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:

 Charlotte of Shaumberg-Lippe:

Very Nice!

Very good portraits, thanks!!

Some more:

Auguste of Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel



Charlotte, Princess Royal

Katharina Pavlovna





Pauline

Olga Nicolaievna

Marie

Charlotte of Schaumburg-Lippe