Philip of Hesse-Darmstadt

Philip of Hesse-Darmstadt (July 20, 1671 in Darmstadt – August 11, 1736 in Vienna) was a Prince of Hesse-Darmstadt, Imperial Field marshal and Governor of Mantua.

Life
Philip was a younger son of Louis VI, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt (1630–1678) and his second wife Elisabeth Dorothea of Saxe-Coburg (1640–1709), daughter of Ernest II, Duke of Saxe-Gotha.

Philip fought for the Habsburgs in the Spanish War of Succession and became in 1708 Field Marshal and Supreme Commander of the Imperial troops in newly conquered Naples. After the war in 1714, under influence of Prince Eugene of Savoy, he became governor of the former Duchy of Mantua until his death.

Philip was a great lover of music. When he commanded the Austrian Army in Naples, he was patron of Nicola Porpora, and when he was governor of Mantua, he made Antonio Vivaldi Maestro di Cappella of his court. Vivaldi wrote the opera Tito Manlio in Philip's honor.

Marriage and Children
Philip married on March 24, 1693, in Brussels with Marie Therese of Croÿ (1673–1714), daughter of Ferdinand François Joseph, Duke of Croy-Havré. For this marriage, he converted to Catholicism, despite heavy protest of his mother. They had 5 children :
 * Joseph (1699−1768), Bishop of Augsburg
 * Wilhelm Ludwig (1704, died young)
 * Theodora (February 6, 1706 – January 23, 1784), married in 1727 Duke Antonio Ferrante Gonzaga (1687–1729), no issue.
 * Leopold (1708–1764), Imperial Field marshal, married in 1740 Enrichetta d'Este from Modena (1702–1777)
 * Charles (1710)

Literature

 * Andreas Räss: Die Convertiten seit der Reformation S. 467 ff.
 * Alfred Arneth: Prinz Eugen von Savoyen, Wien, 1864