Elizabeth of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden
Encyclopedia
Elisabeth of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden (24 June 1485 – 10 June 1555) was a Scandinavia
n princess who became Electress of Brandenburg as the spouse of Joachim I Nestor, Elector of Brandenburg. She was daughter of King Hans of Denmark, Norway and Sweden and his spouse, Christina of Saxony
.
. She was able to read and write in both Danish and German. On 10 April 1502 she married Joachim I Nestor, Elector of Brandenburg, in a double wedding alongside her uncle, the future king Frederick I of Denmark
, and her sister-in-law Anna of Brandenburg
. Elizabeth and Joachim got along quite well during the first twenty years of their marriage and co-existed harmoniously. She received her mother in 1507, attended her brother Christian's wedding in 1515 and received Christian in 1523.
Her spouse was a pugnacious adherent of Roman Catholic orthodoxy during the Reformation
. In 1523, she visited a sermon of Martin Luther
with her brother and her sister-in-law and became a convinced Protestant. In 1527, she received the Protestant communion in public: this meant a public break with the Catholic church, and caused a conflict with her husband. In 1528, her husband asked a clerical council from the Catholic church if he should divorce, execute or isolate her if she refused to renounce her new conviction. The church council replied that he should have her imprisoned. Elizabeth escaped to the court of her uncle, John, Elector of Saxony
, and a public debate broke out: the Protestant monarchs and her brother supported her, Luther supported her freedom to leave her husband for her religion, and she declared that she would return only if she was allowed to keep her conviction and if her husband renounced his adultery and his interest in astrology. Otherwise, she suggested that they separate, referring to the separation of her own parents in 1504. She was given a residence near Wittenberg
. Her husband refused to give her an allowance and forbade her sons to visit her. In 1532, her uncle died and her brother was imprisoned, and she thereby lost her supporters. In 1535, her husband died and her sons asked her to return to Brandenburg, but changed their minds when she made the demand that the parishes in her dowry lands be made Protestant. She finally returned in 1545 and stayed in Spandau
.
The marriage of her son Joachim II Hector, Elector of Brandenburg
, to Hedwig Jagiellon did not satisfy Elizabeth. Catholic services were held for Hedwig in her private chapel, and the Dowager Electress was also unhappy because Hedwig could not speak German.
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
n princess who became Electress of Brandenburg as the spouse of Joachim I Nestor, Elector of Brandenburg. She was daughter of King Hans of Denmark, Norway and Sweden and his spouse, Christina of Saxony
Christina of Saxony
Christina of Saxony , was a Saxon princess who became Queen consort of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. She was born a granddaughter of Frederick the Gentle of Saxony, and daughter of Ernest, Elector of Saxony and Elisabeth of Bavaria.-Biography:She was married to John, King of Denmark, Norway and...
.
Biography
As a child, Elisabeth had a close relation with her brother, the later King Christian II of DenmarkChristian II of Denmark
Christian II was King of Denmark, Norway and Sweden , during the Kalmar Union.-Background:...
. She was able to read and write in both Danish and German. On 10 April 1502 she married Joachim I Nestor, Elector of Brandenburg, in a double wedding alongside her uncle, the future king Frederick I of Denmark
Frederick I of Denmark
Frederick I of Denmark and Norway was the King of Denmark and Norway. The name is also spelled Friedrich in German, Frederik in Danish, and Fredrik in Swedish and Norwegian...
, and her sister-in-law Anna of Brandenburg
Anna of Brandenburg
Anna of Brandenburg was a German noblewoman.Anna was the daughter of Johann Cicero, Elector of Brandenburg and Margarethe of Saxony. She was born in Berlin, Brandenburg, and died in Kiel, Holstein.- Marriage :...
. Elizabeth and Joachim got along quite well during the first twenty years of their marriage and co-existed harmoniously. She received her mother in 1507, attended her brother Christian's wedding in 1515 and received Christian in 1523.
Her spouse was a pugnacious adherent of Roman Catholic orthodoxy during the Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
. In 1523, she visited a sermon of Martin Luther
Martin Luther
Martin Luther was a German priest, professor of theology and iconic figure of the Protestant Reformation. He strongly disputed the claim that freedom from God's punishment for sin could be purchased with money. He confronted indulgence salesman Johann Tetzel with his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517...
with her brother and her sister-in-law and became a convinced Protestant. In 1527, she received the Protestant communion in public: this meant a public break with the Catholic church, and caused a conflict with her husband. In 1528, her husband asked a clerical council from the Catholic church if he should divorce, execute or isolate her if she refused to renounce her new conviction. The church council replied that he should have her imprisoned. Elizabeth escaped to the court of her uncle, John, Elector of Saxony
John, Elector of Saxony
John of Saxony , known as John the Steadfast or John the Constant, was Elector of Saxony from 1525 until 1532...
, and a public debate broke out: the Protestant monarchs and her brother supported her, Luther supported her freedom to leave her husband for her religion, and she declared that she would return only if she was allowed to keep her conviction and if her husband renounced his adultery and his interest in astrology. Otherwise, she suggested that they separate, referring to the separation of her own parents in 1504. She was given a residence near Wittenberg
Wittenberg
Wittenberg, officially Lutherstadt Wittenberg, is a city in Germany in the Bundesland Saxony-Anhalt, on the river Elbe. It has a population of about 50,000....
. Her husband refused to give her an allowance and forbade her sons to visit her. In 1532, her uncle died and her brother was imprisoned, and she thereby lost her supporters. In 1535, her husband died and her sons asked her to return to Brandenburg, but changed their minds when she made the demand that the parishes in her dowry lands be made Protestant. She finally returned in 1545 and stayed in Spandau
Spandau
Spandau is the fifth of the twelve boroughs of Berlin. It is the fourth largest and westernmost borough, situated at the confluence of the Havel and Spree rivers and along the western bank of the Havel, but the least populated.-Overview:...
.
The marriage of her son Joachim II Hector, Elector of Brandenburg
Joachim II Hector, Elector of Brandenburg
Joachim II Hector was a Prince-elector of the Margraviate of Brandenburg . A member of the House of Hohenzollern, Joachim II was the son of Joachim I Nestor, Elector of Brandenburg, and his wife Elizabeth of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden...
, to Hedwig Jagiellon did not satisfy Elizabeth. Catholic services were held for Hedwig in her private chapel, and the Dowager Electress was also unhappy because Hedwig could not speak German.
Issue
Elizabeth's children were the following:- Joachim II Hector, Elector of BrandenburgJoachim II Hector, Elector of BrandenburgJoachim II Hector was a Prince-elector of the Margraviate of Brandenburg . A member of the House of Hohenzollern, Joachim II was the son of Joachim I Nestor, Elector of Brandenburg, and his wife Elizabeth of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden...
- Anna (1507–1567), in 1524 married Albert VII, Duke of Mecklenburg-Güstrow,
- ElisabethElisabeth of Brandenburg, Duchess of Brunswick-Calenberg-GöttingenElisabeth of Brandenburg was a princess of the House of Hohenzollern and a Margravine of Brandenburg by birth and by marriage Duchess of Brunswick-Göttingen-Calenberg and later and was Countess Consort of Henneberg...
(1510–1558), in 1525 married Eric I of Brunswick-Kalenberg, - MargaretMargaret of Brandenburg (1511–1577)Margaret of Brandenburg was a Princess of Brandenburg by birth and by marrying first a Duchess of Pomerania and later a Princess of Anhalt.- Life :...
(1511–1577), in 1530 married George I, Duke of PomeraniaGeorge I, Duke of PomeraniaGeorge I of Pomerania was a Duke of Pomerania from the House of Griffins.- Life :George was the eldest son of Duke Bogislaw X of Pomerania and his second wife Anna Jagiellonica, a daughter of King Casimir IV of Poland. He was named after his uncle and godfather, Duke Georg the Bearded of Saxony,...
, - John (1513–1571), Margrave of Brandenburg-Küstrin.