Frederick I of Ansbach and Bayreuth (also known as Frederick V; or ; 8 May 1460 – 4 April 1536) was born at

Ansbach Ansbach ( , ; ) is a city in the Germany, German state of Bavaria. It is the capital of the Regierungsbezirk, administrative region of Mittelfranken, Middle Franconia. Ansbach is southwest of Nuremberg and north of Munich, on the river Fränk ...

as the eldest son of Albert III, Margrave of Brandenburg by his second wife

Anna Anna may refer to: People Surname and given name * Anna (name) Mononym * Anna the Prophetess, in the Gospel of Luke * Anna of East Anglia, King (died c.654) * Anna (wife of Artabasdos) (fl. 715–773) * Anna (daughter of Boris I) (9th–10th c ...

, daughter of

Frederick II, Elector of Saxony Frederick II, The Gentle (''Friedrich, der Sanftmütige''; Frederick the Gentle; 22 August 1412 – 7 September 1464) was Elector of Saxony (1428–1464) and was Landgrave of Thuringia (1440–1445). Biography Frederick was born in Leipzig, th ...

. His elder half-brother was the Elector John Cicero of Brandenburg. Friedrich succeeded his father as

Margrave of Ansbach The Principality or Margraviate of (Brandenburg) Ansbach ( or ) was a principality in the Holy Roman Empire centered on the Franconian city of Ansbach. The ruling House of Hohenzollern, Hohenzollern princes of the land were known as margraves, a ...

in 1486 and his younger brother Siegmund as

Margrave of Bayreuth The Principality of Bayreuth () or Margraviate of Brandenburg-Bayreuth (''Markgraftum Brandenburg-Bayreuth'') was an immediate territory of the Holy Roman Empire, ruled by a Franconian branch of the Hohenzollern dynasty. Since Burgrave Frederic ...

in 1495. After depleting the finances of the margraviate with his lavish lifestyle, Frederick I was deposed by his two elder sons,

Casimir Casimir is a Latin version of the Polish male name Kazimierz (). The original Polish feminine form is Kazimiera, in Latin and other languages rendered as Casimira. It has two possible meanings: "preacher of peace" or alternatively "destroyer of p ...

and

George George may refer to: Names * George (given name) * George (surname) People * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Papagheorghe, also known as Jorge / GEØRGE * George, stage name of Gior ...

, in 1515. He was then locked up at Plassenburg Castle by his eldest son Casimir in a tower room from which he could not escape for 12 years. Thereupon, his son Casimir took up the rule of the Margraviate of Bayreuth (Kulmbach) and his son George took up the rule of the Margraviate of Ansbach. However, the overthrow of Frederick did outrage his other younger sons and led to far-reaching political countermeasures. When Elector Joachim I of Brandenburg visited

Kulmbach Kulmbach () is the capital of the district of Kulmbach in Bavaria in Germany. The town, once a stronghold of the Principality of Bayreuth, is renowned for its University of Life Sciences, a branch of the University of Bayreuth, the massive Plasse ...

during his journey to

Augsburg Augsburg ( , ; ; ) is a city in the Bavaria, Bavarian part of Swabia, Germany, around west of the Bavarian capital Munich. It is a College town, university town and the regional seat of the Swabia (administrative region), Swabia with a well ...

, and wanted to plead for Frederick's release, he was nevertheless denied entry to Plassenburg Castle. The dispute was finally cleared when an agreement was reached in 1522, in which the demands of the younger sons of Frederick were met.

Family and children

On 14 February 1479, at

Frankfurt (Oder) Frankfurt (Oder), also known as Frankfurt an der Oder (, ; Central Marchian: ''Frankfort an de Oder,'' ) is the fourth-largest city in the German state of Brandenburg after Potsdam, Cottbus and Brandenburg an der Havel. With around 58,000 inh ...

, Frederick I was married to Princess

Sophia of Poland Sophia Jagiellon (; ; 6 May 1464 – 5 October 1512) was a princess of the Kingdom of Poland and of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, member of the Jagiellonian dynasty, great-granddaughter of Emperor Sigismund and by marriage Margravine of Brandenbur ...

(6 April 1464 – 5 October 1512), daughter of King

Casimir IV of Poland Casimir IV (Casimir Andrew Jagiellon; ; Lithuanian: ; 30 November 1427 – 7 June 1492) was Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1440 and King of Poland from 1447 until his death in 1492. He was one of the most active Polish-Lithuanian rulers; under ...

by his wife Elisabeth of Austria, and sister of King

Sigismund I of Poland Sigismund I the Old (, ; 1 January 1467 – 1 April 1548) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1506 until his death in 1548. Sigismund I was a member of the Jagiellonian dynasty, the son of Casimir IV and younger brother of Kings ...

. They had seventeen children: # Casimir, Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach (27 September 1481, Ansbach – 21 September 1527,

Buda Buda (, ) is the part of Budapest, the capital city of Hungary, that lies on the western bank of the Danube. Historically, “Buda” referred only to the royal walled city on Castle Hill (), which was constructed by Béla IV between 1247 and ...

). # Elisabeth, died young. # Margarete of Brandenburg-Ansbach-Kulmbach (10 January 1483, Ansbach – 10 July 1532). #

George, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach George of Brandenburg-Ansbach ( German: ''Georg''; 4 March 1484 – 27 December 1543), known as George the Pious (''Georg der Fromme''), was a Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach from the House of Hohenzollern. Biography Early life He was ...

(4 March 1484, Ansbach – 27 December 1543, Ansbach). #

Sophie of Brandenburg-Ansbach-Kulmbach Sophie of Brandenburg-Ansbach-Kulmbach (10 March 1485, Ansbach – 24 May 1537, Liegnitz (Legnica)) was a princess of Brandenburg-Ansbach and was by marriage Duchess of Legnica. Life Sophie was a daughter of the Margrave Frederick the Eld ...

(10 March 1485, Ansbach – 24 May 1537,

Liegnitz Legnica (; , ; ; ) is a city in southwestern Poland, in the central part of Lower Silesia, on the Kaczawa River and the Czarna Woda. As well as being the seat of the county, since 1992 the city has been the seat of the Diocese of Legnica. L ...

), married on 14 November 1518 to Duke

Frederick II of Legnica Frederick II, Duke of Legnica () (12 February 1480 – 17 September 1547), also known as the Great of Legnica (), was a Duke of Legnica from 1488 (until 1495 and 1505 with his brothers), of Brzeg from 1521. The most notorious of all Legnica Pia ...

. # Anna of Brandenburg-Ansbach-Kulmbach (5 May 1487, Ansbach – 7 February 1539), married on 1 December 1518 to Duke Wenceslaus II of Cieszyn. # Barbara, died young. # Albert, 1st Duke of Prussia (17 May 1490, Ansbach – 20 March 1568, Castle

Tapiau Gvardeysk ( rus, Гвардейск, p=ɡvɐrˈdʲejsk, a=Ru-Гвардейск.oga; known prior to 1946 by its German name Tapiau ; ; ), is a town and the administrative center of Gvardeysky District in Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia, located on t ...

), Grand Master of the

Teutonic Order The Teutonic Order is a religious order (Catholic), Catholic religious institution founded as a military order (religious society), military society in Acre, Israel, Acre, Kingdom of Jerusalem. The Order of Brothers of the German House of Sa ...

from 1511 to 1525, and first

Duke of Prussia The monarchs of Prussia were members of the House of Hohenzollern who were the hereditary rulers of the former German state of Prussia from its founding in 1525 as the Duchy of Prussia. The Duchy had evolved out of the Teutonic Order, a Roman C ...

from 1525. # Frederick of Brandenburg-Ansbach-Kulmbach (13 June 1491, Ansbach – ca. 1497). # Johann, Viceroy of Valencia (9 January 1493,

Plassenburg Plassenburg is a castle in the city of Kulmbach in Bavaria. It is one of the most impressive castles in Germany and a symbol of the city. It was first mentioned in 1135. The Plassenberg family were Ministerialis, ministerial of the counts of And ...

– 5 July 1525,

Valencia Valencia ( , ), formally València (), is the capital of the Province of Valencia, province and Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, the same name in Spain. It is located on the banks of the Turia (r ...

) #

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 ...

(25 March 1494, Ansbach – 31 May 1518,

Pforzheim Pforzheim () is a List of cities and towns in Germany, city of over 125,000 inhabitants in the federal state of Baden-Württemberg, in the southwest of Germany. It is known for its jewelry and watch-making industry, and as such has gained the ...

), married in Pforzheim on 29 September 1510 to Margrave

Ernest of Baden-Durlach Ernest is a given name derived from the Germanic word ''ernst'', meaning "serious", often shortened to Ernie. Notable people and fictional characters with the name include: People *Archduke Ernest of Austria (1553–1595), son of Maximilian ...

. #

Barbara of Brandenburg-Ansbach-Kulmbach Barbara of Brandenburg-Ansbach-Kulmbach (24 September 1495 in Ansbach – 23 September 1552 in Karlovy Vary) was a princess of Brandenburg-Ansbach by birth and marriage Landgravine of Leuchtenberg. Life Barbara was a daughter of Margrave ...

(24 September 1495, Ansbach – 23 September 1552), married in

on 26 July 1528 to Landgrave George III of Leuchtenberg. # Frederick of Brandenburg-Ansbach-Kulmbach (17 January 1497, Ansbach – 20 August 1536,

Genoa Genoa ( ; ; ) is a city in and the capital of the Italian region of Liguria, and the sixth-largest city in Italy. As of 2025, 563,947 people live within the city's administrative limits. While its metropolitan city has 818,651 inhabitan ...

), a canon in

Würzburg Würzburg (; Main-Franconian: ) is, after Nuremberg and Fürth, the Franconia#Towns and cities, third-largest city in Franconia located in the north of Bavaria. Würzburg is the administrative seat of the Regierungsbezirk Lower Franconia. It sp ...

and

Salzburg Salzburg is the List of cities and towns in Austria, fourth-largest city in Austria. In 2020 its population was 156,852. The city lies on the Salzach, Salzach River, near the border with Germany and at the foot of the Austrian Alps, Alps moun ...

. # Wilhelm, Archbishop of Riga (30 June 1498, Ansbach – 4 February 1563,

Riga Riga ( ) is the capital, Primate city, primate, and List of cities and towns in Latvia, largest city of Latvia. Home to 591,882 inhabitants (as of 2025), the city accounts for a third of Latvia's total population. The population of Riga Planni ...

) # John Albert, Archbishop of Magdeburg (20 September 1499, Ansbach – 17 May 1550, Halle) # Frederick Albert, died young. # Gumprecht of Brandenburg-Ansbach-Kulmbach (16 July 1503, Ansbach – 25 June 1528,

Naples Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...

), a canon in

Bamberg Bamberg (, , ; East Franconian German, East Franconian: ''Bambärch'') is a town in Upper Franconia district in Bavaria, Germany, on the river Regnitz close to its confluence with the river Main (river), Main. Bamberg had 79,000 inhabitants in ...

Ancestry

References

Sources

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Frederick 01, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach Brandenburg-Ansbach, Frederick I, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach, Frederick I, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach, Frederick I, Margrave of Margraves of Brandenburg-Ansbach Margraves of Bayreuth 15th-century German people 16th-century German nobility Sons of prince-electors