Queens of Wuerttemberg

Augusta, Princess of Brunswick Wolfenbuttel was the elder daughter of George III's sister, also Augusta, and elder sister to Caroline, future wife of George IV.

She married Frederick of Wurttemberg in 1780, had four children with him and then died (in St Petersburg I believe) in 1788.

I remember reading a book about Caroline of Brunswick which suggested that there was something rather suspicious about Augusta's death.  I think she was living apart from her husband who was physically abusive, was under the protection of Catherine the Great, but then died very suddenly and in mysterious circumstances. 

Does anyone know anything about what happened to her?  Was her death "above board" or was there suspicion/evidence of foul play?

There was no evidence of foul play, but plenty of speculation.  The gossip was that the prince had abandoned his wife in Russia when he took his three surviving children (one died young in St Petersburg) back to Wurttemburg, and had possibly been instrumental in contriving her death there (although he had not been in the country at the time).  When in 1795 Frederick, the Hereditary Prince of Wurttemburg was seeking the hand of his first wife's first cousin, Charlotte the Princess Royal of Great Britain, George III wrote to Lord Grenville "I was astonished at the Duchess of Brunswick mentioning in a letter to me a desire of such an alliance, but knowing the brutal and other unpleasant qualities of this Prince, I could not give any encouragement to such a proposal".  However, Frederick's sister Maria Feodorovna, was the wife of the Grand Duke Paul of Russia at this time and became Empress herself in 1796; she was keen to advance such an important marriage of her brother and let it be known that the Empress Catherine had persuaded Augusta to stay in Russia against Frederick's wishes, become tired of her after a while, and exiled her to the castle of Lohde, where she died.  Eventually Russian pressure wore George III down (although it took a long time) and in 1797 the Princess Royal and Frederick were married.  He was rumoured to treat this second wife badly as well, although her brother the Duke of Kent (who was present when Frederick died) testified to their mutual attachment; she never gave a hint to her suspicious sisters that anything was amiss, so again it was just rumour and speculation. 

Thank you for posting such an informative reply!

I seem to remember reading somewhere that while she was in St Petersburg, Augusta had begged Catherine the Great for protection from her abusive husband which Catherine gave, much to the disgust of Maria Feodorovna and the then Grand Duke Paul.  I also remember reading somewhere that there was some suspicion that Frederick was physically abusive to his second wife, Charlotte, though others said that their relationship was quite affectionate. 

It does seem surprising in the circumstances that the Duchess of Brunswick would have advocated a match between her niece and Frederick and suggests that she didn't think there was anything untoward in Augusta's death.  Then again, she may have been influenced by political necessity (the rise of Napoleon and the need for little Brunswick to have as many allies as possible) that she pushed the match.

I seem (again!) to remember reading that Charlotte had good relationships with her step children who were probably too young to remember their mother when she died.

A topic for informations/pictures/portraits about the Queens of Württemberg...

Wives of FRIEDRICH I.:

AUGUSTE of Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel (1764-1788)



CHARLOTTE, Pss Royal of Great Britain and Ireland (1766-1828)

Wives of WILHELM I.:

GDss KATHARINA Pavlovna of Russia (1788-1819)



PAULINE, Dss of Württemberg (1800-1873)

Wife of KARL:

GDss OLGA Nicolaievna of Russia (1822-1892)



Wives of WILHELM II.:

MARIE, Pss zu Waldeck-Pyrmont (1857-1882)



CHARLOTTE, Pss zu Schaumburg-Lippe (1864-1946)

Hi Synnadene,

Thank you so much for those pictures and dates of the Wurttemberg Queens.  Very educational;  I could never get them all sorted out properly...

Cheers,
Larry

Here are some more of the same ladies:
Auguste Braunschweig-Wolfenbuttel




Princess Royal Charlotte:




Katharina Pavlovna:






Marie Waldeck (extremely little available):


Grand Duchess Olga (many images available):










Pauline:

Very Nice!

Very good portraits, thanks!!

Some more:

Auguste of Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel



Charlotte, Princess Royal

Katharina Pavlovna





Pauline

Olga Nicolaievna

I'm searching for a bigger version about the following portrait about Queen Katharina

Catherine Pavlovna of Russia    Ekaterina had a happy childhood and her education was carefully supervised by her mother. She received the best education and constantly furthered her education through reading new literary publications and personal contacts with various outstanding persons. She was very close to her siblings particularly with her eldest brother Tsarevich Alexander Pavlovich (later Tsar Alexander I). Throughout her life she would maintain a close relationship with him. It was said that she was Alexander's favorite sister and one of the few persons he loved unconditionally. His letters to her are expressed in phrases like "I am yours, heart and soul, for life", "I think that I love you more with each day that passes", and "to love you more than I do is impossible". Ekaterina was reportedly also her mother's favorite daughter.

After Napoleon's divorce from Empress Josephine during the course of the Napoleonic Wars, the French Emperor hinted to Alexander I his wish to marry Ekaterina - a desire mainly to draw the Russians to his side. Ekaterina's family was horrified, and so the Dowager Empress immediately arranged a marriage for her daughter to Duke George of Oldenburg.

Beautiful and vivacious, Ekaterina was married to Duke George of Oldenburg on 3 August 1809. Although their marriage was arranged, Ekaterina was devoted to her husband. George was the second son of Peter, Duke of Oldenburg and it was said that he was not handsome but Ekaterina cared for him deeply and his death in 1812 due to typhoid fever saddened her greatly. The widowed Ekaterina travelled to England with her brother Tsar Alexander I to meet the Prince Regent and again during the Vienna Congress. It was in England where she met the Crown Prince William of Württemberg. It was love at first sight for the couple. However, William was then married to the gentle Princess Charlotte of Bavaria and took the drastic step by divorcing her. William then married Ekaterina in 1816 in Saint Petersburg. Upon her husband's accession as king, Ekaterina, now Queen Katharina of Württemberg, became active in charity works in her adopted homeland. She established numerous institutions for the benefit of the common people.

Did Crown Prince William of Wurttemberg divorce Princess Charlotte of Bavaria solely to marry Catherine Pavlovna? and for no other reason?

Did Crown Prince William of Wurttemberg divorce Princess Charlotte of Bavaria solely to marry Catherine Pavlovna? and for no other reason?

Seemed so. Probably a Tsar's sister looked a better choice than a Bavarian Princess, though Wilhelm and Ekaterina's marriage was considered a love-match.