Elisabeth von Brandenburg secretly takes the Holy Supper in both kinds

Elisabeth of Brandenburg (24 August 1510 – 25 May 1558) was a Duchess consort of Brunswick-Göttingen-Calenberg by marriage to Eric I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, and Regent of the Duchy of Brunswick-Göttingen-Calenberg during the minority of her son, Eric II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, from 1540 until 1545. She is considered a "Reformation Princess", who, together with the Hessian reformer Anton Corvinus, helped the

Reformation The Reformation, also known as the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation, was a time of major Theology, theological movement in Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the p ...

prevail in today's South Lower Saxony.

Life and work

Early years (1510–1525)

Elisabeth was born, probably in

Cölln Cölln () was the Twin cities, twin city of Old Berlin (Alt-Berlin) from the 13th century to the 18th century. Cölln was located on the Fischerinsel, Fisher Island section of Spree Island, opposite Altberlin on the western bank of the River ...

, the third child and second daughter of the Elector Joachim I of Brandenburg and his wife Elisabeth, daughter of King John I of Denmark. She was educated in a strictly religious and

humanist Humanism is a philosophical stance that emphasizes the individual and social potential, and agency of human beings, whom it considers the starting point for serious moral and philosophical inquiry. The meaning of the term "humanism" ha ...

fashion. At the age of not quite 15, she married on 7 July 1525 in

Stettin Szczecin ( , , ; ; ; or ) is the capital and largest city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in northwestern Poland. Located near the Baltic Sea and the German border, it is a major seaport, the largest city of northwestern Poland, and se ...

with the forty years old widower Duke Eric I "the Elder" of Brunswick-Göttingen-Calenberg. She first came into contact with the

in 1527 at her parental court in

Brandenburg Brandenburg, officially the State of Brandenburg, is a States of Germany, state in northeastern Germany. Brandenburg borders Poland and the states of Berlin, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Saxony. It is the List of Ger ...

when her mother celebrated

communion under both kinds Communion under both kinds in Roman Catholicism is the reception under both "species" (i.e., both the consecrated bread and wine) of the Eucharist. Denominations of Christianity that hold to a doctrine of Communion under both kinds may believe ...

and thus openly accepted the teachings of

Martin Luther Martin Luther ( ; ; 10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German priest, Theology, theologian, author, hymnwriter, professor, and former Order of Saint Augustine, Augustinian friar. Luther was the seminal figure of the Reformation, Pr ...

, Her father reacted violently, fearing her mother would convert to "

Protestantism Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

", and removed the

reformers A reformer is someone who works for reform. Reformer may also refer to: * Catalytic reformer, in an oil refinery *Methane reformer, producing hydrogen * Steam reformer * Hydrogen reformer, extracting hydrogen *Methanol reformer, producing hydrogen ...

from Wittenberg, who tried to intervene on behalf of the Electress, from his court. This event may well have impressed the seventeen-year-old princess deeply, and reinforced her sympathy for the new faith.

Marriage to Eric I (1525–1540)

Despite the age difference, it was obviously a marriage without insurmountable conflicts, perhaps because Eric mostly stayed on his

Erichsburg The Ericsburg in the village of the same name in the borough of Dassel in Lower Saxony, Germany, is a castle that was built in the 16th century within the Principality of Calenberg. It is currently (2007) in a poor state of repair. Location The ...

and

Calenberg Castle Calenberg Castle (, later called and ; ruins known as ) was a medieval lowland castle in central Germany, near Schulenburg in the borough of Pattensen, west of the city of Hildesheim. It was built as a water castle in 1292 by the House of Wel ...

, while Elisabeth resided at her

wittum Wittum (), Widum or Witthum is a medieval Latin legal term, known in marital and ecclesiastical law. Provide for a widow at the wedding The term referred initially to steps taken by a husband to provide for his wife if she became a widow. The wi ...

Münden. Nevertheless, the marriage was not without blemish. For example, in 1528, Elisabeth accused Anna von Rumschottel, a member of the

landed gentry The landed gentry, or the gentry (sometimes collectively known as the squirearchy), is a largely historical Irish and British social class of landowners who could live entirely from rental income, or at least had a country estate. It is t ...

and for many years her husband's

mistress Mistress is the feminine form of the English word "master" (''master'' + ''-ess'') and may refer to: Romance and relationships * Mistress (lover), a female lover of a married man ** Royal mistress * Maîtresse-en-titre, official mistress of a ...

, of being responsible for complications during her second pregnancy. She accused Anna of

witchcraft Witchcraft is the use of Magic (supernatural), magic by a person called a witch. Traditionally, "witchcraft" means the use of magic to inflict supernatural harm or misfortune on others, and this remains the most common and widespread meanin ...

and urged her husband to have Anna

burned at the stake Death by burning is an list of execution methods, execution, murder, or suicide method involving combustion or exposure to extreme heat. It has a long history as a form of public capital punishment, and many societies have employed it as a puni ...

. Elisabeth also sent her own spies and soldiers into the neighboring Diocese of Minden, in order to arrest Anna in her hideout in

Minden Minden () is a middle-sized town in the very north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, the largest town in population between Bielefeld and Hanover. It is the capital of the district () of Minden-Lübbecke, situated in the cultural region ...

. However, Anna escaped. During Inquisition proceedings against Anna's alleged helpers, some of the accused women died after torture at the stake. Elisabeth managed to force Eric into giving her a more profitable wittum than their marriage contract required: instead of the

district A district is a type of administrative division that in some countries is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or county, counties, several municipality, municip ...

Calenberg The Calenberg is a hill in central Germany in the Leine depression near Pattensen in the municipality of Schulenburg. It lies 13 km west of the city of Hildesheim in south Lower Saxony on the edge of the Central Uplands. It is made from a ...

in the ''Unterwald'' region, which contained

, Neustadt and

Hanover Hanover ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the States of Germany, German state of Lower Saxony. Its population of 535,932 (2021) makes it the List of cities in Germany by population, 13th-largest city in Germany as well as the fourth-l ...

and provided little revenue, she received ''Oberwald'', with the towns of Münden,

Northeim Northeim (; ) is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany, seat of the Northeim (district), district of Northeim, with a population of 30,118 as of 31 December 2023. It lies on the German Half-Timbered House Road. History Northeim is first mentioned in ...

and

Göttingen Göttingen (, ; ; ) is a college town, university city in Lower Saxony, central Germany, the Capital (political), capital of Göttingen (district), the eponymous district. The River Leine runs through it. According to the 2022 German census, t ...

, which provided more revenue and greater political weight. Her pregnancy ended with the birth of a healthy male baby, who grew up to be Eric's successor Eric II of Brunswick-Göttingen-Calenberg. After his birth, this dark chapter was soon forgotten. When Elisabeth visited her mother at Lichtenburg Castle in 1534, she met

personally for the first time. She began to regularly correspond with him in 1538. She sent him cheese and wine and he sent her mulberries and fig tree seedlings and his German

Bible The Bible is a collection of religious texts that are central to Christianity and Judaism, and esteemed in other Abrahamic religions such as Islam. The Bible is an anthology (a compilation of texts of a variety of forms) originally writt ...

translation with a personal dedication. On 7 April, Elisabeth publicly accepted

and thereby expressed her conversion to the Lutheran faith. On October 6, she informed Landgrave

Philip I Philip(p) I may refer to: * Philip I of Macedon (7th century BC) * Philip I Philadelphus (between 124 and 109 BC–83 or 75 BC) * Philip the Arab (c. 204–249), Roman Emperor * Philip I of France (1052–1108) * Philip I (archbishop of Cologne) ( ...

of Hesse of her conversion and with his assistance, invited the reformer Anton Corvinus to move from nearby

Witzenhausen Witzenhausen () is a small town in the Werra-Meißner-Kreis in northeastern Hesse, Germany. It was granted town rights in 1225, and until 1974 was a district seat. The University of Kassel maintains a satellite campus in Witzenhausen, which offer ...

to Münden. Eric I tolerated the conversion. Although Lutheranism was inconsistent with his Catholic upbringing and his loyalty to the Emperor, he admired the reformer's courage.

Regency and Reformation (1540–1545)

Elisabeth had a strong ally in Elector

John Frederick I John Frederick I (, 30 June 1503 – 3 March 1554), called the Magnanimous (), was the Elector of Saxony (1532–1547) until he was deprived of this title in the Capitulation of Wittenberg by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor. He was leading the Sch ...

of Saxony. When Eric I died on 30 July 1540, he helped her become co-regent of Brunswick-Calenberg-Göttingen, together with Philip I of Hesse, despite fierce resistance from Duke

Henry II Henry II may refer to: Kings * Saint Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor (972–1024), crowned King of Germany in 1002, of Italy in 1004 and Emperor in 1014 *Henry II of England (1133–89), reigned from 1154 *Henry II of Jerusalem and Cyprus (1271–1 ...

of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. She and Philip were regents for five years; she used this opportunity to implement the Reformation in the principality and to reorganize the princely household. Anton Corvinus was appointed

superintendent Superintendent may refer to: *Building superintendent, a manager, maintenance or repair person, custodian or janitor, especially in the United States; sometimes shortened to "super" *Prison warden or superintendent, a prison administrator *Soprin ...

of the principality, with an office in

Pattensen Pattensen () is a town in the district of Hanover, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approximately south of Hanover. Geography Pattensen is located in the historic landscape Calenberg Land between the Leine and the Deister hills. The a ...

. The lawyer Justus von Waldhausen, who had studied at Wittenberg, was appointed to princely Councillor and later to chancellor, on the recommendation of Martin Luther. The physician Burckard Mithoff, the court judge Justin Gobler and Heinrich Campe MJ completed the team with which the princess wanted to implement her reforms. In 1542, a Church Order for all of Calenberg-Göttingen was issued. This was followed up by a thorough visitation from 17 November 1542 to 30 April 1543, which Elisabeth personally participated in. A monastic order issued 4 November 1542 regulated the conversion of the monasteries to Protestantism. A Court Procedures Order was enacted in 1544, to regulate legal relations in the country. The princess also wrote many spiritual songs and an "open letter" to her subjects to strengthen their faith. She had arranged long before that her son Eric II would marry Philip's daughter

Anna of Hesse Anna of Hesse (26 October 1529, Kassel – 10 July 1591, Meisenheim) was a princess of Hesse by birth and marriage Countess Palatine of Zweibrücken. Early life Anna was a daughter of Landgrave Philip I of Hesse (1501–1567) from his m ...

in 1554. Eric, however, fell in love with Sidonie, the sister of Duke (and future Elector)

Maurice Maurice may refer to: *Maurice (name), a given name and surname, including a list of people with the name Places * or Mauritius, an island country in the Indian Ocean *Maurice, Iowa, a city *Maurice, Louisiana, a village *Maurice River, a trib ...

of Saxony, who was also Lutheran. At the urging of her son, Elisabeth cancelled the agreement with the court of Hesse and Eric married the ten years older Sidonie on 17 May 1545. Elisabeth also wrote a "government manual" for Eric II, with important advice that should serve him as a guide for when he ruled on his own.

Later life (1545–1558)

In 1546, one year after the accession of her son Eric II, Elisabeth married Count Poppo XII of Henneberg (1513–1574), a younger brother of the husband of her eldest daughter. She retained the regency over her

Münden. With great concern she watched her son revert to

Catholicism The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

, hoping for opportunities at the imperial court. In 1548, he accepted the

Augsburg Interim The Augsburg Interim (full formal title: ''Declaration of His Roman Imperial Majesty on the Observance of Religion Within the Holy Empire Until the Decision of the General Council'') was an imperial decree ordered on 15 May 1548 at the 1548 Die ...

. He went as far as arresting the reformers Anton Corvinus and Walter Hoiker, who, together with 140 other pastors, had vehemently objected to the Interim at the 1549

synod A synod () is a council of a Christian denomination, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. The word '' synod'' comes from the Ancient Greek () ; the term is analogous with the Latin word . Originally, ...

in Münden. Corvinus and Hoiker were held prisoner at

from 1549 to 1522. In 1550, Elisabeth managed to marry her daughter Anna Marie to the 40-year-older Duke

Albert of Prussia Albert of Prussia (; 17 May 149020 March 1568) was a German prince who was the 37th grand master of the Teutonic Knights and, after converting to Lutheranism, became the first ruler of the Duchy of Prussia, the secularized state that emerged fr ...

, with whom she had conducted a friendly correspondence for many years. In the marriage book, she wrote some important advice for Anna Marie on her upcoming married state. After the Battle of Sievershausen, in 1533, Elisabeth was expelled from Münden by Duke Henry the Younger of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, the nephew of her late husband. She fled to Hannover. In 1555, she moved to

Ilmenau Ilmenau () is a town in Thuringia, central Germany. It is the largest town within the Ilm district with a population of 38,600, while the district capital is Arnstadt. Ilmenau is located approximately south of Erfurt and north of Nuremberg w ...

in the

County of Henneberg The House of Henneberg was a medieval German Graf, comital family (''Grafen'') which from the 11th century onwards held large territories in the Duchy of Franconia. Their county was raised to a Princes of the Holy Roman Empire, princely county ( ...

, in the modern-day

Thuringia Thuringia (; officially the Free State of Thuringia, ) is one of Germany, Germany's 16 States of Germany, states. With 2.1 million people, it is 12th-largest by population, and with 16,171 square kilometers, it is 11th-largest in area. Er ...

, where she took up the pen once more and wrote a book of consolation for widows that they should help them in their grief. She had to watch with horror when her son Eric II in 1557 married her youngest daughter, the Lutheran Catherine, to the Catholic High Burgrave

William of Rosenberg William of Rosenberg (; 10 March 1535 – 31 August 1592) was a Bohemian nobleman. He served as High Treasurer and Supreme Burgrave of Bohemia, High Burgrave of Bohemia. Life William of Rosenberg was a member of the influential noble House of ...

, to provide for her economically. When Elisabeth completed the difficult journey to Münden to attend the wedding, she found that Eric had deliberately given her the wrong date and that the marriage had taken place some time earlier.Ernst-August Nebig presents the story differently. On page 151, he writes: ''Elisabeth was severely ill on arrival on Münden and had to return immediately, so she could not attend the wedding. Several weeks later, she admitted to a close relative that she did not want to participate in a Catholic Mass.'' After the announcement of the marriage contract, Elisabeth was surprised to learn that Catherine would retain her Lutheran faith and would employ her own Lutheran pastor at court. Elisabeth died a year later, in 1558, in Ilmenau, apparently completely exhausted and with a "broken heart." Her children commissioned an epitaph with her portrait by the sculptor Sigmund Linger from Innsbruck, which was erected in 1566 in the St. Giles Chapel of the St. John's Church in

Schleusingen Schleusingen is a town in the Hildburghausen (district), district of Hildburghausen, in Thuringia, Germany. It is situated 10 km north of Hildburghausen, and 12 km southeast of Suhl. Geography The town of Schleusingen in the Henneber ...

Issue

From her first marriage, to Eric I of Brunswick-Göttingen-Calenberg, Elisabeth had a son and three daughters: * Elisabeth (born: 8 April 1526; died: 19 August 1566), married in 1543 to Count George Ernest of Henneberg (1511–1583) * Eric II, Duke of Brunswick-Calenberg (born: 10 August 1528; died: 17 November 1584) : married firstly, in 1545,

Sidonie of Saxony Sidonie of Saxony (also: ''Sidonia''; 8 March 1518, Meissen – 4 January 1575, Weißenfels) was a princess of the House of Wettin and by marriage Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Princess of Calenberg-Göttingen. Life Family Sidonie was th ...

(born: 8 March 1518; died: 4 January 1575), daughter of Duke

Henry IV of Saxony Henry IV the Pious, Duke of Saxony () (16 March 1473, in Dresden – 18 August 1541, in Dresden) was a Duke of Saxony from the House of Wettin. Succeeding his brother George, Duke of Saxony, a fervent Catholic who sought to extinguish Lutheranis ...

and

Catherine of Mecklenburg Catherine of Mecklenburg (1487 – 6 June 1561, Torgau), was a Duchess of Saxony by marriage to Henry IV, Duke of Saxony. She was the daughter of the Duke Magnus II of Mecklenburg and Sophie of Pomerania-Stettin. Life She married on 6 July 15 ...

: married secondly, in 1576 Dorothea of Lorraine (born: 24 August 1545; died: 2 June 1621), daughter of Francis I of Lorraine and

Christina of Denmark Christina of Denmark (; November 1521 – 10 December 1590) was a Denmark, Danish princess, the younger surviving daughter of Christian II, King Christian II of Denmark and Norway and Isabella of Austria. By her two marriages, she became List ...

* Anna Maria (born: 23 April 1532; died: 20 March 1568) : married in 1550 with Duke Albert the Elder of Prussia (1490-1568) * Catherine (born: 1534; died: 10 May 1559) : married in 1557 with

, High Burgrave of Bohemia (1535-1592)

Ancestors

Footnotes

Works by Elisabeth of Brandenburg

* ''Ein Sendbrief an ihre Untertanen'', printed: Hannover, 1544 * ''Regierungshandbuch für ihren Sohn Erich II'', 1545 * ''Mütterlicher Unterricht (Ehestandsbuch) für Anna Maria''. 1550 * ''Trostbuch für Witwen'', 1555, printed: 155
Second edition, Leipzig, 1598
* ''Elisabeth von Braunschweig-Lüneburg und Albrecht von Preußen. Ein Fürstenbriefwechsel der Reformationszeit'', ed. von Ingeborg Mengel, Göttingen, 1954; second unchanged edition: Göttingen, 2001,

Collected by other authors

Elisabeth also wrote numerous hymns and prayers, some of which are included in: * Iwan Franz: ''Elisabeth von Kalenberg-Göttingen als Liederdichterin'', in: ''Zeitschrift des Verein für niedersächsische Geschichte'', 1872, pp. 183–195. * Eduard Freiherr von der Goltz: ''Lieder der Herzogin Elisabeth von Braunschweig-Lüneburg'', in: ''Zeitschrift der Gesellschaft für niedersächsische Kirchengeschichte'', issue 19 1914, p. 147–208. * Katharina Schridde CCR Sr. and Katharina Talkne,: ''Mit Lust und Liebe. Das Elisabeth-Brevier'', Lutherisches Verlagshaus, 2009,

References about Elisabeth of Brandenburg

* Albert Brauch: ''Die Verwaltung des Territoriums Calenberg-Göttingen während der Regentschaft der Herzogin Elisabeth (1540–1546)'', thesis, Hamburg, 1921, Lax Verlag, Hildesheim, 1930 * Adolf Brenneke: ''Herzogin Elisabeth von Braunschweig-Lüneburg. Die hannoversche Reformationsfürstin als Persönlichkeit'', in: ''Zeitschrift der Gesellschaft für niedersächsische Kirchengeschichte'', issue 38, 1933, p. 152–168. * Sonja Domröse: ''Frauen der Reformationszeit, Gelehrt, mutig und glaubensfest'', Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen, 2010, * A. Kurs: ''Elisabeth, Herzogin von Braunschweig-Calenberg'', Halle an der Saale, 1891 * Hans Liederwald: ''Die Ehe des Grafen Poppo von Henneberg mit Elisabeth'', in: ''Neue Beiträge zur Geschichte dt. Altertums'', issue 36, 1931, pp. 37–88 * Andrea Lilienthal: ''Die Fürstin und die Macht. Welfische Herzoginnen im 16. Jahrhundert: Elisabeth, Sidonia, Sophia'' = ''Quellen und Darstellungen zur Geschichte Niedersachsens'', vol. 127, Hahnsche Buchhandlung, Hannover, 2007 * Inge Mager: ''Elisabeth von Brandenburg – Sidonie von Sachsen. Zwei Frauenschicksale im Kontext der Reformation von Calenberg-Göttingen'', in: ''450 Jahre Reformation im Calenberger Land'', edited by the Ev.-luth. Kirchenkreis Laatzen-Pattensen, 1992, pp. 23–32 * Ingeborg Klettke-Mengel: ''Elisabeth von Braunschweig-Lüneburg als reformatorische Christin'', in: ''Jahrbuch der Gesellschaft für niedersächsische Kirchengeschichte'', vol. 56, 1958, pp. 1–16. * Dies: ''Elisabeth, Herzogin von Braunschweig-Lüneburg (Calenberg) 1510–1558'', in: ''Neue Deutsche Biographie'', vol. 4 1959, pp. 443–444. * Ernst-August Nebig: ''Elisabeth Herzogin von Calenberg. Regentin, Reformatorin, Schriftstellerin'', MatrixMedia Verlag, Göttingen, 2006, * Heinrich Wilhelm Rotermund: ''Von den Verdiensten der Herzogin Elisabeth um die Ausbreitung der evangelischen Lehre in den Fuerstenthuemern Calenberg und Grubenhagen'', in: ''Hannoversches Magazin'', vol. 75/76, 1819, pp. 1189–1206. * Paul Tschackert: ''Herzogin Elisabeth, geb. Markgräfin von Brandenburg. Die erste Schriftstellerin aus dem Hause Brandenburg und aus dem braunschweigischem Hause. Ihr Lebensgang und ihre Werke'', in: ''Hohenzollern-Jahrbuch'', vol. 3, 1899, pp. 49–6
Online
* Merry Wiesner: ''Herzogin Elisabeth von Braunschweig-Lüneburg (1510–1558)'', in: Kerstin Merkel and Heide Wunder (eds.): ''Deutsche Frauen der frühen Neuzeit'', Darmstadt, 2000, pp. 39–48, * Eleonore Dehnerdt: ''Die Reformatorin: Elisabeth von Calenberg'', SCM Hänssler, 2010,

External links

Literature by or about Elizabeth of Brandenburg in the Herzog August Bibliothek Wolfenbüttel
*

Elisabeth von Braunschweig-Lüneburg: ''Der Widwen Handbüchlein / Durch eine Hocherleuchte Fürstliche Widwe/ vor vielen Jahren selbst beschrieben und verfasset ��', Leipzig, 1598. Well-preserved copy of the printed booklet ''Witwentrostbüchleins'' owned by the

Herzog August Library The Herzog August Library ( — "HAB"), in Wolfenbüttel, Lower Saxony, known also as ''Bibliotheca Augusta'', is a library of international importance for its collection from the Middle Ages and early modern Europe. The library is overseen ...

Wolfenbüttel.
Presentation of Eisabeth's biography by Sigrid Maier-Knapp-Herbst
(PDF; 58 kB)
herzogin-elisabeth.de
Information about the Duchess and about activities related to the anniversary years of 2008 and 2010 in her residence Münden
The inventory of books by Elizabeth Calenberg: Edition and notes

, Wolfenbüttel, 2011, edited by Eva Schlotheuber and Gabriele Haug-Moritz {{DEFAULTSORT:Elisabeth Of Brandenburg Duchesses of Brunswick-Lüneburg Countesses in Germany House of Hohenzollern People from Ilmenau 16th-century German nobility 16th-century German women 1510 births 1558 deaths 16th-century women regents 16th-century regents Daughters of prince-electors People of the Protestant Reformation Mothers of German monarchs Regents in the Holy Roman Empire