Princess Auguste Karoline Of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel

Duchess Augusta of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (Augusta Caroline Frederica Luise), born on 3 December 1764 in Brunswick, was the eldest child of Charles William Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick, and Princess Augusta of Great Britain. She was the older sister of Princess Caroline of Brunswick, who became the wife of King George IV of the United Kingdom. Augusta was part of the House of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel.

On 15 October 1780, at the age of 15, Augusta married Duke Frederick of Württemberg in Brunswick. Frederick was the eldest son of Duke Frederick Eugene of Württemberg, who was the youngest brother of Duke Charles Eugene of Württemberg. At the time of their marriage, Frederick was a Major-General in Prussian service. The marriage linked the Brunswick and Württemberg royal families, with expectations of succession to the Württemberg ducal throne, which were complicated by the absence of a direct heir and the political dynamics within the House of Württemberg.

Following their marriage, Augusta resided with Frederick in Lüben, a town in eastern Prussia, where his regiment was stationed. During this period, relations between Frederick and the Prussian King Frederick II deteriorated over political alliances, leading to Frederick's resignation from Prussian service in December 1781. Augusta and their infant son William were then sent back to Brunswick. Subsequently, Frederick received an invitation from Empress Catherine II of Russia to serve as Lieutenant-General and Governor-General of Eastern Finland. In October 1782, Augusta and Frederick moved to St. Petersburg, where Catherine had prepared a residence for them.

The marriage between Augusta and Frederick was reportedly unhappy, with reports of discord and violence. Early in their union, there was consideration of divorce, but Augusta's father was opposed due to social repercussions. Empress Catherine II investigated the matter and found Frederick to be at fault, describing him as a "ferocious rogue," and took measures to protect Augusta. Over the next few years, Augusta gave birth to three additional children, including Princess Catherine (later Duchess Catherine of Württemberg), Duchess Sophia Dorothea, and Prince Paul of Württemberg. Their second daughter, Dorothée, died at nine months of age.

Increasingly strained, Augusta sought refuge from her abusive husband. In December 1786, she fled to the Hermitage estate of Catherine the Great, who provided her asylum. Frederick was ordered to leave Russia, and Augusta stayed under the Empress’s protection at Lohde Castle in Estonia for her safety. Frederick retained custody of their children, and Augusta refused to sign divorce papers. She settled in Estonia, living on the Lohde estate with companions including Major-General Wilhelm von Pohlmann and his daughters. The Empress advised Augusta to invest the income from her estate and maintained correspondence with her, expressing ongoing concern for her welfare.

Augusta's health declined, and she was treated for amenorrhea with herbal remedies. On 27 September 1788 (Old Style), she died suddenly from violent vaginal bleeding at the age of 23. Her doctor arrived too late to save her. Post-mortem investigations disclosed that she had not been buried alive nor with a fetus’s bones, contradicting rumors of her premature death. She was buried beneath the floor of Kullamaa Church in Estonia, with her tombstone bearing her name and dates. Over time, her remains became lost as her coffin decayed.

Her early death ended her life in Estonia, where she had sought refuge after her separation from Frederick. Her children included William I of Württemberg, who later became King of Württemberg, and Princess Catherine, who married Jérôme Bonaparte. Her ancestry traces back to the British royal family, as her mother was a princess of Great Britain.