Caroline Koch (Queen of Brunant)

Caroline Koch (1441-1516) was the queen consort of Leuvis Van Damme from 1475-1502.

Biography
Koch was born the daughter of a rich Hamburger merchant and his wife. She married politician Leuvis Van Damme in 1466 following the death of his first wife. In 1471 Leuvis was elected president of the Brunanter Republic, but Caroline wanted her husband to have a more permanent role as president for life. Along with the Count of Drenthe and other politicians, she was involved in a coup which ended the republic and made Leuvis king.

As queen, Koch was a cunning woman who foiled plots against her husband, had Leuvis' mistresses arrested and held a high degree of power in her home. As the second wife, Caroline's children were not going to take the throne, but in 1499 and 1500 his two remaining sons with his first wife mysteriously died. It is believed that the queen was behind their deaths, but Leuvis would hear none of it. She led a comfortable life until her husband's death in 1502. Her son Leuvis came to the throne and she was initially able to manipulate her son, but in 1505 he had Caroline banished from the royal palace. She retired to the countryside with her entourage of guards, servants and ladies-in-waiting.

Family
With Leuvis, he had seven children:
 * Christina Van Damme (1467-1501)
 * Leuvis Van Damme (1470-1533)
 * Johana Maria Van Damme (1473-1510)
 * Adriaan Van Damme (1473-1560)
 * Caroline Alexandra Van Damme (1475-1482)
 * Jan Van Damme (1476-1520)
 * Elizabeth Van Damme (1478)