Frederick I, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg

Frederick I of Hesse-Homburg (5 March 1585, at Lichtenberg Castle in Fischbachtal – 9 May 1638, in Bad Homburg), was the first Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg and founder of the eponymous family line.

Life
Frederick was the youngest son of Count George I of Hesse-Darmstadt (1547–1596) from his first marriage to Magdalene (1552–1587), daughter of Count VIII Bernhard of Lippe.

Frederick did not have any rights to inherit, because in Hesse-Darmstadt primogeniture had been introduced properly. Nevertheless, Frederick received in 1622 an apanage consisting of the City and district of Homburg, as well as a one-off payment plus an annual sum. He was not considered a sovereign prince, but fell under the sovereignty of Hesse-Darmstadt. In 1626, he introduced primogeniture in Hesse-Homburg.

One of his sons was Frederick II of Hesse-Homburg, better known as The Prince of Homburg.

Marriage and issue
Frederick I married on 10 August 1622 in Butzbach with Margaret Elisabeth (1604–1667), daughter of Count Christopher of Leiningen-Westerburg. They had the following children:
 * Louis Philippe (1623–1643)
 * George (1624–1624)
 * William Christoph (1625–1681), Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg
 * married firstly in 1650 Princess Sophia Eleonore of Hesse-Darmstadt (1634–1663)
 * married secondly in 1665 Princess Anna Elisabeth of Saxe-Lauenburg (1624–1688)


 * George Christian (1626–1677)
 * married in 1666 Anna Catherine of Pogwisch, widow of von Ahlefeldt (1633–1694)


 * Anna Margaret (1629–1686)
 * married in 1650 Duke Philip Louis of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Wiesenburg (1620–1689)


 * Frederick II (1633–1708), Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg, better known as The Prince of Homburg
 * married firstly in 1661 Countess Margareta Brahe (1603–1669), widow of Johan Oxenstierna
 * married secondly in 1670 Princess Louise Elisabeth of Courland (1646–1690)
 * married thirdly in 1691 Countess Sophia Sibylle of Leiningen-Westerburg, widow of the Count of Leiningen-Dagsburg (1656–1724)