Maurice, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel
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Maurice (German: Moritz; May 25 1572 – March 15 1632) was the Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel in the Holy Roman Empire from 1592-1627.
Maurice was born in Kassel as the son of William IV, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel, and of his wife Sabine of Württemberg.
On September 23, 1593, Maurice married Agnes of Solms-Laubach (died November 23 1602). They had one son, William V.
On May 22, 1603, Maurice married Juliane of Nassau-Dillenburg.
Although Maurice had been raised in the Lutheran faith, he converted to Calvinism in 1605. On the principle Cuius regio eius religio, Maurice's subjects were also required to convert to Calvinism. Maurice's conversion was controversial since the Peace of Augsburg had only settled religious matters betweens Roman Catholics and Lutherans and had not considered Calvinists. Maurice tried to introduce Calvinism to the lands which he had inherited from the extinct Hesse-Marburg branch of his family. Such a change of faith was contrary to the inheritance rules and resulted in an ongoing conflict with the Hesse-Darmstadt branch. It also brought him into conflict with the Holy Roman Emperor, Matthias.
Maurice's actions ruined Hesse-Kassel financially. In 1627 he abdicated in favour of his son William V. Maurice died in Eschwege.de:Moritz (Hessen-Kassel) es:Mauricio I de Hesse-Kassel fr:Maurice de Hesse-Cassel nl:Maurits van Hessen-Kassel sv:Moritz den lärde av Hessen-Kassel
