List of Oldenburgish consorts

A royal consort is the spouse of a ruling monarch. Consorts of monarchs in the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg and its predecessor states had no constitutional status or power, but many had significant influence over their spouse.

Coat of arms of the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg.

Overview

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From the elevation of the County of Oldenburg to a Duchy and later a Grand Duchy, the monarchy of Oldenburg had four royal consorts: one duchess and three grand duchesses. Although their husbands were the rulers of the Oldenburg territory, they were not the heads of the House of Oldenburg; that honor lies with the Oldenburg Kings of Denmark and later the Glücksburg Dukes of Schleswig-Holstein, descended from Count Christian VI. The Queen consorts of Denmark held the title of Countess (later Duchess) of Oldenburg, but it wasn't until 1667 to 1773 that Denmark controlled Oldenburg. Then it was passed to the Russians, who were ruled by another scion of the House of Oldenburg.

All female consorts have had the right to and have held the title of countess, duchess, or grand duchess consort, depending on the years. As all rulers of Oldenburg had to be male due to the Salic law of male succession and total exclusion of female succession, there was never a male consort of Oldeburg. Consorts held the titles, Countess consort of Oldenburg (1088-1774), Duchess of consort Oldenburg (1774-1815/1829), and last of all, Grand Duchess consort of Oldenburg (1815/1829-1918). Had their existed a consort from 1815 to 1829, they would have been in the awkward situation of being a Duchess consort reigning in a Grand duchy. Oldenburg had been elevated to a Grand Duchy in 1815 after the Napoleonic War, but William and Peter I never used the title of Grand Duke of Oldenburg. But William and Peter I had no wives living during that period.

Not all wives of monarchs have become consorts, as they may have died, been divorced, had their marriage declared invalid prior to their husbands' ascending the throne, or married after abdication. Such cases include:

From 1774 to the end of the monarchy in 1918, only William, Duke of Oldenburg and Peter I, Duke of Oldenburg have reigned without spouses.

After the Grand Duchy was abolished in 1918, the spouse of the head of the old Grand Ducal family of Oldenburg is the titular Grand Duchess consort of Oldenburg. The current titular grand duchess is Princess Ameli of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Freudenberg, the wife of Anton-Günther, Duke of Oldenburg, the head of the grand ducal family of Oldenburg.

If Duke Christian of Oldenburg, Anton-Günther's son and heir, ascends to the role of Head of the Grand Ducal Family of Oldenburg, his wife, Countess Caroline zu Rantzau, will become the titular Grand Duchess of Oldenburg.

Countess of Oldenburg (1088–1774)

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Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Countess Ceased to be Countess Death Spouse
  Richenza of Elsdorf Dedo, Count of Godesck, husband of Ida von Elsdorf
(Godseck)
1044 ? 1088
husband's accession
1108/12
husband's death
? Elimar I
  Eilika of Werl-Rietberg Henry, Count of Rietberg
(Rietberg)
? before 1102 1108
husband's accession
1142
husband's death
? Elimar II
Kunigunde of Versfleth Gerbert, Count of Versfleth
(Versfleht)
? before 1102 1142
husband's accession
1169
husband's death
? Christian I
  Salome of Hostaden-Wickrath Otto II, Count of Wickrath
(Wickrath)
? before 1145 1169
husband's accession
1209/11
husband's death
? Maurice I
  Mechthild of Woldenberg Hoier I, Count of Wöltingerode-Woldenberg
(Wöltingerode-Woldenberg)
? ? 1209/11
husband's accession
1251
husband's death
? Otto I
  Agnes of Altena-Isenberg Arnold, Count of Altena
(Berg)
? before 1204 1209/11
husband's accession
1238
husband's death
? Christian II
  Richeza of Hoya-Stumpenhausen Henry II, Count of Hoya
(Hoya)
? before 1250 1238
husband's accession
1272
husband's death
? John I
  Hedwig of Oldenburg-Wildeshausen Henry IV, Count of Oldenburg-Wildeshausen
(Oldenburg-Wildeshausen)
? ? 1272
husband's accession
? Christian III
  Jutta of Bentheim-Tecklenburg Otto II, Count of Bentheim-Tecklenburg
(Holland)
? ? 1278
husband's abdication
before 1287
  Elisabeth of Lüneburg John of Brunswick, Duke of Lüneburg
(Lüneburg-Celle)
? 1294 1294/1298 John II (aka IX)
  Hedwig of Diepholz Conrad, Count of Diepholz
(Diepholz)
? ? 1305
husband's abdication
?
  Hedwig of Altbruchhausen Hildebold, Count of Altbruchausen
(Oldenburg-Wildeshausen)
? ? 1305
husband's accession
1324
husband's death
1348 Christian IV
  Mechthild of Bronckhorst Gijsbert IV, Lord of Bronckhorst
(Bronckhorst)
? ? 1305
husband's accession
1338 John XI
  Ingeborg of Itzehoe Gerhard IV, Count of Holstein-Itzehoe-Plön
(Schauenburg)
? ? 1344
husband's accession
1368
husband's death
? Conrad I
  Kunigunde of Diepholz ?
(Diepholz)
? ? 1368
husband's accession
1386
husband's abdication
? Conrad II
  Elisabeth of Brunswick-Lüneburg Magnus II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
(Brunswick)
1368 1391 1398
husband's abdication
1420 Maurice III or IV
  Agnes of Hohnstein-Heiringen Dietrich V, Count of Hohnstein
(Hohnstein)
? 1360 1398
husband's accession
1404 Christian V
  Hedvig of Schleswig and Holstein Gerhard VI, Count of Holstein-Rendsborg, Duke of Schleswig
(Schauenburg)
1398 23 November 1423 1436 Dietrich
  Adelheid of Tecklenburg Otto VIII, Count of Tecklenburg
(Schwerin)
1435 1453 2 March 1477 Gerhard VI
  Anna of Anhalt-Zerbst George I, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
(Ascania)
? 20 June 1498 10 February 1526
husband's abdication
10 October 1531 John V (aka XIV)
  Sofie of Saxe-Lauenburg Magnus I, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg
(Ascania)
1521 1 January 1537 1566
husband's accession
13 May 1571 Anthony I
  Elisabeth of Schwarzburg-Blankenburg Gunther XI, Count of Schwarzburg
(Schwarzburg)
13 April 1541 1576 12 November 1603
husband's death
26 December 1612 John VII
  Sophie Katharina of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg Alexander, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg
(Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg)
28 June 1617 1635 19 June 1667
husband's death
22 November 1696 Anthony Günther
  Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg George, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
(Brunswick-Lüneburg)
24 March 1628 1 October 1643 1667
Oldenburg passed to Denmark
9 February 1670
husband's death
20 February 1685 Frederick III of Denmark
  Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel William VI, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel
(Hesse-Kassel)
27 April 1650 25 June 1667 9 February 1670
husband's accession
25 August 1699
husband's death
27 March 1714 Christian V of Denmark
  Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow Gustav Adolf, Duke of Mecklenburg-Güstrow
(Mecklenburg-Güstrow)
28 August 1667 5 December 1695 25 August 1699
husband's accession
15 March 1721 Frederick IV of Denmark
  Anne Sophie von Reventlow Conrad, Count of Reventlow
(Reventlow)
16 April 1693 4 April 1721 12 October 1730
husband's death
7 January 1743
  Sophia Magdalen of Brandenburg-Kulmbach Christian Heinrich of Brandenburg-Bayreuth-Kulmbach
(Hohenzollern)
28 November 1700 7 August 1721 12 October 1730
husband's accession
6 August 1746
husband's death
27 May 1770 Christian VI of Denmark
  Louise of Great Britain George II of Great Britain
(Hanover)
7 December 1724 11 December 1743 6 August 1746
husband's accession
19 December 1751 Frederick V of Denmark
  Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel Ferdinand Albert II, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
(Brunswick-Bevern)
4 September 1729 8 July 1752 13 January 1766
husband's death
10 October 1796
  Caroline Matilda of Great Britain Frederick, Prince of Wales
(Hanover)
11 July 1751 8 November 1766 1773
Oldenburg passed to Russia
10 May 1775 Christian VII of Denmark
  Wilhelmina Louisa of Hesse-Darmstadt Louis IX, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt
(Hesse-Darmstadt)
25 June 1755 29 September 1773 1773
ceased to be countess
15 April 1776 Paul I of Russia
  Ulrike Friederike Wilhelmine of Hesse-Kassel Landgrave Maximilian of Hesse-Kassel
(Hesse-Kassel)
31 October 1722 21 November 1752 1773
husband's accession
1774
became Duchess
28 February 1787 Frederick Augustus I

Duchess of Oldenburg (1774–1829)

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Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Duchess Ceased to be Duchess Death Spouse
  Ulrike Friederike Wilhelmine of Hesse-Kassel Landgrave Maximilian of Hesse-Kassel
(Hesse-Kassel)
31 October 1722 21 November 1752 1774
became Duchess
6 July 1785
husband's death
28 February 1787 Frederick Augustus I

Grand Duchess of Oldenburg (1829–1918)

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Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Grand Duchess Ceased to be Grand Duchess Death Spouse
  Cecilia of Sweden Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden
(Holstein-Gottorp)
22 June 1807 5 May 1831 27 January 1844 Augustus I
  Elisabeth of Saxe-Altenburg Joseph, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg
(Saxe-Altenburg)
26 March 1826 10 February 1852 27 February 1853
husband's accession
2 February 1896 Peter II
  Elisabeth of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Frederick Francis II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
(Mecklenburg-Schwerin)
10 August 1869 24 October 1896 13 June 1900
husband's accession
11 November 1918
husband's abdication
3 September 1955 Frederick Augustus II

See also

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References

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  • Marek, Miroslav. "Oldenburg index page". Genealogy.EU.
  • House of Oldenburg, family tree of the Counts of Oldenburg and Wildeshausen (in German)