Ursula of Rosenfeld ( – 26 February 1538) was the second wife of Margrave Ernest of Baden-Durlach. All grand dukes of Baden descend from her, via her son Charles II.

Life

Ursula was born as the youngest child of Wolf of Rosenfeld (d. 1500) and his wife Anna Bombast of Hohenheim. They were considered lower nobility. Her father was ''

Schultheiß In medieval Germany, the ''Schultheiß'' () was the head of a municipality (akin to today's office of mayor), a ''Vogt'' or an executive official of the ruler. As official (''villicus'') it was his duty to order his assigned village or county (' ...

'' of the town of

Rosenfeld Rosenfeld is a German name meaning "rose field" or "field of roses" It may refer to: Places * Rosenfeld, Germany, a town in Baden-Württemberg * Rosenfeld, Manitoba, a Canadian village in the Rural Municipality of Rhineland * Rosenfeld (Melk), a ...

in Württemberg. According to legend, the family lived in the stately "Ursula house", which dates to the early 15th century. Ursula was a

lady-in-waiting A lady-in-waiting or court lady is a female personal assistant at a court, attending on a royal woman or a high-ranking noblewoman. Historically, in Europe, a lady-in-waiting was often a noblewoman but of lower rank than the woman to whom sh ...

of Margravine

Elisabeth of Brandenburg-Ansbach-Kulmbach Elizabeth of Brandenburg-Ansbach-Kulmbach (25 March 1494 in Ansbach – 31 May 1518 in Pforzheim) was a princess of Brandenburg-Ansbach by birth and by marriage Margravine of Baden. Life Elizabeth was a daughter of Margrave Frederick "the ...

, the first wife of Margrave Ernest of Baden-Durlach. Elisabeth died on 31 May 1518. Soon afterwards, probably later in 1518, Ernest married Ursula. Although she was lower nobility, their marriage was not considered morganatic, because she became a Margravine by marriage. On her tomb stone, she is referred to as "''the illustrious Lady Ursula, Margravine of Baden and Hochberg, wife of the illustrious Prince Lord Ernest, Margrave of Baden and Hochberg''" (ILL. DNA VRSV=LA MARCHIONISSA / BADEN ET HOCHBERG ILLVSTRIS PRINCIPIS / DNI ERNESTI MARCHIONIS IN BADEN ET HOCHBERG CONIUNX). Ursula died on 26 February 1538 and was buried in the castle church in Pforzheim. Ernest constructed a double tomb stone in the form of a sarcophagus in her honor in the choir of the castle church.

Issue

According to the

chronicle A chronicle ( la, chronica, from Greek ''chroniká'', from , ''chrónos'' – "time") is a historical account of events arranged in chronological order, as in a timeline. Typically, equal weight is given for historically important events and lo ...

, Ernest and Ursula had "many children". Accurate lists of their children have not survived. Three children are known to be hers: * Margaret (1519-1571), married on 12 November 1538 Count Wolfgang II of Oettingen (1511-1572) * Salome (d. 1549), married in 1540 to Count Ladislaus of Fraunberg-Haag (1505-1566) * Charles II (24 July 1529 – 23 March 1577), Margrave of Baden-Durlach

Footnotes

References

* Casimir Bumiller: ''Ursula von Rosenfeld und die Tragödie des Hauses Baden'', Gernsbach, 2010, * Pütter: ''Ueber Mißheirathen Teutscher Fürsten und Grafen'', Göttingen, 1796, p. 83-91 * Christoph Meiners and Ludwig Timotheus Spittler (eds.): ''Mark-Graf Ernst von Baden und Ursula von Rosenfeld, die Stamm-Eltern des noch blühenden Badischen Hauses'', in: ''Göttingisches Historisches Magazin'', vol. 4, Hannover 1789, p. 737-772 *

External links

Photo of Ursula's grave
at: Image Archive Photo Marburg — Index of images of Art and Architecture {{DEFAULTSORT:Ursula Of Rosenfeld Margravines of Baden Year of birth uncertain 1490s births 1538 deaths 16th-century German people