Philip of Hesse-Darmstadt

Philip of Hesse-Darmstadt (July 20, 1671 in Darmstadt – August 11, 1736 in Vienna) was a Prince of Hesse-Darmstadt, Imperial Field Marshal and Governor of Mantua.

Life

Philip was a younger son of Louis VI, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt (1630–1678) and his second wife Elisabeth Dorothea of Saxe-Coburg (1640–1709), daughter of Ernest II, Duke of Saxe-Gotha.

Philip fought for the Habsburgs in the Spanish War of Succession. In 1708 he became Field Marshal and Supreme Commander of the Imperial troops in newly conquered Naples. After the war in 1714, under influence of Prince Eugene of Savoy, he became governor of the former Duchy of Mantua until his death.

Philip was a great lover of music. When he was with his soldiers in Naples, he was patron of Nicola Porpora. When he was governor of Mantua, he made Antonio Vivaldi Maestro di Cappella of his court.^[1] Vivaldi wrote the opera Tito Manlio to celebrate Philip's wedding to Princess Eleanora of Guastalla, however the wedding never took place.^[2]

Marriage and children

On March 24, 1693, Philip married Marie Therese of Croÿ (1673–1714), daughter of Ferdinand François Joseph, Duke of Croy-Havré. He had to beome a Catholic for the wedding, which made his mother very upset.

Philip and Marie had five children :

Joseph (1699−1768), Bishop of Augsburg
Wilhelm Ludwig (1704, died young)
Theodora (February 6, 1706 – January 23, 1784), married in 1727 Duke Antonio Ferrante Gonzaga (1687–1729), no children.
Leopold (1708–1764), Imperial Field marshal, married in 1740 Enrichetta d'Este from Modena (1702–1777)
Charles (1710-1710)

Literature

Andreas Räss: Die Convertiten seit der Reformation S. 467 ff.^[3]
Alfred Arneth: Prinz Eugen von Savoyen, Wien, 1864

References

↑ Talbot, Michael. "Vivaldi, Antonio." Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press, accessed December 15, 2015, (subscription required), http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/40120
↑ Eric Cross. "Tito Manlio." The New Grove Dictionary of Opera. Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press, (subscription required), accessed December 28, 2015, http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/O009614.
↑ Google Books

Other websites

www.geneall.net

[grove-1] Talbot, Michael. "Vivaldi, Antonio." Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press, accessed December 15, 2015, (subscription required), http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/40120

[2] Eric Cross. "Tito Manlio." The New Grove Dictionary of Opera. Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press, (subscription required), accessed December 28, 2015, http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/O009614.

[3] Google Books

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