View source for Sophia of Hanover

14 October 1630 (The Hague) - 8 June 1714 (Herrenhausen). She was born as the youngest of five daughters of [[Frederick V Elector Palatine]] of the [[House of Wittelsbach]] and [[Elizabeth Stuart]], the daughter of [[James I]]. Thus she is commonly referred to as Sophia of Palatine (Sophie von der Pfalz) or Duchess Sophia. She married [[Ernest Augustus]] of Hanover in 1658 with whom she had several children, seven of them survived: George I of Great Britain (1660-1727), Friedrich August of Brunswick and Lunenburg (1661-1691), Maximilian William of Brunswick and Lunenburg (1666-1726), Sophia Charlotte (1668-1705), Karl Philipp of Lunenburg (1669-1690), Christian of Brunswick and Lunenburg (1671-1703) and Ernst August II of Brunswick and Lunenburg (1674-1728).


== '''Biography''' ==

Growing up in The Hague in exile as her father (known as the "Winter King" and "King of Bohemia") lost the Battle of White Mountain she was advised to marry her neighbouring first cousin [[Charles II]], but she refused. So she lived with her brother Charles I Louis.

1657 Sophia's niece [[Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate]] (in Germany known as Lieselotte von der Pfalz) started living with her. It was only when Elizabeth Charlotte got married to the brother of [[ Louis XIV]] of France that she left. However both women kept in touch with the help of letters in which Sophia was informed about life at the court of Louis XIV.

In 1658 Sophia of Hanover married Ernest Augustus, a second cousin of [[Elizabeth Stuart]], in Heidelberg who later became Elector of Brunswick-Lüneburg (in German: Braunschweig-Lüneburg).  That is why she herself received the title of Electress of Hanover.

In 1676 Sophia was introduced to [[Gottfried Leibniz]] who was employed at her court. She became attached to his theories and a close friendship between the two of them developed until Leibniz died. As Sophia also knew the works of [[René Descartes]] and [[Baruch Spinoza]], it can be said that she was a highly intellectual woman who was interested in politics and philosophy.

In 1700 Sophia met her cousin King [[William III]] of England. A short time before this meeting [[Anne I|Queen Anne]]'s son [[Prince William of Denmark and Norway]] died who would have been the proper (because Protestant) heir to the British throne. The rest of the Stuart descendants were Catholics or girls. Or both. 
One year later in the [[Act of Settlement]] Sophia, member of the Protestant Church, and her Protestant children were declared  the legitimate heirs of the British Crown:

“The most excellent Princess Sophia Electress and Duchess dowager of Hanover daughter of the most excellent Princess Elisabeth late Queen of Bohemia daughter of  our late sovereign lord King James the First of happy memory be and is hereby declared to be the next in succession in the protestant line to the imperiall crown and dignity of the (said) realms of England, France and Ireland with the dominions and territories thereunto belonging after his Majesty and the Princess Ann of Denmark and in default of issue of the said Princess Ann and of his Majesty respectively and that from and after the deceases of his said Majesty our new sovereign lord and of her royall Highness the Princess Ann of Denmark and for default of issue of the said Princess Ann and of his Majesty respectively the crown and regall government of the said kingdoms of England, France and Ireland and of the dominions thereunto belonging with the royall state and dignity of the said realms and all honours stiles titles regalitieS prerogatives powers jurisdictions and authorities to the same belonging and appertaining shall be remain and continue to the said most excellent Princess Sophia and the heirs of her body being protestants. And thereunto the said lords spirituall and temporall and commons shall and will in the name of all the people of this realm most humbly and faithfully submitt themselves their heirs and posterities and do faithfully promise that after the deceases of his Majesty and her royall Highness and the failure of the heirs of their respective bodies to stand to maintain and defend the said Princess Sophia and the heirs of her body being (protestante) according to the limitation and succession of the crown in this Act specified and contained to the utmost of their powers with their lives and estates against all persons whatsoever that shall attempt any thing to the contrary.” ([[Act of Settlement]] (1701)

However Sophia died on 8 June 1714 aged 83 during a walk through her garden. That is why she was not able to inherit the  British throne. Instead it was her eldest son Elector [[George I|George Ludwig of Hanover]] who took his mother's position after Queen Anne's death August 1, 1714.
 
The Act of Settlement is still in use, hence British royals still have to be Protestants and cannot be married to a Catholic if they want to inherit the throne.


== '''Her achievements''' ==



In 1680 Ernest Augustus inherited the Leineschloss in Hanover and the duchy Brunswick-Lüneburg of his brother. Together with his wife Sophia he moved to the castle.
While he was busy with politics Sophia had the castle of [[Herrenhausen]] and its gardens renovated. With the help of architects, artists, gardeners and sculptors she was able to create a real masterpiece which can be visited still nowadays.



== '''Sources''' ==


Rait, Robert S., ''Five Stuart Princesses: Margaret of Scotland, Elizabeth of Bohemia, Mary of Orange, Henrietta of Orleans, Sophia of Hanover'', Whitefish: Kessinger Publishing, 2007.


== '''External Links''' ==


<http://www.verfassungen.eu/gb/gb1701.htm>