Sophie of Brandenburg
Encyclopedia
Sophie of Brandenburg (6 June 1568 – 7 December 1622) was a Princess of Brandenburg
and by marriage Electress
of Saxony
. From 1591 she was the regent of Saxony during the minority of her son Christian II.
, a daughter of the Elector of Brandenburg John George
(1525–1598) by his second marriage with Sabina of Brandenburg-Ansbach
(1548–1575), daughter of Margrave George
of Brandenburg-Ansbach.
On 25 April 1582 in Dresden
, Sophie married Elector Christian I
of Saxony (1560–1591). Sophie was 14 years old at her wedding, and after a year she had her first child.
After the death of her husband, who died at the age of only 31, Sophie, together with Duke Frederick William I
of Saxe Weimar
, became Regent of the Electorate for her eldest son.
Sophie was an orthodox Lutheran, and fought against crypto-Calvinism
in Saxony. After Christian I's death in 1591, she had the Calvinist Chancellor Nikolaus Krell
, an opponent of Lutheran orthodoxy, imprisoned at the Königstein Fortress
, and in 1601 had him executed at the Dresden Neumarkt
. In allusion to the pious widow Judith in the Book of Judith, the orthodox Lutherans thereafter celebrated her as "Judith of Saxony".
As a widow, Sophie lived in the so-called "Fraumutterhaus" in Dresden or in Castle Colditz. She had her own gold coins ("Sophie ducats", Sophiendukaten) minted; she also had the old Franciscan church in Dresden again readied for divine service (1599–1610), which after her was called the Sophienkirche
. The "Duchess's Garden" (Der Herzogin Garten) also takes its name from Duchess Sophie. She died at Colditz Castle
.
Margraviate of Brandenburg
The Margraviate of Brandenburg was a major principality of the Holy Roman Empire from 1157 to 1806. Also known as the March of Brandenburg , it played a pivotal role in the history of Germany and Central Europe....
and by marriage Electress
Electress
An Electress was the consort of an Elector of the Holy Roman Empire, one of the Empire's greatest princes.The Golden Bull of 1356 established by Emperor Charles IV settled the number of Electors at seven...
of Saxony
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 1591 she was the regent of Saxony during the minority of her son Christian II.
Biography
Sophie was born at Zechlin castle, RheinsbergRheinsberg
Rheinsberg is a town and a municipality in the Ostprignitz-Ruppin district, in Brandenburg, Germany. It is situated on the river Rhin, approx. 20 km north-east of Neuruppin and 75 km north-west of Berlin.-History:...
, a daughter of the Elector of Brandenburg 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) by his second marriage with Sabina of Brandenburg-Ansbach
Sabina of Brandenburg-Ansbach
Sabina of Brandenburg-Ansbach was a princess of Brandenburg-Ansbach and Electress of Brandenburg by marriage.- Life :...
(1548–1575), daughter of Margrave George
George, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach
George of Brandenburg-Ansbach was a Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach from the House of Hohenzollern.- Early life :...
of Brandenburg-Ansbach.
On 25 April 1582 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....
, Sophie married Elector Christian I
Christian I, Elector of Saxony
Christian I of Saxony was Elector of Saxony from 1586 to 1591.He was the sixth but second surviving son of Elector Augustus of Saxony and Anna of Denmark...
of Saxony (1560–1591). Sophie was 14 years old at her wedding, and after a year she had her first child.
After the death of her husband, who died at the age of only 31, Sophie, together with Duke Frederick William I
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:...
of Saxe Weimar
Saxe-Weimar
Saxe-Weimar was one of the Saxon duchies held by the Ernestine branch of the Wettin dynasty in present-day Thuringia. The chief town and capital was Weimar.-Division of Leipzig:...
, became Regent of the Electorate for her eldest son.
Sophie was an orthodox Lutheran, and fought against crypto-Calvinism
Crypto-Calvinism
Crypto-Calvinism is a term for Calvinist influence in the Lutheran Church during the decades just after the death of Martin Luther . It denotes what was seen as a hidden...
in Saxony. After Christian I's death in 1591, she had the Calvinist Chancellor Nikolaus Krell
Nikolaus Krell
Nikolaus Krell , chancellor of the elector of Saxony, was born at Leipzig, and educated at the university of his native town....
, an opponent of Lutheran orthodoxy, imprisoned at the Königstein Fortress
Königstein Fortress
Königstein Fortress , the "Saxon Bastille", is a hilltop fortress near Dresden, in Saxon Switzerland, Germany, above the town of Königstein on the left bank of the River Elbe...
, and in 1601 had him executed at the Dresden Neumarkt
Neumarkt (Dresden)
The Neumarkt in Dresden is a central and culturally significant section of the Dresden inner city. The historic area was almost completely wiped out during the Allied bomb attack during the Second World War...
. In allusion to the pious widow Judith in the Book of Judith, the orthodox Lutherans thereafter celebrated her as "Judith of Saxony".
As a widow, Sophie lived in the so-called "Fraumutterhaus" in Dresden or in Castle Colditz. She had her own gold coins ("Sophie ducats", Sophiendukaten) minted; she also had the old Franciscan church in Dresden again readied for divine service (1599–1610), which after her was called the Sophienkirche
Sophienkirche
The Sophienkirche , Dresden stood on the northeast corner of the Postplatz, in Dresden's old town, before its destruction in 1962 on resolution of the party and government of the GDR...
. The "Duchess's Garden" (Der Herzogin Garten) also takes its name from Duchess Sophie. She died at Colditz Castle
Colditz Castle
Colditz Castle is a Renaissance castle in the town of Colditz near Leipzig, Dresden, and Chemnitz in the state of Saxony in Germany. Used as a workhouse for the indigent and a mental institution for over 100 years, it gained international fame as a prisoner-of-war camp during World War II for...
.
Descendants
By her marriage, Sophie had the following children:- Christian II (1583−1611), Elector
- m. 1602 Princess Hedwig of DenmarkHedwig of DenmarkPrincess Hedwig of Denmark was the youngest daughter of King Frederick II of Denmark and Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, and Electress of Saxony from 1602 to 1611 as the wife of Christian II....
(1581–1641)- John George IJohn George I, Elector of SaxonyJohn 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....
(1585−1656), Elector of Saxony
- John George I
- m. 1604 Princess Sibylle Elisabeth of Württemberg (1584–1606)
- m. 1607 Princess Magdalene Sibylle of Prussia (1587–1659)
- Anna Sabine (*/† 1586)
- Sophie (1587−1635)
- m. 1610 Duke Francis I of Pomerania-Stettin (1577–1620)
- Elizabeth (1588−1589)
- Augustus (1589−1615)
- m. 1612 Princess Elizabeth of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (1593–1650)
- DorotheaDorothea, Abbess of QuedlinburgPrincess 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...
(1591−1617), Abbess of QuedlinburgQuedlinburg AbbeyQuedlinburg Abbey was a house of secular canonesses in Quedlinburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It was founded in 936 on the initiative of Saint Mathilda, the widow of Henry the Fowler, as his memorial...
- Dorothea
Biographical accounts
- Franz Blanckmeister: Kurfürstin Anna Sophie von Sachsen: eine evangelische Bekennerin, Barmen [um 1891]
- Franz Otto Stichart: Galerie der Sächsischen Fürstinnen; Biogr. Skizzen sämmtl. Ahnfrauen d. Königl. Hauses Sachsen. Quellengemäß dargest., Leipzig 1857
- Ute Essegern: Fürstinnen am kursächsischen Hof, Leipziger Universitätsverlag, 2007
External links
- http://www.neumarkt-dresden.de/nikolaus-krell.html
- http://www.geneall.net/D/per_page.php?id=16340