Elisabeth of Anhalt-Zerbst
Encyclopedia
Elisabeth of Anhalt-Zerbst (15 September 1563 – 8 November 1607) was a princess of Anhalt
by birth and Electress of Brandenburg by marriage.
(1536–1585), from his first marriage to Agnes of Barby (1540–1569), daughter of Count Wolfgang I of Barby.
On 6 October 1577 married John George
(1525–1598), in Jagdschloss
Letzlingen
. Her husband was almost 40 years older than she was. Elisabeth was his third wife, and was 16 years younger than her stepson Joachim Frederick. The marriage was celebrated without many festivities, and Elizabeth was promised 400 guilders annually as her dower
. Elizabeth brought as a dowry
into the marriage 15 000 dollars and received as jointure
, besides a considerable pension, the city of Crossen
, including Crossen Palace
, plus the district and city of Züllichau and the lordship of Bobrowice
.
Elisabeth was a patron of the scholar Leonhard Thurneysser
. After her husband's death, weakened by child-bearing, she retired with her younger children to her widow seat of Crossen Palace
. She is buried in the crypt of the Hohenzollerns in the Berliner Dom
.
Anhalt
Anhalt was a sovereign county in Germany, located between the Harz Mountains and the river Elbe in Middle Germany. It now forms part of the state of Saxony-Anhalt.- Dukes of Anhalt :...
by birth and Electress of Brandenburg by marriage.
Life
Elizabeth was a daughter of Joachim Ernest, Prince of AnhaltJoachim 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....
(1536–1585), from his first marriage to Agnes of Barby (1540–1569), daughter of Count Wolfgang I of Barby.
On 6 October 1577 married John George
John George, Elector of Brandenburg
John George of Brandenburg was a Prince-elector of the Margraviate of Brandenburg and a Duke of Prussia...
(1525–1598), in Jagdschloss
Jagdschloss
A Jagdschloss is a palace or a castle in a zoo or a hunting zone such as a forest, field or lake and served primarily as the accommodation for a ruler, and the court, on the occasion of the hunt in the area....
Letzlingen
Letzlingen
Letzlingen is a village and a former municipality in the district Altmarkkreis Salzwedel, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 January 2011, it is part of the town Gardelegen....
. Her husband was almost 40 years older than she was. Elisabeth was his third wife, and was 16 years younger than her stepson Joachim Frederick. The marriage was celebrated without many festivities, and Elizabeth was promised 400 guilders annually as her dower
Dower
Dower or morning gift was a provision accorded by law to a wife for her support in the event that she should survive her husband...
. Elizabeth brought as a dowry
Dowry
A dowry is the money, goods, or estate that a woman brings forth to the marriage. It contrasts with bride price, which is paid to the bride's parents, and dower, which is property settled on the bride herself by the groom at the time of marriage. The same culture may simultaneously practice both...
into the marriage 15 000 dollars and received 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...
, besides a considerable pension, the city of Crossen
Crossen
Crossen may refer to:* Crossen an der Elster, municipality in Thuringia, Germany* Zwickau-Crossen, part of Zwickau in Saxony, Germany* Crossen , German name of Krosno Odrzańskie, Poland* part of the municipality Erlau in Saxony, Germany...
, including Crossen Palace
Crossen Palace
Crossen Palace is a Baroque palace in the municipality of Crossen an der Elster in the east of the German federal state of Thuringia, located between Gera in the south and Zeitz in the north. It is situated on the hillside of Weiße Elster valley....
, plus the district and city of Züllichau and the lordship of Bobrowice
Bobrowice, Krosno Odrzanskie County
Bobrowice is a village on the Bóbr river in Krosno Odrzańskie County, Lubusz Voivodeship, in western Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Bobrowice...
.
Elisabeth was a patron of the scholar Leonhard Thurneysser
Leonhard Thurneysser
Leonard Thurneysser was a scholar and miracle doctor at the court of Elector John George of Brandenburg.- Life :...
. After her husband's death, weakened by child-bearing, she retired with her younger children to her widow seat of Crossen Palace
Crossen Palace
Crossen Palace is a Baroque palace in the municipality of Crossen an der Elster in the east of the German federal state of Thuringia, located between Gera in the south and Zeitz in the north. It is situated on the hillside of Weiße Elster valley....
. She is buried in the crypt of the Hohenzollerns in the Berliner Dom
Berliner Dom
Berlin Cathedral is the colloquial name for the Evangelical Oberpfarr- und Domkirche in Berlin, Germany...
.
Descendants
Her marriage to John George of Brandenburg produced the following children:- ChristianChristian, Margrave of Brandenburg-BayreuthChristian, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth was a member of the House of Hohenzollern and Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach ....
(1581–1655) - MagdaleneMagdalena von BrandenburgMagdalene of Brandenburg, also Magdalene and Magdalen, was the daughter of John George, Elector of Brandenburg and his third wife Elisabeth of Anhalt-Zerbst...
(7 January 1582 – 4 May 1616), married in 1598 to Landgrave Louis V of Hesse-Darmstadt - Joachim ErnstJoachim Ernst, Margrave of Brandenburg-AnsbachJoachim 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...
(1583–1625) - AgnesAgnes of Brandenburg (1584-1629)Agnes of Brandenburg was an Princess of Brandenburg by birth and by marriage successively Duchess of Pomerania and of Saxe-Lauenburg.- Life :...
(1584–1629), married:- in 1604 Duke Philipp Julius of Pomerania;
- in 1628 Duke Francis Charles of Saxe-LauenburgFrancis Charles of Saxe-LauenburgFrancis Charles of Saxe-Lauenburg was a prince of Saxe-Lauenburg and a general during the Thirty Years' War.- Life :...
- FrederickFrederick IX, Margrave of BrandenburgFrederick IX of Brandenburg was a Margrave of Brandenburg.- Life :...
(1588–1611) - Elisabeth Sophia of Brandenburg (July 13, 1589 – December 24, 1629), married:
- in 1613 to Reichsfürst (Prince) Janusz Radziwiłł;
- on 27 February 1628 to Duke Julius Henry of Saxe-Lauenburg
- Dorothea Sibylle (19 October 1590 – 9 March 1625), married in 1610 to Duke John Christian of BriegJohn Christian of BriegJohn Christian of Brieg , 25 December 1639), was a Duke of Brzeg–Legnica–Wołów ....
- George AlbertGeorge Albert II, Margrave of BrandenburgGeorge Albert of Brandenburg George Albert of Brandenburg George Albert of Brandenburg (born: 20 November 1591 in Berlin; died: 29 November 1615 in Słońsk , was Margrave of Brandenburg as George Albert II.- Life :George Albert was a member of the House of Hohenzollern...
(1591–1615) - Sigismund (20 November 1592 – 30 April 1640)
- John (1597–1627)
- John George (1598–1637)