Simon August, Count of Lippe-Detmold

Simon August, Count of Lippe (12 June 1727 – 1 May 1782), ruled the Principality of Lippe-Detmold from 1734 until 1782.

He was born in Detmold, the son of Simon Henry Adolph and Johanna Wilhelmine of Nassau-Idstein. Simon August ruled until 1747 under the guardianship of his mother. Under the influence of the Enlightenment, he issued a fiscal and social legislation and in 1749 he introduced, together with Adolf von Hillensberg, a budget in Lippe, so as to not spend money when no revenues were available. The Sparkasse Detmold and a fire insurance company are direct continuations of companies he founded. He acquired a salt mine at Bad Salzuflen and built a spa in Bad Meinberg. In 1775, he created a relief fund for the poor. A census in 1776 revealed that his country had 49 416 inhabitants.

Marriages and Issue
In Kirchheimbolanden on 24 August 1750, Simon August married firstly with princess Polyxena Louise (Kirchheimbolanden, 27 January 1733 – Detmold, 27 September 1764), daughter of Charles August, Prince of Nassau-Weilburg. They had a daughter:


 * Wilhelmine Caroline (Kirchheimbolanden, 6 July 1751 – Kirchheimbolanden, 4 April 1753).

In Dessau on 28 September 1765 Simon August married secondly with princess Maria Leopoldine of Anhalt-Dessau (Dessau, 18 November 1746 – Detmold, 15 April 1769). They had a son:


 * Frederick Wilhelm Leopold I (Detmold, 2 December 1767 – Detmold, 4 April 1802), Prince of Lippe.

In Dessau on 9 November 1769 Simon August married thirdly princess Casimire of Anhalt-Dessau (Dessau, 19 January 1749 – Detmold, 8 November 1778), sister of his previous wife. They had a son:


 * Casimir August (Detmold, 9 October 1777 – Falkenberg bei Berlin, 27 May 1809).

In Braunfels Castle on 26 March 1780 Simon August married fourthly princess Christine of Solms-Braunfels (Braunfels, 30 August 1744 – Detmold, 16 December 1823). They had no children

After his death at Detmold in 1782, his son Leopold I took up government.