Ursula Katharina Lubomirska

Ursula Katharina of Altenbockum (b. Warsaw?, 25 November 1680 - d. Dresden, 4 May 1743), was a german noblewoman and mistress of August II the Strong, King of Poland and Elector of Saxony.

Life

She was the youngest daughter of the Truchsess (Seneschal) Johann Heinrich of Altenbockum by his wife, Konstantia Thekla Branika, which had immigrated from Westphalia to Poland.

In 1695, with only fifteen years, Ursula married with the Polish Kronoberkaemmerer Prince Jerzy Dominik Lubomirski. The Lubomirskis, at that time, were ranked among the most influential families of Poland. They maintained relations with the Primate-Cardinal Michal Radziejowski, archbishop of Gnesen, who, after the death of the Polish King Jan III Sobieski, was chosen by the new King as his representant in the Kingdom.

Nevertless, the Pope soon dissolved this "lucky little marriage", which represented a most unusual event at that time. Already before, around the end of the century, August the Strong, King of Poland and Elector of Saxony look by the first time the vivacious and beautiful Princess Lubomirska. The King use Ursula's relations with the Cardinal-Primate to met her.

In 1700 she finally become in the official Mistress (Mätresse) of the King, taking the place of the Countess Maximiliane Hiserle of Chodau, knowly in history as the Countess Esterle. August the Strong send Ursula to Saxony and introduced her at the Dresden court. They were impressed by the beautiful, charming and rich-spirit Princess. On 21 August 1704 she gave birth August's son, Johann Georg -the later Chevalier de Saxe-, named after the grandfather of the King-Elector.

Only five days after her childbirth, on 26 August 1704, Ursula was created by the Emperor Leopold I, Imperial Princess (Reichsfürstin) of Teschen. But this title was only honorific, because only national Princes had seat and voice in the Reichstag.

But, later in that year, her relationship with the King ended. In 1705 the Countess Anna Constantia of Hoym, later Countess of Cosel, took her place as official mistress. Humiliated by the King and outlawed from the Dresden Hofe, Ursula retired to a countryseat in Hoyerswerda. August the Strong give her a loan for 250,000 Imperial talers (Reichstaler) for the land, and later she received for him the entire rights of property. Later, Ursula move to her schlesien residence in Breslau.

Years later, after the King had been banished her long-time mistress, the Countess of Cosel, Ursula would returned to Dresden. Now, she occupied a high and respected position in the Hofe; the fall of High Chancellor (Großkanzlers) Wolf Dietrich von Beichlingen was at that time attributed to her.

In the meanwhile, the ten years younger prince Frederick Ludwig of Württemberg-Winnental recruited the affection of the still beautiful Imperial Princes. Finally, she gave way to her recruiting and they married secretly on 22 October 1722. After twlve years of union, on 19 September 1734, Frederick Ludwig was killed in the Battle of Guastalla. In accordance with the marriage agreement and against the resistance of the House of Württemberg, the Imperial Princess start to use the name and coat of arms of her deceased husband until her own death.

Her rule over Hoyerswerda ended in 1737; for compensation, she received a annuity of 18,000 Reichstalern until her death and 6,000 Reichstalern for her son, the Chevalier of Saxe. and thus on August III., the only legitimate son of August of the strong one, off.

When the King-Elector died on 1733 she was completely banished of the Hofe. Ursula died ten years later, aged sixty-two, on Dresden. Her mortal remains were buried in the Jesuit Church (Jesuitenkirche) to Leitmeritz (Böhmen).