Ludwig Gruno of Hesse-Homburg

Ludwig Johann Wilhelm Gruno von Hessen-Homburg (15 January 1705 – 23 October 1745) was hereditary prince of Hesse-Homburg and an Imperial Russian field marshal.

He was the eldest surviving son of Frederick III, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg and his wife Elisabeth Dorothea of Hesse-Darmstadt, daughter of Louis VI, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt. He studied at the University of Giessen and was sent by his father to Russia in 1723.

He became Major-General in Riga and commander of the Narva-Regiment. As the grandson of Louise Elisabeth of Courland, he hoped in vain to succeed his cousin Ferdinand Kettler as Duke of Courland. Anna of Russia moved him to Saint Petersburg, where he was promoted to General-Lieutenant and commander of the Saint Petersburg garrison.

In 1732, he led a successful campaign against the Crimean Tatars in the Caucasus. After operations in Eastern Poland in 1734-1735, he again fought against the Crimean Tatars and the Turks in 1736-1737, but now under command of von Münnich. He was awarded with the rank of General-Feldzeugmeister and was appointed Governor of Astrachan and the Persian provinces.

Ludwig Gruno also had good relations with the new Tsarina Elizabeth of Russia. She gave him in 1742 the title of General-Fieldmarshal, a house in Moscow and an estate in Livonia.

He died from illness on a travel in Berlin. He pre-deceased his father and was buried in the crypt of Bad Homburg Castle.

Family
Ludwig Gruno of Hesse-Homburg married Anastasija Trubetskaya on 3 February 1738. She was the daughter of Ivan Trubetskoy, cousin of Nikita Trubetskoy, and widow of Dimitrie Cantemir. They had no children.