Barbara of Brandenburg was a Marchioness consort of Mantua

Mantua

Mantua is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy and capital of the province of the same name. Mantua's historic power and influence under the Gonzaga family, made it one of the main artistic, cultural and notably musical hubs of Northern Italy and the country as a whole...

, married in 1433 to Ludovico II Gonzaga, Marquis of Mantua.

Barbara was the daughter of John, Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach

John, Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach

John, nicknamed the Alchemist was a Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach and served as the peace-loving Margrave of Brandenburg after the abdication of his father, Frederick I, the first member of the House of Hohenzollern to rule Brandenburg.-Biography:John was the eldest son of Frederick I,...

, and Barbara of Saxe-Wittenberg and a niece of Holy Roman Emperor

Holy Roman Emperor

The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...

 Sigismund

Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor

Sigismund of Luxemburg KG was King of Hungary, of Croatia from 1387 to 1437, of Bohemia from 1419, and Holy Roman Emperor for four years from 1433 until 1437, the last Emperor of the House of Luxemburg. He was also King of Italy from 1431, and of Germany from 1411...

. Her marriage took place in 1433, when she was only ten years old, and she spent the latter part of her childhood in Mantua. She was active as the political adviser of her spouse with the responsibility of foreign diplomatic correspondence, in particular when it pertained to relations between Mantua and Germany. She is regarded as an important figure in the Italian Renaissance

Renaissance

The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...

 and was a student of Vittorino da Feltre

Vittorino da Feltre

Vittorino da Feltre was an Italian humanist and teacher. He was born in Feltre, Belluno, Republic of Venice and died in Mantua. His real name was Vittorino Ramboldini....

.

Barbara is portrayed in the novel The Princess of Mantua by Marie Ferranti.

Issue

• Federico I
  Federico I Gonzaga
  Federico I Gonzaga was marquess of Mantua from 1478 to 1484, as well as a condottiero.-Biography:Federico was born in Mantua in 1441, son of Ludovico II and Barbara of Brandenburg...
  
  
• Gianfrancesco
  Gianfrancesco Gonzaga (1446-1496)
  Gianfrancesco Gonzaga was the third son of Ludovico II Gonzaga, Marquess of Mantua and Barbara of Brandenburg. He was the first count of Sabbioneta from 1479 until his death, originating the Gonzaga-Sabbioneta line.-Biography:...
  
   (1443-1496)
• Francesco
  Francesco Gonzaga (1444-1483)
  Francesco Gonzaga was an Italian bishop and cardinal.-Biography:Born at Mantua, he was the second son of Ludovico II Gonzaga, marquess of Mantua, and Barbara of Brandenburg....
  
   (1444-1483)
• Susanna (a nun at Santa Chiara di Mantua) (1447-1481), betrothed to Galeazzo Maria Sforza
  Galeazzo Maria Sforza
  Galeazzo Maria Sforza was Duke of Milan from 1466 until his death. He was famous for being lustful, cruel and tyrannical....
  
  .
• Dorotea
  Dorotea Gonzaga
  Dorotea Gonzaga , was a Duchess Consort of Milan. She was the daughter of Ludovico II Gonzaga, Marquess of Mantua and Barbara of Brandenburg. In 1466, she married Galeazzo Maria Sforza.-References:...
  
   (1449-1467), betrothed to Galeazzo Maria Sforza
  Galeazzo Maria Sforza
  Galeazzo Maria Sforza was Duke of Milan from 1466 until his death. He was famous for being lustful, cruel and tyrannical....
  
  .
• Rodolfo (1451-1495), married Antonia Malatesta, then Caterina Pico
• Cecilia (1452-1472)
• Barbara (1455-1503), married Eberhard I, Duke of Württemberg
  Eberhard I, Duke of Württemberg
  Eberhard I of Württemberg . From 1459 till 1495 he was Count Eberhard V. From July 1495 he was the first Duke of Württemberg. He is also known as Eberhard im Bart ....
  
  , in 1474.
• Lodovico (1458-1511)
• Paola (1463-1497), married Leonhard of Gorizia
  Leonhard of Gorizia
  Leonhard of Gorizia from the Meinhardiner dynasty was the last Count of Görz at Lienz and Gorizia from 1454 until his death....
  
  .

Sources