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Count Johann Reinhard III of Hanau, Countess Charlotte Christine of Hanau-Lichtenberg, Emperor Franz I Sefan, Empress Maria Theresa, King George II of Great Britain, Landgrave Ludwig VIII of Hesse-Darmstadt, Margrave Albrecht II of Brandenburg-Ansbach, Seven Years War
Ludwig VIII (April 5, 1691 – October 17, 1768) was the Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt from 1739 to 1768. He was the son of Ernst Ludwig Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt and Margravine Dorothea Charlotte of Brandenburg-Ansbach, a daughter of Margrave Albrecht II of Brandenburg-Ansbach (1620–1667), from his second marriage to Sophia Margaret of Oettingen-Oettingen (1634–1664), daughter of Joachim Ernest of Oettingen-Oettingen.
In 1717, he was married to his cousin Countess Charlotte Christine of Hanau-Lichtenberg the only surviving child of Count Johann Reinhard III of Hanau, and the Countess Dorothea Friederike of Brandenburg-Ansbach the daughter of Margrave John Frederick of Brandenburg-Ansbach (1654–1686) and his first wife, Margravine Johanna Elisabeth of Baden-Durlach (1651–1680). Countess Dorothea Friederike of Brandenburg-Ansbach was a half-sister of Queen Caroline of Great Britain, the wife of King George II of Great Britain.
Count Johann Reinhard III was the last Count of Hanau, thus, Countess Charlotte Christine was the sole heir of the County of Hanau.
As a result of the marriage Landgrave Ludwig VIII received Hanau-Lichtenberg as an addition to his dominions. Because of his passion for hunting, he is known as the “Hunting Landgrave” (German: Jagdlandgraf). During the Seven Years’ War he stood on the side of the Emperor Franz I Stefan and received the rank of General Field Marshal.
The Seven Years’ War (1756–1763) was a global conflict that involved most of the European great powers, and was fought primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. Some historians have labeled the Seven Years War as World War 0.
Like his father, Ludwig VIII was not a gifted economist and only his good relationship with Empress Maria Theresa and her intervention at the Imperial Court Council kept the Landgraviate from bankruptcy. However, his caring for his country is documented by the establishment of a textile house in 1742 and a state orphanage in the 1746.
Issue
Children:
1. Landgrave Ludwig IX, married in 1741 Countess Palatine Caroline of Zweibrücken, had issue
2. Prince Georg Wilhelm, married in 1748 Countess Maria Louise Albertine of Leiningen-Dagsburg-Falkenburg, had issue
3. Princess Caroline Louise; married in 1751 Charles Friedrich, Margrave of Baden, later first Grand Duke of Baden, had issue