Princess Elisabeth Sophie of Brandenburg (1674–1748)

Elisabeth Sophie of Brandenburg (5 April 1674 – 22 November 1748), was a Duchess consort of Courland by marriage to Duke Frederick Casimir Kettler of Courland, a Margravine consort of Brandenburg-Bayreuth by marriage to Christian Ernst, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth, and a Duchess consort of Saxe-Meiningen by marriage to Ernst Ludwig I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen. She was joint regent in Courland during the minority of her son Frederick William, Duke of Courland from 1698 until 1701.[1]

Elisabeth Sophie of Brandenburg
Duchess consort of Saxe-Meiningen
Tenure3 June 1714 – 24 November 1724
Born(1674-04-05)5 April 1674
Cölln, Brandenburg-Prussia
Died22 November 1748(1748-11-22) (aged 74)
Romhild, Sachsen-Meiningen
SpouseFrederick Casimir Kettler of Courland
Christian Ernst, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth
Ernst Ludwig I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen
IssueFrederick William, Duke of Courland
Leopold Charles Kettler
HouseHohenzollern
FatherFrederick William, Elector of Brandenburg
MotherSophia Dorothea of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg

Biography

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Elisabeth Sophie was born to Frederick William I, Elector of Brandenburg and his second wife, Duchess Sophia Dorothea of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg.

Courland

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She married (29 April 1691) her cousin, Duke Frederick Casimir Kettler of Courland (1650–1698). The marriage was arranged as an alliance between the two families; in 1703 her brother Albert Frederick was to marry her first husband's daughter, Mary Dorothea.

When her husband died in 1698, Elisabeth Sophie became joint guardian-regent along with her former brother-in-law Ferdinand. In January 1701, Elisabeth Sophie left Courland, her son and stepdaughter for her brother's court in Berlin. In 1703, she was formally deprived of the custody of her son and the regency. She was later given a Russian allowance from Anna of Russia.

Brandenburg-Bayreuth

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She married Christian Ernst, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth (6 August 1644 – 20 May 1712) on 30 March 1703 in Potsdam. She is said to have dominated him completely and directed his policy in a pro-Prussian direction. He gave her the palace Markgräfliches Schloss Erlangen, which was named after her. She was described as proud and a great lover of pomp and ceremony. Her expenses had a bad effect on the finances of the state.

Saxe-Meiningen

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She married on 3 June 1714 on Schloss Ehrenburg to Ernst Ludwig I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen (1672–1724).

Issue

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Ancestry

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Andrea Schödl: Frauen und dynastische Politik (1703–1723) – Die Markgräfinnen Elisabeth Sophie von Brandenburg und Christiane Charlotte von Ansbach . Kulmbach 2007.
Princess Elisabeth Sophie of Brandenburg (1674–1748)
Cadet branch of the House of Wettin
Born: 5 April 1674 Died: 22 November 1748
Royal titles
Vacant
Title last held by
Sophie Amalie of Nassau-Siegen
Duchess consort of Courland
29 April 1691 – 22 January 1698
Vacant
Title next held by
Anna Ivanovna of Russia
Vacant
Title last held by
Sophie Louise of Württemberg
Margravine consort of Brandenburg-Bayreuth
30 March 1703 – 20 May 1712
Succeeded by
Vacant
Title last held by
Dorothea Marie of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
Duchess consort of Saxe-Meiningen
3 June 1714 – 24 November 1724
Vacant
Title next held by
Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Philippsthal