augustus the Strong, King of Poland and Elector of Saxony.

Life

She was the youngest daughter of the "Truchsess" (Seneschal) Johann Heinrich of Altenbockum by his wife, Konstantia Thekla Branika, who had immigrated from Westphalia to Poland.

In 1695, fifteen-year-old Ursula married the Polish "Kronoberkaemmerer" Prince Jerzy Dominik Lubomirski. At that time, the Lubomirski family was ranked among the most influential families of Poland. They maintained relations with the Primate-Cardinal Michal Radziejowski, archbishop of Gnesen, who, after the death of the Polish King Jan III Sobieski, was chosen by the new king as his representative. Nevertheless, the Pope soon took the highly unusual step of dissolving this "lucky little marriage."

Around the end of the century, Augustus the Strong, King of Poland and Elector of Saxony, had met the vivacious and beautiful Princess Lubomirska, and after the dissolution of her marriage, he used Ursula's relations with the Cardinal-Primate to meet her.

In 1700 she became Augustus's official Mistress ("Mätresse"), replacing Countess Maximiliane Hiserle of Chodau, known in history as the "Countess Esterle." Augustus the Strong sent Ursula to Saxony and presented her to the Dresden court. The courtiers were impressed by the beautiful, charming and high-spirited Princess. On 21 August 1704, she gave birth a son, Johann Georg, later the "Chevalier de Saxe," who was named after the father of the King-Elector.

Only five days after her son's birth, on 26 August 1704, Ursula was created by the Emperor Leopold I, Imperial Princess ("Reichsfürstin") of Teschen. This title was only honorific, because only national Princes had seats and votes in the Reichstag.

However, later that year, Ursula's relationship with the King ended. In 1705, the Countess Anna Constantia of Hoym, later Countess of Cosel, replaced her as official mistress. Humiliated by the King and outlawed from the Dresden "Hofe," Ursula retired to a countryseat in Hoyerswerda. Augustus the Strong loaned her 250,000 Imperial talers ("Reichstaler") for the land, and later he gave her the complete property rights. Then, Ursula moved to her schlesien residence in Breslau.

Years later, after the King had banished the Countess of Cosel, Ursula returned to Dresden, where she occupied a respected position in the "Hofe." The fall of High Chancellor ("Großkanzlers") Wolf Dietrich von Beichlingen was at that time attributed to her.

Meanwhile, Frederick Ludwig of Württemberg-Winnental, who was 10 years her junior, tried to win her affection. Finally, she accepted him, and they married secretly on 22 October 1722. On 19 September 1734, after 12 years of marriage, Frederick Ludwig was killed during the Battle of Guastalla. In accordance with the marriage agreement and despite the House of Württemberg's opposition, the Imperial Princess used the name and coat of arms of her deceased husband until her own death.

When the King-Elector died on 1733, Ursula was banished from the "Hofe." Her rule over Hoyerswerda ended in 1737; for compensation, the new King-Elector, August III, gave her an annuity of 18,000 "Reichstalern" until her death and 6,000 for her son, the Chevalier de Saxe.

Ursula died, aged sixty-two, in Dresden. Her mortal remains were buried in the Jesuit Church ("Jesuitenkirche") to Leitmeritz (Böhmen).