Duchess Dorothea Sophia of Saxe-Altenburg (19 December 1587 – 10 February 1645) was Princess-Abbess of Quedlinburg.

She was the fourth child and second daughter of Frederick William I, Duke of Saxe-Weimar

Frederick William I, Duke of Saxe-Weimar

Frederick William I , was a duke of Saxe-Weimar. He was the eldest son of John William, Duke of Saxe-Weimar and Dorothea Susanne of Simmern.-Life:...

, and his first wife, Sophie of Württemberg.

Reign

On 21 April 1618, Dorothea Sophia was elected successor to Princess-Abbess Dorothea

Dorothea, Abbess of Quedlinburg

Princess Dorothea of Saxony reigned as Princess-Abbess of Quedlinburg from 1610 until her death.Dorothea was born in Dresden to Christian I, Elector of Saxony, and his wife, Princess Sophie of Brandenburg...

. Her election was approved by Matthias, Holy Roman Emperor

Matthias, Holy Roman Emperor

Matthias of Austria was Holy Roman Emperor from 1612, King of Hungary and Croatia from 1608 and King of Bohemia from 1611...

.

During her reign, Quedlinburg was devastated by the Thirty Years War. Unlike her predecessors, Princess-Abbess Dorothea Sophia often confronted John George I, Elector of Saxony

John George I, Elector of Saxony

John George I was Elector of Saxony from 1611 to 1656.-Biography:Born in Dresden, he was the second son of the Elector Christian I and Sophie of Brandenburg....

.

Religious policy

Dorothea Sophia prohibited her clergy to deny absolution to a person who made a genuine and contrite confession. However, if the same parishioners repeated the sin, they were to face increased degree of severity and finally be referred to her consistory. She proscribed that these parishioners would not be able to serve as godparents, nor be buried according to tradition or within consecrated ground. These decisions were a lot like the previous Catholic practice. She also took measures to prevent secret engagements, declaring that every engagement has to be witnessed by three men and publicly announced.

Ancestry

External links

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