Margravine Elisabeth Fredericka Sophie of Brandenburg-Bayreuth

Biography

Early life

She was born in Bayreuth, the daughter of Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth by his first wife, Princess Wilhelmine of Prussia, the favourite sister of King Frederick the Great. Both the Margrave and the Margravine hoped for the eventual birth of a son and heir; however, this never happened. Thus, Elisabeth Fredericka Sophie grew up as an only child at the court of her father in Bayreuth.

At the time of her birth, her parents' marriage was still intact. However, during the following years the couple became estranged as Margrave Frederick turned his affections to other women. His most prominent mistress was Wilhelmine von Marwitz, one of his wife's ladies-in-waiting.

Elisabeth Fredericka Sophie was considered one of the most beautiful princesses of her time. The girl was praised by Italian serial lover and writer Casanova himself as "the most beautiful princess in Germany". As an only child, she had a rigorous education and was prepared for a high and noble marriage.

Marriage

In January 1744 the ruling Duke Charles Eugene of Württemberg visited Bayreuth and fell in love with Elisabeth. Her uncle, King Frederick II the Great of Prussia, promoted Charles Eugene as a good match for her, because he had known him during the two years he was educated at the Prussian court. Although the Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach and the King of Denmark were also suitors of the princess, Elisabeth's family chose Charles Eugene.

On 26 September 1748 the marriage of Elisabeth Fredericka Sophie and Charles Eugene took place in Bayreuth. The wedding was the most festive celebration in the history of the margraviate. Within the framework of the brilliant festivities the margrave's opera house was opened and commemorative coins with half-length portraits of the young couple were stamped with the saying "If the lit flames are extinguished tenfold, they will only burn brighter".

The marriage was initially happy, but began to sour after a few years. Elisabeth was resentful over her total lack of influence in state affairs. The couple's disagreements led to—and then were compounded by—Charles Eugene's decision to no longer hide his infidelities. Unencumbered by a pretense of fidelity, the duke began to spend much of his time with his mistresses.

Despite their increasing disputes, Elisabeth became pregnant. On 19 February 1750 Elisabeth gave birth to their only child, a daughter, Princess Fredericka Wilhelmine Augusta Luisa Charlotte of Württemberg, who died on 12 March 1751 shortly after her first birthday. The absence of a male heir increased the conflicts between the young couple.

The need for an heir calmed their relations for a while, but after a journey to Italy in 1753 the Duke began taking mistresses again and new disputes arose. The ducal couple became permanently estranged in 1756, when Charles Eugene despotically arrested and illegally imprisoned Elisabeth's friend, chamber singer Marianne Pirker.

During the Seven Years' War Charles Eugene joined of the alliance of Austria and France against Prussia and England and in doing so destroyed his friendly connections with the Prussian King. When in the autumn of 1756 Elisabeth visited her mother in Bayreuth, she refused to return to her husband in Württemberg. The dispute over the state of her marriage to Charles Eugene was now out in the open. It took until 1759 for Elisabeth's father and Charles Eugene to make a final agreement. The marriage would not be dissolved, and Elisabeth would remain as Duchess of Württemberg. Charles Eugene and the estates of Württemberg were bound to pay 54.000 guilders of maintenance to her annually. However, Charles Eugene kept the right to determine her household. In this way he remained informed about her activities and could also affect her circumstances.

Issue

Friederike Wilhelmine Augusta Luisa Charlotte (19 February 1750 – 12 March 1751), princess of Württemberg, died shortly after her first birthday.