Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel (27 April 1650 – 27 March 1714) was Queen of Denmark and Norway by marriage to King Christian V. Although she did not have much political influence, she was a successful businesswoman in her many estates and protected foreign Protestant non-Lutherans from oppression. She gained popularity for defending Copenhagen from Swedish forces in 1700. The city of Charlotte Amalie was named after her in 1691.^[1]

Charlotte Amalie was born on 27 April 1650, in Kassel, Hesse, Germany. Her parents were William VI, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel and Hedwig Sophia of Brandenburg. Her mother was a religiously strict adherent of the Reformed Church and politically oriented toward Brandenburg, both views which were to be shared by her daughter. She was well educated in finances, geography, the languages German, French and Italian, and philosophy. French was to be her preferred written language, though she spoke German with her more intimate friends.^[2]

Crown Prince Christian of Denmark and Norway was sent to meet Charlotte Amalie in Hesse in 1665 as a marriage prospect arranged by Danish Queen Sophie Amalie, who desired a daughter-in-law that she could control and expected this to be the case for a member of the reformed church who would be religiously isolated in Lutheran Denmark.^[2] However, the negotiations were drawn out because of religious concerns. In the marriage contract, Charlotte Amalie was not required to convert and managed to secure the right to keep her faith after her wedding to Christian, who as ruler of Denmark would become the head of the state Lutheran Church, a term which was contested and met some resistance before it was accepted.

The marriage was on 15 June 1667 in Nykøbing Slot. Charlotte Amalie was appreciated for learning the Danish language, which was not a given thing for a royal consort in that era and which she mastered prior to becoming Queen. It was said of her that she:

"...willingly and completely love not only our people but also our language, that she has learned to speak to our people before even ascending the throne, while bringing shame on those, who has been eating our bread for thirty years and not bothered to learn even thirty Danish words."^[2]

Much to the distress of her mother-in-law, Charlotte Amalie actually was a lively, smart and independent woman. She was not a meek person and made her pleasure and displeasure quite openly known, though her anger was also quickly subdued. The English ambassador Robert Molesworth, 1st Viscount Molesworth called her "A Princess worthy of being described with honor, even if she did not have such a high position. [...] very winning, lovable and unconstrained," while the French ambassador described her: "This lady has pale skin and brown hair. While not beautiful, nether is there anything ugly about her. She has a fine figure and a pleasant personality. She speaks quite good French, and her conversation shows that she has plenty of mind."^[2]

Charlotte Amalie became Queen of Denmark and Norway upon the accession of Christian to the throne in 1670. Her Reformed faith caused the clergy to oppose her anointing as Queen because the ceremony would require a Lutheran communion, which she refused.^[3] She chose the motto L'homme propose, Dieu dispose and was described as a popular queen. According to English ambassador Molesworth:

"Her great excellence assures her of the hearts of her subjects, even though she doesn't share their religion. [...] she is an safe haven for the suffering destitute, who are never disappointed when appealing to her."^[2]

In 1699, Charlotte Amalie was widowed. She did not threaten the position of her daughter-in-law at court as her mother-in-law had done. It is reported that she grieved over her son's bigamy, but she did not voice any criticism to him directly.^[2] She kept a separate court and made several journeys, particularly to Germany, where she spent 1711–1713 in Oldenburg. The Queen Dowager resided in Charlottenborg Palace, which is named after her, during the winter and in Nykøbing Slot during the summer. She was protector of the famous Marie Grubbe after Grubbe's divorce and remarriage, which had made the new couple social outcasts. They were given refuge by the queen dowager, who allowed them to live in her own dower lands.

In 1700, Copenhagen was attacked by King Charles XII of Sweden during the invasion Zealand. On 13 July, Charlotte Amalie wrote to her friend Dorothea Justina Haxthausen: "I have the pleasure – or if you wish, the opposite – of seeing the fleets of four potentates outside my window. I hope they will disperse without bloodshed",^[2] when the Danish fleet was attacked by the Swedish, English and Dutch fleet, followed by the landing of the enemy at Humlebæk. The capital was unprepared for attack, the King was absent in the Duchies, and the city commander Schack could not handle the situation. During this incident, the Queen Dowager strengthened the resolve of the people and helped to organize the defense by convincing the city commandant to give the people access to the cannons and successfully asking the garrison to protect the capital out of loyalty, while she would herself stay and die with them if need be.^[2] For this act, she was hailed as a heroine.

Charlotte Amalie died of scarlet fever in Charlottenborg on 27 March 1714, at the age of 63. She was "heartily grieved by many".^[2] and buried in Roskilde Cathedral. Her winter residence has housed the Royal Danish Academy of Art since 1754.

The city of Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands is named after her.

• Reformed Synod of Denmark