Sidonie of Saxony
Encyclopedia
Sidonie of Saxony was a princess of the House of Wettin and by marriage Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Princess of Calenberg-Göttingen.
(1473–1541) from his marriage to Catherine
(1487–1561), daughter of the Duke Magnus II of Mecklenburg. Her brothers were Elector Maurice
of Saxony and August
; her sister Sibylle
was from 1540 by marriage Duchess of Saxe-Lauenburg
; her sister Aemilia
was from 1533 by marriage Margravine of Brandenburg-Ansbach.
without the usual pomp and circumstance.
Initially, they liked each other. Eric had been engaged to Agnes of Hesse
. When the marriage was negotiated at the court in Kassel, however, he had met Sidonie. He liked her, and broke off the engagement with Agnes, in order to marry Sidonie. Landgrave Philip I of Hesse
predicted: "All sorts of things will happen inside this marriage after the kissing month ends.".
Two years into the marriage, in 1547, Duke Eric began his rule and reconverted to the Catholic
faith, after the Reformation had been introduced to his Duchy in 1542. Despite her husband's pleas, Sidonie held on to her Lutheran
faith. They had financial problems and the marriage remained childless marriage, and soon their relationship took a very unfortunate course.
The clashes culminated in her suspicion that her husband wanted to poison her. A Genoese
merchant had contacted Sidonie's brother Augustus in 1555 and informed him that Duke Eric I had ordered poison from him on the grounds that "Eric was a Christian and his wife would be Lutheran, it was better that one woman part was destroyed, than 20,000 people." Eric turned to a mistress with whom he lived at Calenberg Castle
from 1563. Sidonie was refused access to the castle, which was also based on the grounds that she had threatened "if she comes into my house, I'll cut the whore's nose off and poke out an eye."
. In 1570 mediation by the Emperor, the Elector of Saxony and Duke Julius of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel resulted in a settlement of the disputes between Sidonie and her husband, in which Sodonie would receive Calenberg Castle. Eric, however, did not abide by the settlement.
On 30 March 1572, Duke Eric assembled some of his advisers, nobles and deputies of the cities of Hannover and Hameln on Landestrost Castle
in Neustadt. He accused Sidonie of witchcraft and of an attempt on his life. He presented evidence obtained by torture from the four women he had executed for witchcraft. Sidonie turned to Emperor Maximilian II
and asked for a revision. She secretly left Kalenberg and traveled to Vienna. Emperor Maximilian then decreed that the investigation should be carried out at the imperial court. However, he then turned the case over to the Dukes Julius of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel and William the Younger
of Brunswick-Lüneburg.
On 17 December 1573 the case was presented in Halberstadt to the court and a large audience. All witnesses recanted their testimony against Sidonie and on 1 January 1574, the Duchess was acquitted of all charges.
Due to Sidonie's resistance, Duke Julius of Brunswick did not succeed in amicably resolving Eric's accusation against Sidonie. In 1573, Sidonie wrote to duke Julius:
Duke Eric's difficult because he spewed out accusations, taking, as we speak, not the clothes, but the honor, which is the highest and most precious treasure a poor woman in this world possesses.
According to her will Sidonie was buried in Freiberg Cathedral
. She left significant sums of money to her negotiators in the Halberstadt trial.
Family
Sidonie was the daughter of the Duke Henry IV of SaxonyHenry IV, Duke of Saxony
Henry IV the Pious, Duke of Saxony was a Duke of Saxony from the House of Wettin.-Biography:Heinrich was the second son of Albert, Duke of Saxony and his wife Sidonie Podiebrad, princess of Bohemia...
(1473–1541) from his marriage to Catherine
Catherine of Mecklenburg
Catherine of Mecklenburg , Duchess of Saxony, was the daughter of the Duke Magnus II of Mecklenburg and Sophie of Pomerania-Stettin. She married on 6 July 1512 in Freiberg Duke Henry the Pious of Saxony...
(1487–1561), daughter of the Duke Magnus II of Mecklenburg. Her brothers were Elector Maurice
Maurice, Elector of Saxony
Maurice was Duke and later Elector of Saxony. His clever manipulation of alliances and disputes gained the Albertine branch of the Wettin dynasty extensive lands and the electoral dignity....
of Saxony and August
August of Saxony
August of Saxony from the Albertine line of the House of Wettin was Administrator of the diocese of Naumburg-Zeitz.- Life :...
; her sister Sibylle
Sibylle of Saxony
Sibylle of Saxony was a Saxon princess of the Albertine line of House of Wettin and by marriage Duchess of Saxe-Lauenburg.- Life :...
was from 1540 by marriage Duchess of Saxe-Lauenburg
Duchy of Saxe-Lauenburg
The Duchy of Saxe-Lauenburg between the 14th and 17th centuries), later also known as the Duchy of Lauenburg, was a reichsfrei duchy that existed 1296–1803 and 1814–1876 in the extreme southeast region of what is now Schleswig-Holstein...
; her sister Aemilia
Emilie of Saxony
Emilie of Saxony was the third wife of Margrave George the Pious of Brandenburg-Ansbach. Since his two earlier wives died before his accession, she was the only one to enjoy the title Margravine.- Life :...
was from 1533 by marriage Margravine of Brandenburg-Ansbach.
Marriage
Sidonie married on 17 May 1545 Duke Eric II of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1528–1584), who was ten years her junior. The wedding ceremony was held in Hann. MündenHann. Münden
Hann. Münden is the German official name of a town in Lower Saxony, Germany. The city is located in the district of Göttingen at the confluence of the Fulda and Werra rivers, which join to form the river Weser. It has 28,000 inhabitants...
without the usual pomp and circumstance.
Initially, they liked each other. Eric had been engaged to Agnes of Hesse
Agnes of Hesse
Agnes of Hesse was a princess of Hesse by birth and by marriage Electress of Saxony.- Life :...
. When the marriage was negotiated at the court in Kassel, however, he had met Sidonie. He liked her, and broke off the engagement with Agnes, in order to marry Sidonie. Landgrave Philip I of Hesse
Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse
Philip I of Hesse, , nicknamed der Großmütige was a leading champion of the Protestant Reformation and one of the most important of the early Protestant rulers in Germany....
predicted: "All sorts of things will happen inside this marriage after the kissing month ends.".
Two years into the marriage, in 1547, Duke Eric began his rule and reconverted to the Catholic
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
faith, after the Reformation had been introduced to his Duchy in 1542. Despite her husband's pleas, Sidonie held on to her Lutheran
Lutheranism
Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
faith. They had financial problems and the marriage remained childless marriage, and soon their relationship took a very unfortunate course.
The clashes culminated in her suspicion that her husband wanted to poison her. A Genoese
Republic of Genoa
The Most Serene Republic of Genoa |Ligurian]]: Repúbrica de Zêna) was an independent state from 1005 to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italian coast, as well as Corsica from 1347 to 1768, and numerous other territories throughout the Mediterranean....
merchant had contacted Sidonie's brother Augustus in 1555 and informed him that Duke Eric I had ordered poison from him on the grounds that "Eric was a Christian and his wife would be Lutheran, it was better that one woman part was destroyed, than 20,000 people." Eric turned to a mistress with whom he lived at Calenberg Castle
Calenberg Castle
Calenberg Castle was a medieval lowland castle in central Germany, near Schulenburg in the borough of Pattensen, 13 km west of the city of Hildesheim. It was built as a water castle in 1292 by the Welf duke, Otto the Strict, in der Leine river meadows between 2 branches of the Leine river on...
from 1563. Sidonie was refused access to the castle, which was also based on the grounds that she had threatened "if she comes into my house, I'll cut the whore's nose off and poke out an eye."
Charges of witchcraft
Sidonie was from 1564 onwards virtually under house arrest and she protested vigorously to her brother and to the Emperor. August sent councils who tried unsuccessfully to compromise with Duke Eric. In 1564 Eric fell very ill and suspected he was poisoned. Four women suspected of witchcraft were burned as witches in Neustadt am RübenbergeNeustadt am Rübenberge
Neustadt am Rübenberge is a town in the district of Hanover, in Lower Saxony, Germany. At 357 km², it is the 9th largest settlement in Germany by area , though only about 45,000 inhabitants live there...
. In 1570 mediation by the Emperor, the Elector of Saxony and Duke Julius of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel resulted in a settlement of the disputes between Sidonie and her husband, in which Sodonie would receive Calenberg Castle. Eric, however, did not abide by the settlement.
On 30 March 1572, Duke Eric assembled some of his advisers, nobles and deputies of the cities of Hannover and Hameln on Landestrost Castle
Landestrost Castle
Landestrost Castle is a castle in the Weser renaissance style that was built between 1573-84 in Neustadt am Rübenberge in the north German state of Lower Saxony. Integrated into fortifications, together with the town, it developed into an urban fortress typical of the 16th century...
in Neustadt. He accused Sidonie of witchcraft and of an attempt on his life. He presented evidence obtained by torture from the four women he had executed for witchcraft. Sidonie turned to Emperor Maximilian II
Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor
Maximilian II was king of Bohemia and king of the Romans from 1562, king of Hungary and Croatia from 1563, emperor of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation from 1564 until his death...
and asked for a revision. She secretly left Kalenberg and traveled to Vienna. Emperor Maximilian then decreed that the investigation should be carried out at the imperial court. However, he then turned the case over to the Dukes Julius of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel and William the Younger
William, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Wilhelm , called William the Younger, was Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Prince of Lüneburg from 1559 until his death. Until 1569 he ruled together with his brother Henry of Dannenberg....
of Brunswick-Lüneburg.
On 17 December 1573 the case was presented in Halberstadt to the court and a large audience. All witnesses recanted their testimony against Sidonie and on 1 January 1574, the Duchess was acquitted of all charges.
Weißenfels Monastery
From Vienna, Sidonie traveled in October 1572 to Dresden to her brother and his wife. Instead of Calenberg castle and the silver Duke Eric had withheld from her, she received, after several settlements, compensation and a pension for life. Elector Augustus gave her the Poor Clares monastery at Weißenfels with all income and interest. Sidonie lived there until she died in 1575.Due to Sidonie's resistance, Duke Julius of Brunswick did not succeed in amicably resolving Eric's accusation against Sidonie. In 1573, Sidonie wrote to duke Julius:
Duke Eric's difficult because he spewed out accusations, taking, as we speak, not the clothes, but the honor, which is the highest and most precious treasure a poor woman in this world possesses.
According to her will Sidonie was buried in Freiberg Cathedral
Freiberg Cathedral
The Freiberg Cathedral or Cathedral of St Mary is a Lutheran church in Freiberg, Saxony. It is called a cathedral in English even though it has never been the seat of a bishop.-History:...
. She left significant sums of money to her negotiators in the Halberstadt trial.
Ancestors
Sources
- Martin Schemel: A Christian funeral sermon, to the body of her Serene Highness Princess and Lady Sidonie, born Duchess of Saxony, and Princess of Brunswick and Lüneburg, given at the Cathedral in Freiburg by Martin Schemel, reverend at Weißenfels etc., Schwertel, 1575.