Gustav (Hessen-Homburg)

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Coffin of Landgrave Gustav in the crypt of the Homburg Landgrave Castle
Memorial column on the occasion of Gustav's four-year jubilee on September 3, 1848 in Seulberg

Gustav Adolf Friedrich (born February 17, 1781 in Homburg before the height ; † September 8, 1848 ibid) was an Austrian general and from 1846 until his death Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg .

Life

Gustav was the fourth son of Landgrave Friedrich V and his wife Karoline von Hessen-Darmstadt , a daughter of Landgrave Ludwig IX. von Hessen-Darmstadt and Henriette Karoline von Pfalz-Zweibrücken , the great countess .

In 1787 he was named by his godfather, the Swedish King Gustav III. , appointed Lieutenant of the Guard. At the age of 17 he joined Swedish services. There were good relations with the Swedish royal family from Frederick II . After the king was murdered, he asked to be released from the Swedish service and returned to Homburg.

His brother Friedrich already served in the Austrian army, so it was obvious that he would join the army as well. He fought in Baden, Württemberg and Lower Austria and was promoted to major in 1801 . In 1805 he was transferred to the Chevauxlegers . He distinguished himself on the retreat under Archduke Charles at Caldiero and was promoted to lieutenant colonel on December 1, 1805 . After a time in the garrison in Hungary (1805–1809) and a transfer to the Hohenzollern cuirassiers , the next promotion took place: Colonel and commander of the cuirassier regiment "Archduke Ferdinand". He fought in the battles of Aspern and Wagram . The "beautiful Gustav" was awarded the Military Maria Theresa Order , just like his brothers .

During Napoleon's Russian campaign he belonged to the (Austrian) 12th Corps, in the center of which he commanded the 2nd Brigade under the command of Field Marshal Lieutenant Vinzenz Ferrerius von Bianchi . He was seriously wounded in an attack near Wielkiszelo and was incapacitated for a long time. In 1813 he was a major general offset to the Hesse-Homburg Hussars his brother Friedrich and was in Bohemia in garrison . In the Wars of Liberation he fought in the Battle of the Nations near Leipzig and during Napoleon's hundred days he took part in the campaign against France. After the Second Peace of Paris he was a brigadier in Transylvania , in 1826 he became a field marshal lieutenant, and from 1827 he was on leave.

Since Philipp was governor of the federal fortress of Mainz , Gustav took over the affairs of government after he left the Austrian army (with the rank of general).

The revolution of 1848 also took place in the small town of Hesse-Homburg. As early as 1844, Landgrave Philipp had the citizens' demand for a country-class constitution “examined benevolently”, but rejected it. Gustav now hastened to give the country an estate constitution, but no longer had to keep his promise, because he died on September 8, 1848.

His son, the Hereditary Prince Friedrich (called "the hope of Homburg"), had preceded him in death. He died not even at the age of 18 as a student of flu in Bonn .

Both were buried in the crypt of Bad Homburg Castle .

Marriage and offspring

Prince Gustav married his niece Louise Friederike von Anhalt-Dessau , the daughter of his sister Amalie, in Dessau on February 12, 1818 . Louise suffered from deafness , a reason for the couple's self-chosen isolation. The fact that his brother Philipp had entered into a mesalliance and the continued existence of the House of Hessen-Homburg was now up to him may have been another reason for insisting on a marriage befitting his status. Gustav and Louise had three children:

  • Caroline Amalie Elisabeth Auguste Friederike Ludowike Christiane Josephine Leopoldine George Bernhardine Wilhelmine Woldemare Charlotte (born March 19, 1819 in Homburg vor der Höhe, † January 18, 1872 in Greiz ), married to Heinrich XX. , Prince Reuss zu Greiz (1794-1859), ruled 1859-1867 as guardian of Heinrich XXII. (1846–1902)
  • Elisabeth Louise Friederike (born September 30, 1823 in Homburg vor der Höhe, † January 28, 1864 in Homburg vor der Höhe)
  • Friedrich Ludwig Heinrich Gustav (born March 6, 1830 in Homburg vor der Höhe, † January 4, 1848 in Bonn )

literature

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Commons : Gustav of Hesse-Homburg  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files
predecessor Office successor
Philip Landgrave of Hessen-Homburg
1846–1848 		Ferdinand
personal data
SURNAME Gustav
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Gustav Adolf Friedrich
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Austrian general, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg
DATE OF BIRTH February 17, 1781
PLACE OF BIRTH Homburg vor der Höhe
DATE OF DEATH September 8, 1848
Place of death Homburg vor der Höhe