Cecilia of Brandenburg
Encyclopedia
Cecilia of Brandenburg was a princess of Brandenburg by birth and by marriage a Duchess of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel.
(1371–1440) from his marriage to Elizabeth (1383–1442), daughter of Duke Frederick of Bavaria-Landshut
. Elizabeth's brothers were the reigning Electors of Brandenburg, first Frederick II
and later Albrecht III Achilles.
She married on 30 May 1423 in Berlin
Duke William III of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1392–1482). The marriage had been arranged by Emperor Sigsmund
, like that of her sister Magdalena with Duke Frederick II of Brunswick-Lüneburg
. Both couples had been engaged on 3 March 1420.
William and his brother Henry II had promised Cecila as jointure
Bodenteich Castle plus an annual pensionof 2000 guilders. After an exchange of territories, Cecilia received Wolfenbüttel Castle instead. Bishup Magnus of Saxe-Lauenburg tried to redeem pledges to Duke Henry II, and in particular Wolfenbüttel Castle. To avoid the claims of the bishop, Cecilia handed the castle to her brother-in-law Henry II in 1432. Henry managed to avert the claims of the bishop. However, he then asked Cecilia and her children to leave his castle. Cecilia was quoted as saying: this is not what your borther had in mind, and is behaviour unbecoming a Lord of Brunswick, even if I'd been only the wife of a lowly subject. Humiliated, Cecilia and her children moved to Schöningen
Castle. A dispute then erupted between Henry and William. The dispute was settled by dividing the Duchy of Brunswick. Henry received Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, while William had to make do with the Principality of Calenberg.
Cecilia died on 4 January 1449 and was buried in Brunswick Cathedral
Life
Cecilia was the daughter of Elector Frederick I of BrandenburgFrederick I, Elector of Brandenburg
Frederick was Burgrave of Nuremberg as Frederick VI and Elector of Brandenburg as Frederick I. He was a son of Burgrave Frederick V of Nuremberg and Elisabeth of Meissen, and was the first member of the House of Hohenzollern to rule the Margraviate of Brandenburg.- Biography :Frederick entered...
(1371–1440) from his marriage to Elizabeth (1383–1442), daughter of Duke Frederick of Bavaria-Landshut
Frederick, Duke of Bavaria
Frederick was Duke of Bavaria from 1375. He was the second son of Stephen II and Elizabeth of Sicily.-Family:His maternal grandparents were Frederick III of Sicily and Eleanor of Anjou...
. Elizabeth's brothers were the reigning Electors of Brandenburg, first Frederick II
Frederick II, Elector of Brandenburg
Frederick II of Brandenburg , nicknamed "the Iron" and sometimes "Irontooth" , was a Prince-elector of the Margraviate of Brandenburg from 1440 until his abdication in 1470, and was a member of the House of Hohenzollern.-Biography:Frederick II was born in Tangermünde to Frederick I, Brandenburg's...
and later Albrecht III Achilles.
She married on 30 May 1423 in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
Duke William III of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1392–1482). The marriage had been arranged by Emperor Sigsmund
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...
, like that of her sister Magdalena with Duke Frederick II of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Frederick II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Frederick II , also known as Frederick the Pious was the Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Prince of Lüneburg from 1434 to 1457 and from 1472 to 1478.- Life :...
. Both couples had been engaged on 3 March 1420.
William and his brother Henry II had promised Cecila as jointure
Jointure
Jointure is, in law, a provision for a wife after the death of her husband. As defined by Sir Edward Coke, it is "a competent livelihood of freehold for the wife, of lands or tenements, to take effect presently in possession or profit after the death of her husband for the life of the wife at...
Bodenteich Castle plus an annual pensionof 2000 guilders. After an exchange of territories, Cecilia received Wolfenbüttel Castle instead. Bishup Magnus of Saxe-Lauenburg tried to redeem pledges to Duke Henry II, and in particular Wolfenbüttel Castle. To avoid the claims of the bishop, Cecilia handed the castle to her brother-in-law Henry II in 1432. Henry managed to avert the claims of the bishop. However, he then asked Cecilia and her children to leave his castle. Cecilia was quoted as saying: this is not what your borther had in mind, and is behaviour unbecoming a Lord of Brunswick, even if I'd been only the wife of a lowly subject. Humiliated, Cecilia and her children moved to Schöningen
Schöningen
Schöningen is a town of about 13,000 inhabitants in the district of Helmstedt, Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located near the border with Saxony-Anhalt, on the southeastern rim of the Elm hill range...
Castle. A dispute then erupted between Henry and William. The dispute was settled by dividing the Duchy of Brunswick. Henry received Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, while William had to make do with the Principality of Calenberg.
Cecilia died on 4 January 1449 and was buried in Brunswick Cathedral
Issue
From her marriage with William, Cecilia had two sons:- Frederick III "the Restless"Frederick III, Duke of Brunswick-Göttingen-CalenbergFrederick III "the restless" of Brunswick-Göttingen-Calenberg , was a son of Duke William the Victorious of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Cecilia of Brandenburg. He became Duke of Brunswick-Luneburg together with his brother William IV in 1482...
(1424–1495), Duke of Brunswick-Calenberg
- married firstly in 1463 Princess Anna of Brunswick-Grubenhagen (1415-1474)
- married secondly 1483 Margaret Countess of Rietberg (died: 1533 or 1535)
- William IV "the Younger"William IV, Duke of Brunswick-LüneburgWilliam was duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and ruled over the Wolfenbüttel and Göttingen principalities....
(1425–1503), Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
- William IV "the Younger"
- married in 1444 Countess Elisabeth of Stolberg-Wernigerode (died: 1520 or 1521)