Career
Ernest Louis"s desire to emulate the French court under Louis XIV ran his country into debt. Among those patronized in this cultural milieu was Baroque composer Christoph Graupner. Also bringing into his service architect Louis Remy de la Fosse for his extensive building program
Upon his death in 1739, his country"s debt was 4 million gulden, ten times the annual revenue.
Ernest Louis married Dorothea Charlotte of Brandenburg-Ansbach (1661–1705), daughter of Albert II, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach (1620–1667) on December 1, 1687. Their children were:
Dorothea Sophie (1689–1723)
married in 1710 Count John Frederick of Hohenlohe-Öhringen (1683–1765)
Louis VIII, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt (1691–1768)
married in 1717 Countess Charlotte of Hanau-Lichtenberg (1700–1726)
Charles William (1693–1707)
Francis Ernest (1695–1717)
Friederike Charlotte
married in 1720 Landgrave Maximilian of Hesse-Kassel (1689–1753)
He had two daughters with her:
Louisa Charlotte (1727–1753), Countess von Eppstein
Friederika Sophia (1730–1770), Countess von Eppstein
married 1764 Baron Johann Carl Ludwig Christian von Pretlack (1716–1781)
Ernest Louis had one additional illegitimate child with Charlotte von Forstner (1686–1727):
Friedrich Carl Ludwig von Hohenstein zu Fürstenfeld (1711–1715).