Catherine of Brandenburg

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Catherine of Brandenburg (Königsberg, 28 May 1602 – 27

Catherine
August 1649, Schöningen) was an elected Princess of
Transylvania between 1629 and 1630. She was the daughter of
John Sigismund, Elector of Brandenburg, and Anna of Prussia

Life
Catherine was raised in Brandenburg, but lived with her
mother in Sweden for several years after the marriage of her
sister Maria Eleonora to king Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden in
1620. She was educated to become an ideal consort of a ruler
and was "richly decorated with virtues suitable to a princely
woman".[1]

Princess consort of Transylvania

On 2 March 1626, she married Gabriel Bethlen, prince of

Transylvania. The marriage allied the Protestant Prince of Princess of Transylvania
Transylvania with the Protestant powers of Denmark, Sweden Reign 15 November 1629 -
and the Palatinate. A proxy marriage was celebrated in Berlin, 21 September 1630
and a second marriage in person performed in Kosice in
Transylvania (now in Slovakia) after the arrival of Catherine. Predecessor Gabriel Bethlen
The couple settled in Alba Iulia in Transylvania. Successor Stephen Bethlen

The marriage is not described as happy. Gabriel Bethlen had Princess consort of Transylvania
numerous mistresses, and Catherine had lovers as well, most Tenure 2 March 1626 – 15
notably Istvan Csaky - because of the double standards of the November 1629
time, however, only Catherine was given a bad reputation
because of this.[2] Born 28 May 1602
Königsberg, Prussia
The marriage remained childless. It was a condition in the (now Kaliningrad,
marriage contract that Catherine should be elected the Russia)
successor of her spouse, and she was elected as his successor
by Transylvania's Diet and swore her solemn oath as his Died 27 August 1649
successor on May-June 1626, after which her status was (aged 47)
confirmed by the Ottoman Porte through the effort of the Schöningen,
Dutch and English allies of Bethlen.[3] Bethlen confirmed her Brunswick-Lüneburg,
election in his political will, in which he noted "perhaps no Holy Roman Empire
other illustrious princely woman has ever been elected."[4] (now Germany)
Spouse Gabriel Bethlen
Francis Charles of
Saxe-Lauenburg
Prince Gabriel Bethlen died on 25 November 1629. House Hohenzollern-
Prussia

Princess Regnant of Transylvania Father John Sigismund,

Elector of
Her policy was to bring Transylvania back under the influence Brandenburg
of Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II. She tried in vain for a Mother Duchess Anna of
year to hold on to the throne, supporting herself on her
Prussia
favorite Istvan Csaky, but she was forced to abandon power on
21 September 1630. Religion Lutheranism-
Christianity

The Sublime Porte, first chose her brother-in-law

Stephen Bethlen as successor, but finally George I
Rákóczi succeeded her. The new prince was elected
on 1 December 1630.

Later life
Transylvanian Ducat of Catherine of Brandenburg
Catherine of Hohenzollern moved back to Germany
1630
where she converted to Catholicism in 1633 and
married Francis Charles of Saxe-Lauenburg in
1639. She died on 27 August 1649.

References
1. Anne J. Cruz, Mihoko Suzuki, The Rule of Women in Early Modern Europe (https://books.goog
le.com/books?id=I2tCAjijsKQC&dq=anne+of+austria+ladies-in-waiting&pg=PA103)
2. Anne J. Cruz, Mihoko Suzuki, The Rule of Women in Early Modern Europe (https://books.goog
le.com/books?id=I2tCAjijsKQC&dq=anne+of+austria+ladies-in-waiting&pg=PA103)
3. Anne J. Cruz, Mihoko Suzuki, The Rule of Women in Early Modern Europe (https://books.goog
le.com/books?id=I2tCAjijsKQC&dq=anne+of+austria+ladies-in-waiting&pg=PA103)
4. Anne J. Cruz, Mihoko Suzuki, The Rule of Women in Early Modern Europe (https://books.goog
le.com/books?id=I2tCAjijsKQC&dq=anne+of+austria+ladies-in-waiting&pg=PA103)

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Catherine_of_Brandenburg&oldid=1152031505"