Sophie of Brandenburg-Ansbach (23 March 1535,
Ansbach
Ansbach (; ; East Franconian: ''Anschba'') is a city in the German state of Bavaria. It is the capital of the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Ansbach is southwest of Nuremberg and north of Munich, on the river Fränkische Rezat, ...
– 22 February 1587,
Legnica) was a princess of
Brandenburg-Ansbach
The Principality or Margraviate of (Brandenburg-)Ansbach (german: Fürstentum Ansbach or ) was a principality in the Holy Roman Empire centered on the Franconian city of Ansbach. The ruling Hohenzollern princes of the land were known as margrave ...
and by marriage
Duchess of Legnica.
Life
Sophie was a daughter of the Margrave
George of Brandenburg-Ansbach-Kulmbach (1484–1543) from his third marriage to
Emilie of Saxony
Emilie of Saxony (27 July 1516 – 9 April 1591) 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 hold the title of Margravine.
Life
Emilie w ...
(1516–1591), daughter of the Duke
Henry IV of Saxony.
She married on 11 November 1560 in Legnica Duke
Henry XI of Legnica
Henry XI of Legnica ( pl, Henryk XI Legnicki; Schloss Liegnitz, 23 February 1539 – Krakow, 3 March 1588), was thrice Duke of Legnica: 1551-1556 (under regency), 1559–1576 and 1580-1581.
He was the eldest son of Frederick III, Duke of Legni ...
(1539–1588). The marriage served to consolidate Sophie's father's position as Duke in
Silesia
Silesia (, also , ) is a historical region of Central Europe that lies mostly within Poland, with small parts in the Czech Republic and Germany. Its area is approximately , and the population is estimated at around 8,000,000. Silesia is split ...
. The marriage proved unhappy, which was also due to a significant irritability on Sophie's side.
[Heinrich von Sybel, ''Historical Journal'', Volume 10, R. Oldenbourg, 1863, p. 187]
Sophie is not to be confused with her eponymous
aunt
An aunt is a woman who is a sibling of a parent or married to a sibling of a parent. Aunts who are related by birth are second-degree relatives. Known alternate terms include auntie or aunty. Children in other cultures and families may re ...
(1485–1537), who was also Duchess of Legnica.
Offspring
From her marriage, Sophie had the following children:
#Katharina Sophie (b. 7 August 1561 – d. Schloss Friedrichsburg bei Vohenstrauss, 10 May 1608), married on 26 February 1587 to
.
#Anna Maria (b. 3 January 1563 – d. Amberg, 28 February 1620).
#Emilia (b. 26 December 1563 – d. Schloss Friedrichsburg bei Vohenstrauss, 9 November 1618).
#A son (b. and d. before 16 January 1565).
#George Frederick (b. 11 September 1565 – d. 14 November 1565).
#Sabina Barbara (b. 8 January 1571 – d. 14 December 1572).
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brandenburg-Ansbach, Sophie Of
Duchesses of Legnica
1535 births
1587 deaths
Daughters of monarchs