Marie Elisabeth of Hesse-Darmstadt


Marie Elisabeth of Hesse-Darmstadt was the only Duchess by marriage of Saxe-Römhild.

Life

Marie Elizabeth was a daughter of Count Louis VI of Hesse-Darmstadt from his marriage to Maria Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp, a daughter of Duke Frederick III of Holstein-Gottorp.
On 1 March 1676 in Darmstadt, she married Henry, who at the time of the marriage ruled Saxe-Gotha jointly with his six brothers.
In 1680, they divided the country and Henry became the Duke of Saxe-Römhild. He had resided there since 1676, in Glücksburg Castle in Römhild. After Henry's death, a dispute erupted among his remaining brothers over the inheritance of Saxe-Römhild. This dispute was settled definitively in 1765.
Henry loved his wife very much. He always called her "Marielies", and had several luxurious buildings built in her honor, including a cave house called "Marie Elisabeth Delight". They had no children. Henry died in 1710, leaving a massive debt. Marie Elizabeth survived her husband by five years.