Hedwig of Mecklenburg-Güstrow


Hedwig of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, was a German noblewoman member of the House of Mecklenburg and by marriage Duchess of Saxe-Merseburg-Zörbig.
Born in Güstrow, she was the eighth of eleven children born from the marriage of Gustav Adolph, Duke of Mecklenburg-Güstrow and Magdalene Sibylle of Holstein-Gottorp. From her ten older and younger siblings, eight survive adulthood: Marie, Magdalene, Sophie, Christine, Charles, Hereditary Prince of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, Louise, Elisabeth and Augusta.

Life

In Güstrow on 1 December 1686, Hedwig married Prince August of Saxe-Merseburg, second surviving son of Duke Christian I. Five years later, August received the town of Zörbig as his appanage, and took his residence there.
They had eight children, of whom only one survived to adulthood:
  1. Christiane Magdalene.
  2. Stillborn daughter.
  3. Caroline Auguste.
  4. Hedwig Eleonore.
  5. Gustav Frederick, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Merseburg-Zörbig.
  6. August, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Merseburg-Zörbig.
  7. Stillborn twin sons.
Hedwig died in Zörbig aged 69. She was buried in Merseburg Cathedral.