Philip of Hesse-Darmstadt (20 July 1671 in Darmstadt – 11 August 1736 in Vienna) was a Prince of Hesse-Darmstadt, Imperial Field marshal and Governor of Mantua.
Philip fought for the Habsburgs in the Spanish War of Succession and became in 1708 Field Marshal and Supreme Commander of the Imperial troops in newly conquered Naples. After the war in 1714, under influence of Prince Eugene of Savoy, he became governor of the former Duchy of Mantua until his death.
Philip was a great lover of music. When he commanded the Austrian Army in Naples, he was patron of Nicola Porpora, and when he was governor of Mantua, he made Antonio VivaldiMaestro di Cappella of his court.[2] Vivaldi wrote the opera Tito Manlio in Philip's honor.[3]
Marriage and issue
Joseph Ignaz Philipp von Hessen-Darmstadt, bishop of Augsburg, son of Philip marshal in Austria.
On 24 March 1693, in Brussels, Philip married Princess Marie Ernestine of Croÿ (1673–1714), daughter of Duke Ferdinand Joseph of Croy-Havré (1644-1694) and his wife, Countess Marie Joséphine Barbe van Halewijn de Hames (d. 1713).[4] For this marriage, he converted to Catholicism, despite heavy protest of his mother.
They had 5 children :
