Dorothea of Denmark, Duchess of Brunswick

Dorothea of Denmark
Detail from altarpiece attributed to Ludger Tom Ring the Younger in the chapel of Celle Castle, c. 1569
Born(1546-06-29)29 June 1546
Kolding
Died6 January 1617(1617-01-06) (aged 70)
Winsen
Spouse
(m. 1561; died 1592)
Issue
  • Sophia, Margravine of Brandenburg-Ansbach
  • Ernest II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
  • Elisabeth, Countess of Hohenlohe-Langenburg
  • Christian, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
  • Augustus I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
  • Dorothea, Countess Palatine of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld
  • Clara, Countess of Schwarzburg-Frankenhausen
  • Anne Ursula of Brunswick-Lüneburg
  • Margaret, Duchess of Saxe-Coburg
  • Frederick IV, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
  • Marie of Brunswick-Lüneburg
  • Magnus of Brunswick-Lüneburg
  • George, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
  • John of Brunswick-Lüneburg
  • Sybille, Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg
HouseOldenburg
FatherChristian III of Denmark
MotherDorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg

Princess Dorothea of Denmark (29 June 1546 – 6 January 1617) was the Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg from 1561 until 1592 as the consort of Duke William the Younger.[1] She was regent for her son George from 1592 to 1596.

Biography

Born in Kolding, Dorothea was the youngest child of Christian III of Denmark-Norway and Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg. She married William, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg on 12 October 1561.

When her husband died in 1592, she became regent for her under age son George. She had a deep mistrust of the councillors because of their ill management of her husband's estates during his insanity. Dorothea was known as a capable and energetic regent.

She died in Winsen, Germany at the age of 70.

Children who reached adulthood

  • Sophia (30 October 1563 – 1639), married George Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach
  • Ernst (31 December 1564 – 2 March 1611)
  • Elisabeth (19 October 1565 – 17 July 1621), married Frederick, Count of Hohenlohe-Langenburg
  • Christian (19 November 1566 – 8 November 1633)
  • Augustus (18 November 1568 – 1 October 1636)
  • Dorothea (1 January 1570 – 15 August 1649), married Charles, Count Palatine of Birkenfeld
  • Clara (16 January 1571 – 18 July 1658), married William, Count of Schwarzburg-Blankenburg
  • Anne (22 March 1572 – 5 February 1601)
  • Margaret (6 April 1573 – 7 August 1643), married Johann Casimir, Duke of Saxe-Coburg
  • Friedrich (28 August 1574 – 10 December 1648)
  • Marie (21 October 1575 – 8 August 1610)
  • Magnus (30 August 1577 – 10 February 1632)
  • Georg (17 February 1582 – 12 April 1641)
  • Johann (23 June 1583 – 27 November 1628)
  • Sybille (3 June 1584 – 5 August 1652), married Julius Ernest, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg

Ancestry

References

  1. ^ Das fürstliche Beilager Herzog Johann Casimirs auf Schloss Heldburg und in Coburg. siehe: Norbert Klaus Fuchs: Das Heldburger Land–ein historischer Reiseführer. Verlag Rockstuhl, Bad Langensalza 2013, ISBN 978-3-86777-349-2