Agnes Hedwig of Anhalt
Encyclopedia
Agnes Hedwig of Anhalt was a Princess of Anhalt by birth, an Abbess of Gernrode, and by marriage Electress of Saxony and later Duchess of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Plön.
She was the daughter of Prince Joachim Ernest of Anhalt
and his second wife Eleonore of Württemberg. From 1581 to 1586 she was abbess
of the Imperial Abbey of St. Cyriac in Gernrode
.
On 3 January 1586, at the age of 13, she married Elector Augustus
of Saxony; she was his second wife. On the wedding night, she is said to have asked for the release of Caspar Peucer
. Elector Augustus died a few weeks later, on 11 February 1586. She received Lichtenburg Castle as her wittum
, but never lived there.
Two years later, on 14 February 1588, she married Duke John II of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg; she was his second wife, too. She died in 1616, six years before her husband.
She was the daughter of Prince Joachim Ernest of Anhalt
Joachim Ernest, Prince of Anhalt
Joachim Ernest of Anhalt , was a German prince of the House of Ascania, ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst, and from 1570 sole ruler of all the Anhalt lands....
and his second wife Eleonore of Württemberg. From 1581 to 1586 she was abbess
Abbess
An abbess is the female superior, or mother superior, of a community of nuns, often an abbey....
of the Imperial Abbey of St. Cyriac in Gernrode
Gernrode
Gernrode is a town and a former municipality in Germany, in the district of Harz, Saxony-Anhalt. The town was first mentioned in 961 and became a city in 1539. Since 1 January 2011, it is part of the town Quedlinburg...
.
On 3 January 1586, at the age of 13, she married Elector Augustus
Augustus, Elector of Saxony
Augustus was Elector of Saxony from 1553 to 1586.-First years:Augustus was born in Freiberg, the youngest child and third son of Henry IV, Duke of Saxony, and Catherine of Mecklenburg. He consequently belonged to the Albertine branch of the Wettin family...
of Saxony; she was his second wife. On the wedding night, she is said to have asked for the release of Caspar Peucer
Caspar Peucer
Caspar Peucer was a German reformer, physician, and scholar.-Biography:Born in Bautzen, Peucer studied mathematics, astronomy, and medicine at the University of Wittenberg from 1540...
. Elector Augustus died a few weeks later, on 11 February 1586. She received Lichtenburg Castle as her wittum
Wittum
Wittum , Widum or Witthum is a medieval Latin legal term, known in marital and ecclesiastical law.- Provide for a widow at the wedding :...
, but never lived there.
Two years later, on 14 February 1588, she married Duke John II of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg; she was his second wife, too. She died in 1616, six years before her husband.
Issue
From her second marriage, Agnes Hedwig had nine children:- Eleonore (4 April 1590–13 April 1669)
- Anna Sabine (7 March 1593–18 July 1659), married on 1 January 1618 to Duke Julius Friedrich of Württemberg-Weiltingen
- Johann Georg (9 February 1594–25 January 1613)
- Duke Joachim Ernst I of Schleswig-Holstein-Sønderborg-PlönJoachim Ernest of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-PlönJoachim Ernest of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Plön , also Joachim Ernest of Schleswig-Holstein-Plön, was the first Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Plön, which emerged from a division of the Duchy of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg....
(1622–71) (29 August 1595–5 October 1671) - Dorothea Sibylle (13 July 1597–21 August 1597)
- Dorothea Marie (23 July 1599–27 March 1600)
- Bernhard (12 April 1601–26 April 1601)
- Agnes Magdalene (17 November 1602–17 May 1607)
- Eleonore Sofie (24 February 1603–5 January 1675), married on 28 February 1624 to Prince Christian II of Anhalt-Bernburg