Simon August, Count of Lippe-Detmold


Simon August, Count of Lippe, ruled the Principality of Lippe-Detmold from 1734 until 1782.
He was born in Detmold, the son of Simon Henry Adolph and Johanna Wilhelmine of Nassau-Idstein. Simon August ruled until 1747 under the guardianship of his mother. Under the influence of the Enlightenment, he issued a fiscal and social legislation and in 1749 he introduced, together with Adolf von Hillensberg, a budget in Lippe, so as to not spend money when no revenues were available. The Sparkasse Detmold and a fire insurance company are direct continuations of companies he founded. He acquired salt mine at Bad Salzuflen and built a spa in Bad Meinberg. In 1775, he created a relief fund for the poor. A census in 1776 revealed that his country had inhabitants.

Marriages and Issue

In Kirchheimbolanden on 24 August 1750, Simon August married firstly with princess Polyxena Louise, daughter of Charles August, Prince of Nassau-Weilburg. They had a daughter:
In Dessau on 28 September 1765 Simon August married secondly with princess Maria Leopoldine of Anhalt-Dessau. They had a son:
In Dessau on 9 November 1769 Simon August married thirdly princess Casimire of Anhalt-Dessau, sister of his previous wife. They had a son:
In Braunfels Castle on 26 March 1780 Simon August married fourthly princess Christine of Solms-Braunfels. They had no children
After his death at Detmold in 1782, his son Leopold I took up government.