Louis William, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg

Louis William, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg (29 August 1770 in Homburg – 19 January 1839 in Luxembourg), was Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg from 1829 until his death.

Louis William, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg
Born	(1770-08-29)29 August 1770 Homburg
Died	19 January 1839(1839-01-19) (aged 68) Luxembourg
Burial	Crypt of Bad Homburg Castle
Consort	Augusta Amalia of Nassau-Usingen
Father	Frederick V, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg
Mother	Landgravine Caroline of Hesse-Darmstadt

Biography

Louis was the second son of Landgrave Frederick V and his wife Caroline of Hesse-Darmstadt, a daughter of Landgrave Louis IX of Hesse-Darmstadt and Caroline of Zweibrücken, "the Great Landgravine".

Louis, as he was usually called, was educated together with his elder brother Frederick VI. They studied together in Geneva, and in 1788, they joined the Prussian army together. In 1793, he fought in the Battle of Pirmasens. In 1798, he was promoted to major. In 1804, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and he married Princess Augusta Amalia of Nassau-Usingen, daughter of Frederick Augustus, Duke of Nassau. This "dynastic marriage" with the daughter of a neighbouring prince was an unhappy one, as she was in love with Count Frederick William of Bismarck. The marriage ended in divorce. Augusta Amalia married Frederick William; Louis William did not marry again. Ricarda Huch gives more details in her Count Mark and the Princes of Nassau-Usingen. A tragic biography of 1925.

In 1806, he fought in the Battle of Jena-Auerstedt and was taken prisoner by the French. After his release, he became major general of the infantry in Königsberg. Here, he reorganized the army in the framework of the Prussian reforms. In 1810, he was transferred to Berlin. In 1813, he fought in the German campaign with his own "Hesse-Homburg Brigade". In the Battle of Leipzig, his troops stormed the Grimma gate and he was injured.

In 1813, he was promoted to lieutenant general and Supreme Commander of the Reserve Corps. During the Hundred Days, he again fought Napoleon's army. After the Second Peace of Paris, he was appointed governor of Luxembourg.

Louis rarely visited Homburg. Hesse-Homburg was administered between 1828 and 1832 by Carl von Ibell.[1] A wealthy man, Louis travelled to many European countries; however, he was always interested in the situation in his own small country. He supported the education reform Ibell was implementing, which provided for a single school system with Protestant, Catholic and Jewish students. The building for a shared school was inaugurated in 1831, and it is now called Landgraf-Ludwig-Schule ("Landgrave Louis School").

He also promoted the creation of a spa in Bad Homburg. He renovated the springs in the town, and added a small spa hall, which today houses a casino.

The district of Meisenheim joined the German Customs Union in 1829; the rest of Hesse-Homburg joined in 1835.

The July Revolution of 1830 sparked unrest in Hesse-Homurg. The army mutinied and several youths from Homburg participated in the Frankfurter Wachensturm.

In 1838, he celebrated the 50th anniversary of his career as a Prussian officer. He paid a two-week visit to Homburg and returned to Luxembourg, where he died on 19 January 1839. He was buried in the crypt of Bad Homburg Castle.

Ancestry

Ancestors of Louis William, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg

16. Frederick II, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg 8. Landgrave Casimir William of Hesse-Homburg 17. Princess Louise Elisabeth of Courland 4. Frederick IV, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg 18. Wilhelm Moritz, Count of Solms-Braunfels 9. Countess Christine Charlotte of Solms-Braunfels 19. Landgravine Magdalene Sophie of Hesse-Homburg 2. Frederick V 20. Wilhelm Moritz, Count of Solms-Braunfels (= 18) 10. Friedrich Wilhelm, Prince of Solms-Braunfels 21. Landgravine Magdalene Sophie of Hesse-Homburg (= 19) 5. Countess Ulrike Louise of Solms-Braunfels 22. Karl Otto, Count of Solms-Laubach-Utphe and Tecklenburg 11. Countess Sophie Magdalena Benigna of Solms-Laubach-Utphe 23. Countess Louise of Schönburg-Waldenburg 1. Louis William, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg 24. Ernest Louis, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt 12. Louis VIII, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt 25. Margravine Dorothea Charlotte of Brandenburg-Ansbach 6. Louis IX, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt 26. Johann Reinhard III of Hanau-Lichtenberg 13. Countess Charlotte of Hanau-Lichtenberg 27. Margravine Dorothea Friederike of Brandenburg-Ansbach 3. Landgravine Caroline of Hesse-Darmstadt 28. Christian II of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld 14. Christian III, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken 29. Katharina Agathe of Rappoltstein 7. Countess Palatine Caroline of Zweibrücken 30. Louis Crato, Count of Nassau-Saarbrücken 15. Caroline of Nassau-Saarbrücken 31. Philippine Henriette of Hohenlohe-Langenburg

Louis William, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg House of Hesse Born: 29 August 1770 Died: 19 January 1839
Preceded by Frederick VI	Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg 1829-1839	Succeeded by Philip

References

• Karl Schwartz: Landgraf Friedrich V. von Hessen-Homburg und seine Familie. Aus Archivalien und Familienpapieren, Rudolstadt, 1878

1. "Ibell, Carl Friedrich Julius Emil von". Hessische Biografie. Landesgeschichtliches Informationssystem Hessen (LAGIS), Marburg. 12 March 2014. Retrieved 27 May 2016.