William II, Elector of Hesse was the penultimate Elector of Hesse.
Background
William was the eldest surviving son of William I, Elector of Hesse and Wilhelmina Caroline of Denmark and Norway. He succeeded as Elector of Hesse (a title that was moribund after the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806) on his father"s death in 1821. On 13 February 1797 in Berlin, William married Princess Augusta of Prussia, fourth daughter of Frederick William II of Prussia.
Career
With the Hessian troops, he was involved in the War of the Sixth Coalition against Napoleon in 1813. Marriage and issue Morganatic marriages The children bore the title Count/Countess of Reichenbach-Lessonitz: Luise Wilhelmine Emilie (26 February 1813 – 3 October 1883), married Karl Count von Bose Julius Wilhelm Albrecht (4 October 1815 – 15 January 1822) Gustav Karl (24 August 1818 – 26 September 1861), married Clementine Richter Amalie Wilhelmine Emilie (21 December 1816 – 28 December 1858), married Wilhelm Count von Lückner, then Karl Baron von Watzdorf Emilie (8 June 1820 – 30 January 1891), married Felix Count Zichy-Ferraris Friederike (16 December 1821 – 23 February 1898), married Wilhelm Baron von Dungern Wilhelm (29 June 1824 – 19 January 1866), married Helene Amelie Baroness Goeler von Ravensburg (ancestors of Ameli, Duchess of Oldenburg and Count Luitpold of Castell-Castell) Helene (8 August 1825 – 14 March 1898), married Oswald Baron von Fabrice (4x great grandparents of Princess Nikolaos of Greece and Denmark) Emilie Ortlöpp died less than two years after the marriage in 1843. von Kruse (4 August 1780 – 29 September 1856), created Countess of Bergen in 1846. This marriage was childless.
Princess Tatiana of Greece and Denmark, the wife of Prince Nikolaos of Greece and Denmark, son of King Constantine II of Greece is a descendant of William II of Hesse.
Titles and styles 28 July 1777 - 31 October 1785 His Serene Highness Prince Wilhelm of Hesse-Kassel 31 October 1785 - 15 May 1803 His Serene Highness The Hereditary Prince of Hesse-Kassel 15 May 1803 - 27 February 1821 His Serene Highness The Electoral Prince of Hesse 27 February 1821 - 20 November 1847 His Royal and Serene Highness The Elector of Hesse.