Elisabeth of Bavaria, Electress of Brandenburg

Elisabeth of Bavaria-Landshut (1383 – 13 November 1442), nicknamed "Beautiful Beth", was an Electress of Brandenburg by marriage to Frederick I, Elector of Brandenburg. She acted as regent of Brandenburg during the absence of her spouse.

Elisabeth of Bavaria
Electress consort of Brandenburg
Tenure30 April 1415 – 20 September 1440
Born1383
Died13 November 1442
Ansbach
Spouse
(m. 1401; died 1440)
IssueElisabeth, Duchess of Brzeg-Legnica and Cieszyn
John, Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach
Cecilia, Duchess of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
Margaret, Duchess of Mecklenburg
Magdalene, Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Frederick II, Elector of Brandenburg
Albert III Achilles, Elector of Brandenburg
Dorothea, Duchess of Mecklenburg
Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg
HouseHouse of Wittelsbach
FatherFrederick, Duke of Bavaria
MotherMaddalena Visconti

Life

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Elizabeth was a daughter of Duke Frederick "the Wise" of Bavaria-Landshut and his second wife Maddalena Visconti.

On 18 September 1401 she married Frederick VI of Hohenzollern, Burgrave of Nuremberg, who was promoted to Elector of Brandenburg in 1415 and ruled as "Elector Frederick I".

During her husband's long journeys to Italy, Hungary, and to the Council of Constance, she represented him wisely despite the great political problems Brandenburg was experiencing at the time.

She is the ancestress of the royal line of the House of Hohenzollern by her third son Albert III Achilles, Elector of Brandenburg.

Issue

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With Frederick she had ten children:

  1. Elisabeth (1403–31 October 1449, Liegnitz), married:
    1. in Konstanz 1418 Duke Louis II of Brieg and Legnica (1380/5–1436);
    2. in 1438 Duke Wenzel I of Teschen (1413/18–1474).
  2. John "the Alchemist" (1406–1465), Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach.
    1. married in 1416 Princess Barbara of Saxe-Wittenberg (1405–1465)
  3. Cecilia (c. 1405–4 January 1449), married:
    1. in Berlin 30 May 1423 Duke William I of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1392–1482).
  4. Margaret (1410–27 July 1465, Landshut), married:
    1. in 1423 to Duke Albert V, Duke of Mecklenburg (1397–1423);
    2. in Ingolstadt 20 July 1441 to Louis VIII, Duke of Bavaria (1403–1445);
    3. in 1446 to Count Martin of Waldenfels (d. 1471).
  5. Magdalene (c. 1412 –27 October 1454, Scharnebeck), married:
    1. in Tangermünde 3 July 1429 to Duke Frederick of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1418–1478).
  6. Frederick II (1413–1471), Elector of Brandenburg
    1. married in 1446 Princess Catherine of Saxony (1421–1476)
  7. Albrecht Achilles, (1414–1486), Elector of Brandenburg, married:
    1. in 1446 Princess Margarete of Baden (1431–1457)
    2. in 1458 Princess Anna of Saxony (1437–1512)
  8. Sofie, born and died 1417.
  9. Dorothea (9 February 1420–19 January 1491, Rehna), married:
    1. in 1432 Duke Henry IV, Duke of Mecklenburg (1417–1477)
  10. Frederick "the Fat" (c. 1424–6 October 1463, Tangermünde), Lord of Altmark, married:
    1. in 1449 Princess Agnes of Pomerania (1436–1512)

References

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  • Bernard Glasauer (2009), Herzog Heinrich XVI. (1393–1450) der Reiche von Bayern-Landshut. Territorialpolitik zwischen Dynastie und Reich, Munich contributions to history, vol. 5, Munich: Herbert Utz Verlag, ISBN 978-3-8316-0899-7 also dissertation, Munich University, 2009
Elisabeth of Bavaria, Electress of Brandenburg
Born: 1383 Died: 13 November 1442
German nobility
Preceded by Electress consort of Brandenburg
30 April 1415 – 20 September 1440
Vacant
Title next held by
Catherine of Saxony
Margravine of Brandenburg
18 April 1417 – 13 January 1426
Succeeded by
Preceded by Burgravine of Nuremberg
18 September 1401 – 1427
Burgraviate abolished
Titular title remained held
by Elector of Brandenburg
New title
margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach created in 1398 upon the death of Frederick V, Burgrave of Nuremberg, whose sons divided his territories
Margravine of Brandenburg-Ansbach
18 September 1401 – 20 September 1440
Vacant
Title next held by
Margaret of Baden
Preceded by Margravine of Brandenburg-Kulmbach
11 June 1420 – 20 September 1440
Succeeded by