A royal consort is the spouse of a ruling monarch. Consorts of monarchs in the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg and its predecessor states had no constitutional status or power, but many had significant influence over their spouse.

Overview From the elevation of the County of Oldenburg to a Duchy and later a Grand Duchy, the monarchy of Oldenburg had four royal consorts: one duchess and three grand duchesses. Although their husbands were the rulers of the Oldenburg territory, they were not the heads of the House of Oldenburg; that honor lies with the Oldenburg Kings of Denmark and later the Glücksburg Dukes of Schleswig-Holstein, descended from Count Christian VI. The Queen consorts of Denmark held the title of Countess (later Duchess) of Oldenburg, but it wasn't until 1667 to 1773 that Denmark controlled Oldenburg. Then it was passed to the Russians, who were ruled by another scion of the House of Oldenburg.

All female consorts have had the right to and have held the title of countess, duchess, or grand duchess consort, depending on the years. As all rulers of Oldenburg had to be male due to the Salic law of male succession and total exclusion of female succession, there was never a male consort of Oldeburg. Consorts held the titles, Countess consort of Oldenburg (1088-1774), Duchess of consort Oldenburg (1774-1815/1829), and last of all, Grand Duchess consort of Oldenburg (1815/1829-1918). Had their existed a consort from 1815 to 1829, they would have been in the awkward situation of being a Duchess consort reigning in a Grand duchy. Oldenburg had been elevated to a Grand Duchy in 1815 after the Napoleonic War, but William and Peter I never used the title of Grand Duke of Oldenburg. But William and Peter I had no wives living during that period.

Not all wives of monarchs have become consorts, as they may have died, been divorced, had their marriage declared invalid prior to their husbands' ascending the throne, or married after abdication. Such cases include:

Adelheid of Oldenburg-Delmenhorst, the only daughter of Otto IV, Count of Delmenhorst; first wife of Dietrich (as Hereditary Prince of the County of Oldenburg), married circa 1401, said to have died already in 1404. Sibylle Elisabeth of Brunswick-Dannenberg, the only daughter of Henry III, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg; wife of Anthony II (after the partition of Oldenburg, in 1577, with husband receiving Delmenhorst), married circa 1600, died 9 July 1630. Friederike of Württemberg, the second daughter of Frederick II Eugene, Duke of Württemberg; wife of Peter I (as heir to the duchy of Oldenburg), married 6 June 1781, died 24 November 1785. Adelheid of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym, the second daughter of Victor II, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym; wife of Augustus I (as Hereditary Grand Duke), married 24 July 1817, died 13 September 1820. Ida of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym, the fourth daughter of Victor II, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym; wife of Augustus I (as Hereditary Grand Duke), married 24 June 1825, died 31 March 1828. Elisabeth Anna of Prussia, the second daughter of Prince Frederick Charles of Prussia; wife of Frederick Augustus II (as Hereditary Grand Duke), married 18 February 1878, died 28 August 1895.

From 1774 to the end of the monarchy in 1918, only William, Duke of Oldenburg and Peter I, Duke of Oldenburg have reigned without spouses.

After the Grand Duchy was abolished in 1918, the spouse of the head of the old Grand Ducal family of Oldenburg is the titular Grand Duchess consort of Oldenburg. The current titular grand duchess is Princess Ameli of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Freudenberg, the wife of Anton-Günther, Duke of Oldenburg, the head of the grand ducal family of Oldenburg.

If Duke Christian of Oldenburg, Anton-Günther's son and heir, ascends to the role of Head of the Grand Ducal Family of Oldenburg, his wife, Countess Caroline zu Rantzau, will become the titular Grand Duchess of Oldenburg.

Countess of Oldenburg (1088–1774) Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Countess Ceased to be Countess Death Spouse Richenza of Elsdorf Dedo, Count of Godesck, husband of Ida von Elsdorf(Godseck) 1044 ? 1088husband's accession 1108/12husband's death ? Elimar I Eilika of Werl-Rietberg Henry, Count of Rietberg(Rietberg) ? before 1102 1108husband's accession 1142husband's death ? Elimar II Kunigunde of Versfleth Gerbert, Count of Versfleth (Versfleht) ? before 1102 1142husband's accession 1169husband's death ? Christian I Salome of Hostaden-Wickrath Otto II, Count of Wickrath(Wickrath) ? before 1145 1169husband's accession 1209/11husband's death ? Maurice I Mechthild of Woldenberg Hoier I, Count of Wöltingerode-Woldenberg(Wöltingerode-Woldenberg) ? ? 1209/11husband's accession 1251husband's death ? Otto I Agnes of Altena-Isenberg Arnold, Count of Altena(Berg) ? before 1204 1209/11husband's accession 1238husband's death ? Christian II Richeza of Hoya-Stumpenhausen Henry II, Count of Hoya(Hoya) ? before 1250 1238husband's accession 1272husband's death ? John I Hedwig of Oldenburg-Wildeshausen Henry IV, Count of Oldenburg-Wildeshausen(Oldenburg-Wildeshausen) ? ? 1272husband's accession ? Christian III Jutta of Bentheim-Tecklenburg Otto II, Count of Bentheim-Tecklenburg(Holland) ? ? 1278husband's abdication before 1287 Elisabeth of Lüneburg John of Brunswick, Duke of Lüneburg(Lüneburg-Celle) ? 1294 1294/1298 John II (aka IX) Hedwig of Diepholz Conrad, Count of Diepholz(Diepholz) ? ? 1305husband's abdication ? Hedwig of Altbruchhausen Hildebold, Count of Altbruchausen(Oldenburg-Wildeshausen) ? ? 1305husband's accession 1324husband's death 1348 Christian IV Mechthild of Bronckhorst Gijsbert IV, Lord of Bronckhorst(Bronckhorst) ? ? 1305husband's accession 1338 John XI Ingeborg of Itzehoe Gerhard IV, Count of Holstein-Itzehoe-Plön(Schauenburg) ? ? 1344husband's accession 1368husband's death ? Conrad I Kunigunde of Diepholz ?(Diepholz) ? ? 1368husband's accession 1386husband's abdication ? Conrad II Elisabeth of Brunswick-Lüneburg Magnus II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg(Brunswick) 1368 1391 1398husband's abdication 1420 Maurice III or IV Agnes of Hohnstein-Heiringen Dietrich V, Count of Hohnstein(Hohnstein) ? 1360 1398husband's accession 1404 Christian V Hedvig of Schleswig and Holstein Gerhard VI, Count of Holstein-Rendsborg, Duke of Schleswig(Schauenburg) 1398 23 November 1423 1436 Dietrich Adelheid of Tecklenburg Otto VIII, Count of Tecklenburg(Schwerin) 1435 1453 2 March 1477 Gerhard VI Anna of Anhalt-Zerbst George I, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst(Ascania) ? 20 June 1498 10 February 1526husband's abdication 10 October 1531 John V (aka XIV) Sofie of Saxe-Lauenburg Magnus I, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg(Ascania) 1521 1 January 1537 1566husband's accession 13 May 1571 Anthony I Elisabeth of Schwarzburg-Blankenburg Gunther XI, Count of Schwarzburg(Schwarzburg) 13 April 1541 1576 12 November 1603husband's death 26 December 1612 John VII Sophie Katharina of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg Alexander, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg(Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg) 28 June 1617 1635 19 June 1667husband's death 22 November 1696 Anthony Günther Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg George, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg(Brunswick-Lüneburg) 24 March 1628 1 October 1643 1667Oldenburg passed to Denmark 9 February 1670 husband's death 20 February 1685 Frederick III of Denmark Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel William VI, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel(Hesse-Kassel) 27 April 1650 25 June 1667 9 February 1670 husband's accession 25 August 1699 husband's death 27 March 1714 Christian V of Denmark Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow Gustav Adolf, Duke of Mecklenburg-Güstrow(Mecklenburg-Güstrow) 28 August 1667 5 December 1695 25 August 1699husband's accession 15 March 1721 Frederick IV of Denmark Anne Sophie von Reventlow Conrad, Count of Reventlow(Reventlow) 16 April 1693 4 April 1721 12 October 1730husband's death 7 January 1743 Sophia Magdalen of Brandenburg-Kulmbach Christian Heinrich of Brandenburg-Bayreuth-Kulmbach(Hohenzollern) 28 November 1700 7 August 1721 12 October 1730 husband's accession 6 August 1746husband's death 27 May 1770 Christian VI of Denmark Louise of Great Britain George II of Great Britain(Hanover) 7 December 1724 11 December 1743 6 August 1746husband's accession 19 December 1751 Frederick V of Denmark Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel Ferdinand Albert II, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel(Brunswick-Bevern) 4 September 1729 8 July 1752 13 January 1766husband's death 10 October 1796 Caroline Matilda of Great Britain Frederick, Prince of Wales(Hanover) 11 July 1751 8 November 1766 1773Oldenburg passed to Russia 10 May 1775 Christian VII of Denmark Wilhelmina Louisa of Hesse-Darmstadt Louis IX, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt (Hesse-Darmstadt) 25 June 1755 29 September 1773 1773ceased to be countess 15 April 1776 Paul I of Russia Ulrike Friederike Wilhelmine of Hesse-Kassel Landgrave Maximilian of Hesse-Kassel (Hesse-Kassel) 31 October 1722 21 November 1752 1773husband's accession 1774became Duchess 28 February 1787 Frederick Augustus I

Duchess of Oldenburg (1774–1829) Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Duchess Ceased to be Duchess Death Spouse Ulrike Friederike Wilhelmine of Hesse-Kassel Landgrave Maximilian of Hesse-Kassel (Hesse-Kassel) 31 October 1722 21 November 1752 1774became Duchess 6 July 1785husband's death 28 February 1787 Frederick Augustus I

Grand Duchess of Oldenburg (1829–1918) Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Grand Duchess Ceased to be Grand Duchess Death Spouse Cecilia of Sweden Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden (Holstein-Gottorp) 22 June 1807 5 May 1831 27 January 1844 Augustus I Elisabeth of Saxe-Altenburg Joseph, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg (Saxe-Altenburg) 26 March 1826 10 February 1852 27 February 1853husband's accession 2 February 1896 Peter II Elisabeth of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Frederick Francis II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (Mecklenburg-Schwerin) 10 August 1869 24 October 1896 13 June 1900husband's accession 11 November 1918husband's abdication 3 September 1955 Frederick Augustus II

See also Counts, dukes and grand dukes of Oldenburg List of Danish royal consorts List of consorts of Schleswig and Holstein List of consorts of Holstein-Sonderburg List of Russian royal consorts

References

External links

House of Oldenburg, family tree of the Counts of Oldenburg and Wildeshausen