A German princess who married into the royal family of Sardinia and became queen, known for her cultural and charitable contributions to her adopted country.
Polyxena of HesseRotenburg, born on September 21, 1706, was the second wife of Charles Emmanuel, Prince of Piedmont, and the mother of the future Victor Amadeus III, making her the Queen of Sardinia from 1730 until her death in 1735.
Polyxena was born as the eldest daughter of Ernst Leopold, Landgrave of HesseRheinfelsRotenburg, and Princess Eleonore of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rochefort. She was part of the HesseRotenburg line, a Roman Catholic branch of the reigning House of Hesse since 1652.
Her marriage to Charles Emmanuel, Prince of Piedmont, was orchestrated by King Victor Amadeus II of Sardinia, who sought a union between the two families. The engagement was announced on July 2, 1724, and Polyxena wed Charles Emmanuel by proxy on July 23 in Rotenburg. The marriage was celebrated in person at Thonon in Chablais on August 20, 1724.
When King Victor Amadeus II of Sardinia died in 1730, Polyxena's husband Charles Emmanuel succeeded to the throne, making her the Queen of Sardinia. She played a significant role in shaping the royal legacy, particularly in the early years of her son's reign.
Tragically, her stepson Victor Amadeus, heir to the Sardinian crown, died at the age of two, a year after Polyxena's marriage and before she had a child of her own. Despite this, she maintained a close relationship with her mother-in-law, Anne Marie d'Orléans, and the two frequently visited the Villa della Regina outside the capital, where Anne Marie died in 1728.
Polyxena's life and reign were marked by significant events and changes in the European royal landscape. Her marriage to Charles Emmanuel, Prince of Piedmont, strengthened the alliance between the House of Savoy and the House of Hesse, a vital alliance that shaped the course of European politics.
Moreover, her role as Queen of Sardinia during a tumultuous period in European history demonstrates her strength and resilience in the face of adversity. Her legacy as a queen, mother, and member of the royal family continues to inspire and fascinate historians and scholars to this day.
