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Karl I von Hessen-Kassel (Kassel, August 3 1654 - March 23 1730) was from 1675 till his death Landgrave of Hessen-Kassel.
He was the son of Wilhelm VI. of Hessen-Kassel and Hedwig Sophia von Brandenburg. After the early death of his father, his mother ruled as regent until 1675. Then Karl ruled for the next 55 years.
Under his rule Kassel recovered faster from the Thirty Years' War then other regions in Germany . He built a relative large army which he rented to the highest bidder in the War of Spanish Succession.
At the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685 in France, Karl welcomed the expelled Huguenots giving them freedom of worship. Some 4000 Huguenots settled in Kassel. Karl stimulated the metal-industry and was also interested in archaeology.
Karl married Amalia von Kurland (1653-1711), daughter of Jacob Kettler. They had 3 children