Auguste Wilhelmine von Hessen-Darmstadt (1765 – 1796) received a written marriage proposal in 1785. It was from Max Joseph, at the time known as a highly indebted bon vivant. Besides, he was a Catholic, while she was Protestant.
What to do? And could a marriage like this ever be a happy one?
“Mon Prince”, Auguste began her answer to Max Joseph, “Je suis assûrément très reconnoissant de l’offre flatteuer que Votre Altesse me fait.”
“I am certainly very grateful for the flattering offer Your Highness has made me” is not the most promising start. However, she accepted his hand in marriage – on one condition: she would not have to convert to Catholicism. Max Joseph agreed.
The couple lived in Strasbourg for most of the time. Auguste gave birth to Ludwig, the later Ludwig I, King of Bavaria, in 1786. Four children followed. With the start of the French Revolution, the family had to flee first to Mannheim, and, at Christmas 1794, to Rohrbach near Heidelberg. In 1795, Max Joseph succeeded his brother as reigning Duke of Zweibrücken. Auguste thus became a Duchess.
The marriage is considered a happy one by the standards of the time: former bon vivant Max Joseph turned into a family man and had a close relationship with his wife.
The close relationship is documented in the many letters Auguste wrote to Max Joseph. She generally was a productive letter-writer. When she had to stayed in Rohrbach without Max Joseph from January 1794 to September 1795 she wrote 246 letters to him. Occasionally, she added little water-colour-paintings.
For New Year’s Day 1796, Auguste created a greeting card for Max Joseph which also contained a love poem.
Here is a translation of the poem:
Companion of my life!
My only happiness, my other self,
You, whose every wish I fulfill,
So faithfully and tenderly I love you:
Beloved: live happily: savor
the happiness of love with me for a long time to come!
May the mighty wings of the almighty cover
you; may a divine guardian god be with you.
Auguste added by hand: Meinem theuren Gatten von seiner Ihn liebenden Augusta. Den 1. Jenner 1769 (To my dear husband, from his loving Augusta. January 1, 1796).
Unfortunately, Auguste died of pulmonary tuberculosis on March 30, 1796. Her death plunged Max Joseph into deep mourning. He kept her letters in a box labelled “Letters from my late angel Auguste”.
Sources
- Exhibition “Max I Joseph and women” at Bavarian State Archives. Munich
- Bavarian State Archives, Secret House Archives
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