Magdalene Sibylle of Brandenburg-Bayreuth
Encyclopedia
Magdalene Sibylle of Brandenburg-Bayreuth (27 October 1612 – 20 March 1687) was Electress of Saxony
from 1656 to 1680 as the wife of John George II
. The daughter of Christian, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth
, and Marie of Prussia
, she was by birth a Markgräfin, or Margravine, and a member of the Brandenburg-Bayreuth
branch of the House of Hohenzollern
.
Born in Bayreuth, she was the fifth child of Christian, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth
(1581–1655), and Marie of Prussia (1579–1649), daughter of Albert Frederick, Duke of Prussia
, and Marie Eleonore of Cleves
. One of her maternal aunts was Duchess Anna of Prussia. She had three surviving siblings: Anna Maria (1609–1680), wife of Prince Johann Anton I von Eggenberg
, Duke of Krumlov; Erdmann August
(1615–1651); and George Albert
(1619–1666).
She was married to John George
, Prince Elector of Saxony, on 13 November 1638 in Dresden
. He was her first cousin, being the son of her maternal aunt and namesake, Magdalene Sibylle of Prussia
. Her sister-in-law and cousin was Magdalene Sibylle of Saxony
.
They had three children:
Magdalene Sibylle had a good relationship with the Swedish royal family (the Queen consort from 1620 to 1632, Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg
, was her first cousin) and was able to save the city of Pirna
from attack by a letter to the Swedish commander in 1639, during the Thirty Years' War
. In 1680 she was widowed and retired to Freiberg-Colditz.
She died in Dresden
in 1687.
Electorate of Saxony
The Electorate of Saxony , sometimes referred to as Upper Saxony, was a State of the Holy Roman Empire. It was established when Emperor Charles IV raised the Ascanian duchy of Saxe-Wittenberg to the status of an Electorate by the Golden Bull of 1356...
from 1656 to 1680 as the wife of John George II
John George II, Elector of Saxony
John George was the Elector of Saxony from 1656 to 1680.He was the third but eldest surviving son of the Elector John George I of Saxony and Magdalene Sybille of Prussia, his second spouse....
. The daughter of Christian, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth
Christian, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth
Christian, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth was a member of the House of Hohenzollern and Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach ....
, and Marie of Prussia
Albert Frederick, Duke of Prussia
Albert Frederick was duke of Prussia from 1568 until his death. He was a son of Albert of Prussia and Anna Marie of Brunswick-Lüneburg. He was the second and last Prussian duke of the Ansbach branch of the Hohenzollern family.-Duke of Prussia:...
, she was by birth a Markgräfin, or Margravine, and a member of the Brandenburg-Bayreuth
Principality of Bayreuth
The Principality of Bayreuth or Brandenburg-Bayreuth was a reichsfrei principality in the Holy Roman Empire centered on the Bavarian city of Bayreuth. Until 1604 its capital city was Kulmbach; then the margraves used their palaces in Bayreuth as their residence...
branch of the House of Hohenzollern
House of Hohenzollern
The House of Hohenzollern is a noble family and royal dynasty of electors, kings and emperors of Prussia, Germany and Romania. It originated in the area around the town of Hechingen in Swabia during the 11th century. They took their name from their ancestral home, the Burg Hohenzollern castle near...
.
Born in Bayreuth, she was the fifth child of Christian, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth
Christian, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth
Christian, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth was a member of the House of Hohenzollern and Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach ....
(1581–1655), and Marie of Prussia (1579–1649), daughter of Albert Frederick, Duke of Prussia
Albert Frederick, Duke of Prussia
Albert Frederick was duke of Prussia from 1568 until his death. He was a son of Albert of Prussia and Anna Marie of Brunswick-Lüneburg. He was the second and last Prussian duke of the Ansbach branch of the Hohenzollern family.-Duke of Prussia:...
, and Marie Eleonore of Cleves
Marie Eleonore of Cleves
Marie Eleonore of Cleves was a Duchess consort of Prussia as the wife of Albert Frederick, Duke of Prussia. She was the eldest child of Wilhelm, Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg and Maria of Austria.- Family :...
. One of her maternal aunts was Duchess Anna of Prussia. She had three surviving siblings: Anna Maria (1609–1680), wife of Prince Johann Anton I von Eggenberg
House of Eggenberg
Eggenberg is the name of an Austrian noble family from Styria whose last male heir died in 1717 bringing an end to the House of Eggenberg.- History :The origin of the Austrian noble house of Eggenberg is shrouded in darkness...
, Duke of Krumlov; Erdmann August
Erdmann August of Brandenburg-Bayreuth
Erdmann August of Brandenburg-Bayreuth , was a member of the House of Hohenzollern and Hereditary Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth....
(1615–1651); and George Albert
Georg Albrecht of Brandenburg-Bayreuth
Georg Albrecht of Brandenburg-Bayreuth , was a German prince and member of the House of Hohenzollern....
(1619–1666).
She was married to John George
John George II, Elector of Saxony
John George was the Elector of Saxony from 1656 to 1680.He was the third but eldest surviving son of the Elector John George I of Saxony and Magdalene Sybille of Prussia, his second spouse....
, Prince Elector of Saxony, on 13 November 1638 in Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
. He was her first cousin, being the son of her maternal aunt and namesake, Magdalene Sibylle of Prussia
Magdalene Sibylle of Prussia
Magdalene Sibylle of Prussia was an Electress of Saxony as the spouse of John George I, Elector of Saxony.-Life:...
. Her sister-in-law and cousin was Magdalene Sibylle of Saxony
Magdalene Sibylle of Saxony
Magdalene Sibylle of Saxony was the Princess of Denmark from 1634 to 1647 as the wife of Prince-Elect Christian of Denmark, and the Duchess consort of Saxe-Altenburg as the wife of Duke Frederick Wilhelm II.- Biography :...
.
They had three children:
- Sibylle Marie (Dresden, 16 September 1642 – Dresden, 27 February 1643), died young;
- Erdmuthe Sophie (Dresden, 25 February 1644 – Schloss Bayreuth, 22 June 1670), married her cousin, Christian Ernst, Margrave of Brandenburg-BayreuthChristian Ernst, Margrave of Brandenburg-BayreuthChristian Ernst of Brandenburg-Bayreuth was a member of the House of Hohenzollern and Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth....
, on 29 October 1662; died without issue; - John George IIIJohn George III, Elector of SaxonyJohann Georg III was Elector of Saxony from 1680 to 1691.-Early life:Johann Georg was the only son of the Elector Johann Georg II and Magdalene Sybille of Brandenburg-Bayreuth....
(Dresden, 20 June 1647 – Tübingen, 12 September 1691), his father's successor as John George III, Elector of Saxony.
Magdalene Sibylle had a good relationship with the Swedish royal family (the Queen consort from 1620 to 1632, Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg
Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg
Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg was a German princess and queen consort of Sweden.She was the daughter of John Sigismund, Elector of Brandenburg, and Anna, Duchess of Prussia, daughter of Albert Frederick, Duke of Prussia....
, was her first cousin) and was able to save the city of Pirna
Pirna
Pirna is a town in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, capital of the administrative district Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge. The town's population is over 40,000. Pirna is located near Dresden and is an important district town as well as a Große Kreisstadt...
from attack by a letter to the Swedish commander in 1639, during 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 1680 she was widowed and retired to Freiberg-Colditz.
She died in Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
in 1687.