Countess Louise Sophie Danneskiold-Samsøe Explained

Louise Sophie of Danneskiold-Samsøe
Succession:	Duchess consort of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg
Reign:	18 September 1820 – 11 March 1867
Reign-Type:	Tenure
House:	House of Danneskiold-Samsøe
Father:	Christian Conrad, Count af Danneskiold-Samsøe
Mother:	Johanne Henriette Valentine Kaas
Spouse:	Christian August II, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg
Issue:	Alexander, Hereditary Prince Princess Louise Auguste Princess Caroline Amelie Princess Wilhelmine Frederick VIII Prince Christian Princess Henriette
Birth Place:	Gisselfeld, Denmark
Death Place:	Primkenau, Prussia

Countess Louise Sophie of Danneskiold-Samsøe (22 September 1796 – 11 March 1867) was a member of a Danish noble family descended illegitimately from Christian V of Denmark, and the wife of Christian August II, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg. She was the grandmother of German Empress Auguste Victoria, wife of the last German Emperor Wilhelm II.^[1]

Early life

Countess Louise Sophie of Danneskiold-Samsøe was born on 22 September 1796 in Gisselfeld, Denmark to Christian Conrad, Count af Danneskiold-Samsøe and his wife Johanne Henriette Valentine Kaas, daughter of the Danish Admiral Frederik Christian Kaas and a descendant of the war hero Jørgen Kaas. The House of Danneskiold-Samsøe is a non-dynastic branch of the House of Oldenburg, descended from Christian Gyldenløve, Count of Samsø, an illegitimate son of Christian V of Denmark by his mistress Sophie Amalie Moth.

On 18 September 1820 she married her second cousin Christian August II, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg at the Church of Braaby, Gisselfeld. They had seven children:

Prince Alexander Frederick William Christian Charles Augustus (20 July 1821 - 3 May 1823), died young
Princess Louise Auguste (28 August 1823 - 30 May 1872)
Princess Caroline Amelie (15 January 1826 - 3 May 1901)
Princess Wilhelmine (24 March 1828 - 4 July 1829)
Prince Frederick Christian August (6 July 1829 - 14 January 1880), later Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg. He married Princess Adelheid of Hohenlohe-Langenburg and became father of one surviving son and four daughters including Augusta Viktoria, German Empress.
Frederick Christian Charles Augustus (22 January 1831 – 28 October 1917), he married Princess Helena of the United Kingdom, and settled in England. They were the parents of Albert, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein.
Princess Caroline Christiane Auguste Emilie Henriette Elisabeth (2 August 1833 - 18 October 1917), married in 1872 Johann Friedrich von Esmarch (9 January 1823 - 23 February 1908)

Louise Sophie died on 11 March 1867 in Primkenau in the Kingdom of Prussia, aged 70 and was buried in the Lutheran church of Primkenau.