William Christoph of Hesse-Homburg (13 November 1625, Ober-Rosbach – 27 August 1681, then in Bingenheim, now in Echzell) was the second Landgraf of Hesse-Homburg (then known as "Landgraf of Bingenheim"). He was the third (second surviving) of five sons of Frederick I, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg, and succeeded his brother Ludwig I as Landgrave in 1643.
In 1669, he sold Homburg to his younger brother George Christian, but retained Bingenheim (Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg-Bingenheim). George Christian died without heirs, and their youngest brother succeeded as Frederick II, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg.
He married Sophia Eleonore, daughter of George II, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt. George II was his first cousin, as both were grandsons of George I, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt.
They had 12 children, but only three survived infancy:
- Christine Wilhelmine (30 June 1653, Bingenheim – 16 May 1722, Grabow), wife of Frederick, Duke of Mecklenburg-Grabow; their daughter Sophia Louise was the third wife of Frederick I of Prussia.
- Leopold George (25 October 1654, Bingenheim – 26 February 1675, Schloss Gravenstein, Schleswig-Holstein), died unmarried.
- Magdalene Sophie (24 April 1660, Bingenheim – 22 March 1720, Braunfels), wife of William Maurice, Count of Solms-Braunfels.
On 2 April 1665 William Christoph married Anna Elisabeth of Saxe-Lauenburg (*23 August 1624 – 27 May 1688*) in Lübeck. She was a daughter of Duke Augustus of Saxe-Lauenburg. In 1672 they were divorced and Anna Elisabeth retired to and later died in Philippseck Castle in today's Butzbach.
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| Name | William Christoph of Hesse-Homburg, Landgrave |
| Alternative names | Wilhelm Christoph, Landgraf von Hessen-Homburg (German) |
| Short description | German Landgrave |
| Date of birth | 13 November 1625 |
| Place of birth | Ober-Rosbach |
| Date of death | 27 August 1681 |
| Place of death | Bingenheim, now in Echzell |
Famous quotes containing the word william:
“When the Prince of Wales [later King George IV] and the Duke of York went to visit their brother Prince William [later William IV] at Plymouth, and all three being very loose in their manners, and coarse in their language, Prince William said to his ship’s crew, “now I hope you see that I am not the greatest blackguard of my family.””
—Horace Walpole (1717–1797)