House Holstein-Gottorp Name Princess of Children Duke Elimar of Oldenburg | Mother Frederica of Baden Role Composer | |
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Tenure 5 May 1831 – 27 January 1844 Born 22 June 1807
Stockholm, Sweden ( 1807-06-22 ) Burial Ducal (Herzogliches) Mausoleum, Gertrudenfriedhof, Oldenburg Issue Duke Alexander
Duke Nikolaus
Duke Elimar Father Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden Died January 27, 1844, Oldenburg, Germany Spouse Augustus, Grand Duke of Oldenburg (m. 1831) Parents Frederica of Baden, Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden Siblings Prince Carl Gustav of Sweden Similar People Augustus - Grand Duke of O, Frederica of Baden, Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden, Amalia of Oldenburg, Gustav III of Sweden | ||
Cecilia of Sweden (22 June 1807 in Stockholm – 27 January 1844 in Oldenburg) was a composer, a Swedish princess by birth, and Grand Duchess of Oldenburg by marriage. She was the daughter of King Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden and Frederica of Baden.
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Biography
The youngest of four children, Cecilia left Sweden in 1810 with her family after her father was deposed as king of Sweden by the Coup of 1809. She was raised in her mother's home country, the Grand Duchy of Baden (Germany). After her parents were divorced in 1812, she was raised mainly by her grandmother Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt in Bruchsal.
She met Augustus, Grand Duke of Oldenburg in 1830, and after an hour's conversation, the marriage was decided. She went to her brother in Vienna, where her wedding took place in the presence of the Austrian Emperor Francis I. She relocated to the city of Oldenburg in June 1831.
Cecilia had an interest in culture. As Grand Duchess of Oldenburg she composed the melody of a hymn for Oldenburg. The hymn was later added with lyrics by Theodor von Kobbe and named ‘Heil dir, o Oldenburg’. In 1833, Cecila supported the founding of the city's first theatre, which today is the Oldenburgisches Staatstheater. She was, however, never known to be close to the population in Oldenburg, where she lived a life confined to the circles of the court. A bridge, a square and a road are named after her, as well as a school. In honour of the late Cecilia, the locality Cäciliengroden at the Jade Bight near Wilhelmshaven (later incorporated into Sande in Frisia) was named after her.
Cecilia died at the age of 36 from puerperal fever, a few days after giving birth to her third child Elimar. She was buried in the Ducal Mausoleum in the Churchyard of St. Gertrude (St. Gertrudenkirchhof / Gertrudenfriedhof) in the city of Oldenburg. Her sister, Amalia Maria Charlotta, was buried there, too.
Marriage
She married Augustus, Grand Duke of Oldenburg (1783–1853) on 5 May 1831 in Vienna. Both being members of the House of Holstein-Gottorp and descendants of Christian August of Holstein-Gottorp, Prince of Eutin, they were distant cousins. It was Augustus' third marriage.
They had three sons together: