Albert II, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach
Encyclopedia
Albert II or V of Brandenburg-Ansbach (18 September 1620 – 22 October 1667) was a German nobleman, who was margrave
of Ansbach
from 1634 until his death.
, Albert was the second son of Joachim Ernst, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach
(1582–1625) and his wife Sophie
(1594–1651), daughter of John George, Count of Solms-Laubach. On Joachim Ernst's death Albert's elder brother Frederick III
succeeded him in Ansbach from 1625 onwards, initially under their mother's guardianship, but he was killed without issue in the Thirty Years' War
in 1634. Albert thus succeeded him, though again the early years of his rule were under his mother's guardianship, only taking up full government responsibilities when his minority ended in 1639.
With much diplomatic skill, he manoeuvred Brandenburg-Ansbach through the last ten years of the war and through administrative reforms, support for the guilds and cultural life and a good credit policy he promoted the beginnings of post-war reconstruction. He offered refuge to religious refugees from Austria and in 1647 or 1662 granted them lands in Treuchtlingen
and Berolzheim. Albert's main advisor on this was his former teacher Johannes Limnäus. Active in the politics of the Holy Roman Empire
, he sent troops to back the war against the Ottoman Empire.
A typical Baroque absolute ruler, he died at Ansbach in 1667. He was buried in the Johanniskirche in that city.
.jpg)
In Stuttgart
on 31 August 1642 he married Henriette Luise (1623–1650), daughter of Louis Frederick, Duke of Württemberg-Mömpelgard, with the following children:
He married for a second time on 15 October 1651 at Oettingen, to Sophie Margarete (1634–1664), daughter of Joachim Ernst, Count of Oettingen-Oettingen, with the following children:
∞ 1. 1673 Princess Johanna Elisabeth of Baden-Durlach (1651–1680)
∞ 2. 1681 Princess Eleonore of Sachsen-Eisenach (1662–1696)
∞ 1687 Ernest Louis, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt
(1667–1739)
∞ 1682 Frederick Charles, Duke of Württemberg-Winnental (1652–1698)
He married for a third time on 6 August 1665 in Durlach
, to Christine
(1645–1705), daughter of Frederick VI, Margrave of Baden-Durlach. This marriage was childless.
Margrave
A margrave or margravine was a medieval hereditary nobleman with military responsibilities in a border province of a kingdom. Border provinces usually had more exposure to military incursions from the outside, compared to interior provinces, and thus a margrave usually had larger and more active...
of Ansbach
Principality of Ansbach
The Principality of Ansbach or Brandenburg-Ansbach was a reichsfrei principality in the Holy Roman Empire centered on the Bavarian city of Ansbach...
from 1634 until his death.
Life
Born in AnsbachAnsbach
Ansbach, originally Onolzbach, is a town in Bavaria, Germany. It is the capital of the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Ansbach is situated southwest of Nuremberg and north of Munich, on the Fränkische Rezat, a tributary of the Main river. As of 2004, its population was 40,723.Ansbach...
, Albert was the second son of Joachim Ernst, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach
Joachim Ernst, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach
Joachim Ernst, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach was a German nobleman. He ruled as margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach from 1603 to 1625, succeeding his father John George and succeeded by his son Frederick III.- Youth :Joachim Ernst was the son of the elector John George of Brandenburg and his third...
(1582–1625) and his wife Sophie
Sophie of Solms-Laubach
Sophie of Solms-Laubach , was a princess of Solms-Laubach by birth and Margravine of Brandenburg-Ansbach by marriage....
(1594–1651), daughter of John George, Count of Solms-Laubach. On Joachim Ernst's death Albert's elder brother Frederick III
Frederick III, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach
Frederick III, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach was a German nobleman. He was the eldest son of Joachim Ernst, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach, who he succeeded in 1625. He was killed at the Battle of Nördlingen in 1634 unmarried and without issue, meaning he was succeeded by his younger brother...
succeeded him in Ansbach from 1625 onwards, initially under their mother's guardianship, but he was killed without issue in the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
in 1634. Albert thus succeeded him, though again the early years of his rule were under his mother's guardianship, only taking up full government responsibilities when his minority ended in 1639.
With much diplomatic skill, he manoeuvred Brandenburg-Ansbach through the last ten years of the war and through administrative reforms, support for the guilds and cultural life and a good credit policy he promoted the beginnings of post-war reconstruction. He offered refuge to religious refugees from Austria and in 1647 or 1662 granted them lands in Treuchtlingen
Treuchtlingen
Treuchtlingen is a town in the Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen district, in Bavaria, Germany.-Geography:Treuchtlingen is situated on the river Altmühl, 9 km southwest of Weißenburg in Bayern, and 45 km northeast of Donauwörth...
and Berolzheim. Albert's main advisor on this was his former teacher Johannes Limnäus. Active in the politics of the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
, he sent troops to back the war against the Ottoman Empire.
A typical Baroque absolute ruler, he died at Ansbach in 1667. He was buried in the Johanniskirche in that city.
Marriage and issue
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
on 31 August 1642 he married Henriette Luise (1623–1650), daughter of Louis Frederick, Duke of Württemberg-Mömpelgard, with the following children:
- Sophie Elisabeth (*/†1643)
- Albertine Luise (1646–1670)
- Sophie Amalie (*/† 1649)
He married for a second time on 15 October 1651 at Oettingen, to Sophie Margarete (1634–1664), daughter of Joachim Ernst, Count of Oettingen-Oettingen, with the following children:
- Luise Sophie (1652–1668)
- John Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach (1654–1686)
∞ 1. 1673 Princess Johanna Elisabeth of Baden-Durlach (1651–1680)
∞ 2. 1681 Princess Eleonore of Sachsen-Eisenach (1662–1696)
- Albrecht Ernst (1659–1674)
- Dorothea Charlotte (1661–1705)
∞ 1687 Ernest Louis, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt
Ernest Louis, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt
Ernest Louis of Hesse-Darmstadt was Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt from 1678 to 1739. His parents were Landgrave Louis VI of Hesse-Darmstadt and Elisabeth Dorothea of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg ....
(1667–1739)
- Eleonore JulianeEleonore Juliane of Brandenburg-AnsbachEleonore Juliane of Brandenburg-Ansbach was a princess of Brandenburg-Ansbach and through her marriage duchess of Württemberg-Winnental.-Life:...
(1663–1724)
∞ 1682 Frederick Charles, Duke of Württemberg-Winnental (1652–1698)
He married for a third time on 6 August 1665 in Durlach
Durlach
Durlach is a borough of the German city of Karlsruhe with a population of roughly 30,000.-History:Durlach was bestowed by emperor Frederick II on the margrave Hermann V of Zähringen as an allodial possession, but afterwards came into the hands of Rudolph of Habsburg.It was chosen by the margrave...
, to Christine
Christine of Baden-Durlach
Christine of Baden-Durlach was a German noblewoman.She was a daughter of Frederick VI, Margrave of Baden-Durlach and his wife Christina Magdalena of the Palatinate-Zweibrücken. Her first marriage was to Albert II, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach...
(1645–1705), daughter of Frederick VI, Margrave of Baden-Durlach. This marriage was childless.