Marie Hedwig of Hesse-Darmstadt
Marie Hedwig of Hesse-Darmstadt (26 November 1647 in Giessen – 19 April 1680 in Ichtershausen) was a landgravine of Hesse-Darmstadt by birth and by marriage Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen. Life. She was the youngest daughter of landgrave George II of Hesse-Darmstadt (1605-1661) and his wife Sophia Eleonore (1609-1671), the daughter of Elector John George I of Saxony. On 20 November 1671 at Friedenstein Castle in Gotha, she married Bernhard I, who at the time ruled Saxe-Gotha jointly with his brothers, and later became the first Duke of Saxe-Meiningen. In  1676, the couple took up residence in Ichtershausen. Bernhard built a castle here, which he named "Marienburg", after Marie Hadwig. In 1680, Bernhard I and his brothers divided Saxe-Gotha and Bernhard became the first Duke of Saxe-Meiningen. His newly created duchy consisted of the former principality of Henneberg. The coat of arms of Henneberg showed a black hen. At the time, this was seen as a symbol of magic and witchcraft. Shortly before the scheduled move from their residence in Ichtershausen to Meiningen, Marie Hedwig stated that she would never enter the land of the black hen. She  died later that year, after giving birth to her seventh child. She was only 32 years old, and died 9 weeks before the scheduled move to Meiningen. She was buried in the crypt of the city church in Meiningen. Bernhard I decorated the "Hesse hall" in Elisabethenburg Palace in Meiningen in a baroque style in her memory, and hung portraits of the two dynasties in this hall. Issue. From her marriage, Marie Hedwig had the following children: