Herman IV, Landgrave of Hesse-Rotenburg facts for kids

Herman IV was a Landgrave of Hesse-Rotenburg. A Landgrave was like a ruler or a prince of a small territory. Herman was born on August 15, 1607, in Kassel and passed away on March 25, 1658, in Rotenburg an der Fulda. He was the very first ruler of the area known as Landgraviate of Hesse-Rotenburg, which was a bit like its own small country.

Early Life and Family

Herman IV was the fourth son of Maurice, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel. His mother was Countess Juliane of Nassau-Siegen. He grew up in a noble family, learning about his future duties.

A Life of Learning and Leadership

Herman faced a challenge from birth: he had a crippled foot. This meant he had to wear special iron braces to help him walk. Because of this, he couldn't have a military career like many other nobles.

Instead, Herman focused on science and learning. He became a very skilled researcher. He studied many different subjects, including:

• Weather patterns (meteorology)
• Math (mathematics)
• Stars and planets (astronomy)
• Maps and places (geography)

One of his most famous works was a book about the geography of Hesse. It was called Beiläufige Cosmographische Beschreibung des Niederfürstentums Hessen. This book, written in 1641, became a very important guide for people studying the region in the 17th century.

Building a School for the Future

During the Thirty Years' War, a big conflict in Europe, the school in Rotenburg was destroyed in 1637. Herman cared a lot about education. In 1651, he paid to build a brand new school. You can still see an inscription on the building at Löbergasse 2 that shows he built it.

Ruling Hesse-Rotenburg

In 1627, the Landgraviate of Hesse-Rotenburg was created. Herman became its first ruler. This meant he was in charge of governing the territory.

Later, in 1648, the Landgraviate was divided among three brothers. Herman kept a smaller part of Hesse-Rotenburg. His brother Frederick received Hesse-Eschwege. Another brother, Ernest, received Hesse-Rheinfels.

When Frederick passed away in 1655 without a son, his land, Eschwege, went to Ernest. In 1658, Herman also passed away. He did not have any children who survived him. So, his part of Rotenburg also went to his brother Ernest.

Family Life

Herman was married twice during his life.

First Marriage

On December 31, 1633, Herman married Countess Sophie Juliane of Waldeck-Wildungen. She was born in Altenwildungen on April 1, 1607. Sadly, she passed away in Ziegenhain on September 15, 1637.

They had one daughter together:

• Juliane (born in Kassel on March 25, 1636, and passed away in Kassel on May 22, 1636).

Second Marriage

Herman married his second wife, Princess Kunigunde Juliane of Anhalt-Dessau, on February 2, 1642. She was born in Dessau on February 17, 1608. She lived until September 26, 1683, passing away in Rotenburg. This marriage did not result in any children.