Sophia Eleonore of Saxony (23 November 1609 – 2 June 1671) was a duchess of Saxony by birth and the landgravine of Hesse-Darmstadt from 1627 to 1661 through her marriage to Landgrave George II. She was the eldest surviving child of John George I, Elector of Saxony, and Magdalene Sibylle of Prussia.

Sophie Eleonore of Saxony
Landgravine consort of Hesse-Darmstadt
Tenure1 April 1627 – 11 June 1661
Born(1609-11-23)23 November 1609
Died2 June 1671(1671-06-02) (aged 61)
Spouse
(m. 1627; died 1661)
Issue
Detail
Louis VI, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt
George III, Landgrave of Hesse-Itter
Elisabeth Amalie, Electress Palatine
Sophia Eleonore, Landgravine of Hesse-Homburg
Louise Christine, Countess of Stolberg-Stolberg
Anna Sophia, Abbess of Quedlinburg
Marie Hedwig, Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen
HouseWettin
FatherJohn George I, Elector of Saxony
MotherMagdalene Sibylle of Prussia

Life

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She was born in Dresden. Her two sisters were Marie Elisabeth and Magdalene Sibylle. Her brothers were Johann Georg, August, Christian, and Maurice.

She married Landgrave Georg II of Hesse-Darmstadt on 1 April 1627 in Torgau, aged seventeen. In the middle of Thirty Years' War their marriage was lavishly celebrated with the first opera in German language Dafne. They had fifteen children; she raised them as strict Lutherans. However, her daughter Elisabeth Amalie, later Electress Palatine, converted to Roman Catholicism in 1653.

Sophie Eleonore showed huge interest in antiquarian books which she collected. Her contribution to the Hesse-Darmstadt court library is still visible today. She survived her husband by ten years and died in Darmstadt.

Children

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She had the following children with George II, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt:

Sophie Eleonore also suffered four miscarriages:

  • A miscarried daughter (1633)
  • A miscarried daughter (1644)
  • A miscarried son (1646)
  • A miscarried son (1649)

Ancestry

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References

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Sophie Eleonore of Saxony
Born: 23 November 1609 Died: 2 June 1671
German royalty
Vacant
Title last held by
Magdalene of Brandenburg
Landgravine of Hesse-Darmstadt
1 April 1627 – 11 June 1661
Succeeded by