Princess Christine Louise of Oettingen-Oettingen

Princess Christine Louise of Oettingen-Oettingen (20 March 1671 - 3 September 1747) was a Duchess consort of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel by her marriage to Louis Rudolph, Duke of Brunswick. Her daughters included a Holy Roman Empress, a Tsarevna (crown princess) of Russia, and the next Duchess of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel.

 Life 

 Early life and family 
Christine Louise of Oettingen-Oettingen was born in March of 1671 in Oettingen to Albert Ernst, who was the first Prince of Oettingen-Oettingen. Her mother was Christine Friederike, a daughter of the Duke of Württemburg. Christine Louise had many siblings and half-siblings from her father's two marriages.
Because of the early death of her mother, Christine Louise was sent to the East Frisian royal court in Aurich to her aunt Christine Charlotte, who was the regent there.

 Marriage 
In 1690, Christine Louise was married to Louis Rudolph, the hereditary prince of Brunswick; he the eldest son and heir of Anthony Ulrich, the soon-to-be Duke of Brunswick. They had four daughters, but no sons to inherit Brunswick. Despite this, Louis Rudolph and his father arranged good marriages for them.

In her youth, Christine Louise was described as a beautiful and witty lady. It was now that they led a grand court in Blankenburg, despite the large amount of debt that the family had.

 Duchess of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel 
Louis Rudolph became Duke of Brunswick in 1731 after the death of his childless brother. He made a few reforms, but ultimately died just under four years later, in 1735. Louise died more than ten years later in 1747, when she was 76 years old, in Blankenburg.

 Children 
Christine Louise and Louis Rudolph had four daughters:

 Elisabeth Christine (28 August 1691 - 21 December 1750), became Holy Roman Empress by her marriage to Emperor Charles VI. She was the mother of Empress Maria Theresa.
 Charlotte Auguste (23 July 1692 - 8 August 1692), died in infancy.
 Charlotte Christine (28 August 1694 - 2 November 1715), married in 1711 to Alexei Petrovich, Tsarevrich of Russia, but died in childbirth.
 Antoinette Amalie (14 April 1696 - 6 March 1762), married Ferdinand Albert of Brunswick-Bevern and became the next Duchess of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel.

 References