Sabina of Brandenburg-Ansbach (12 May 1529 – 2 November 1575 ) was a princess of Brandenburg-Ansbach

Principality of Ansbach

The Principality of Ansbach or Brandenburg-Ansbach was a reichsfrei principality in the Holy Roman Empire centered on the Bavarian city of Ansbach...

 and Electress of Brandenburg by marriage.

Life

Sabina was the daughter of George, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach

George, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach

George of Brandenburg-Ansbach was a Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach from the House of Hohenzollern.- Early life :...

 (1484–1543) from his second marriage to Hedwig of Münsterberg-Oels

Hedwig of Münsterberg-Oels

Hedwig of Münsterberg Oels was born Duchess of Münsterberg and Oels and Countess of Kladsko and by marriage Margravine of Brandenburg-Ansbach-Kulmbach....

 (1508–1531), daughter of the Duke Charles I of Münsterberg-Oels

Charles I, Duke of Münsterberg-Oels

Charles I, Duke of Münsterberg-Oels was a member of the House of Poděbrady. He was Duke of Münsterberg and Duke of Oels as well as Count of Kladsko...

. The princess was brought up by her stepmother Emilie of Saxony

Emilie of Saxony

Emilie of Saxony was the third wife of Margrave George the Pious of Brandenburg-Ansbach. Since his two earlier wives died before his accession, she was the only one to enjoy the title Margravine.- Life :...

 in the Lutheran faith

Lutheranism

Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...

.

On 12 February 1548 Sabina married Elector John George of Brandenburg

John George, Elector of Brandenburg

John George of Brandenburg was a Prince-elector of the Margraviate of Brandenburg and a Duke of Prussia...

 (1525–1598) in Ansbach. His first wife Sophie of Legnica

Sophie of Legnica

Sophie of Legnica was a daughter of Duke Frederick II of Legnica, Brzeg and Wohlau and his second wife Sophie of Brandenburg-Ansbach-Kulmbach ....

 was Sabina's cousin. The day before the wedding ceremony, she solemnly renounced her possible paternal inheritance. The district, city and castle of Plauen

Plauen

Plauen is a town in the Free State of Saxony, east-central Germany.It is the capital of the Vogtlandkreis. The town is situated near the border of Bavaria and the Czech Republic.Plauen's slogan is Plauen - echt Spitze.-History:...

 were made over to her as her Wittum

Wittum

Wittum , Widum or Witthum is a medieval Latin legal term, known in marital and ecclesiastical law.- Provide for a widow at the wedding :...

. Since Plauen, like all districts of Brandenburg, was not free of debt, lengthy negotiations about the compensation for her dowry of 12,000 guilders led to the district and monastery of 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:...

 also being assigned to her.

Sabina's husband was heir apparent to the Electorate of Brandenburg for 23 years. The couple spent this time on various castles in the territories of Brandenburg. The family's official residence was Zechlin castle in Rheinsberg

Rheinsberg

Rheinsberg is a town and a municipality in the Ostprignitz-Ruppin district, in Brandenburg, Germany. It is situated on the river Rhin, approx. 20 km north-east of Neuruppin and 75 km north-west of Berlin.-History:...

 near Wittstock

Wittstock

Wittstock is a town in the Ostprignitz-Ruppin district, in north-western Brandenburg, Germany. It is situated on the river Dosse, 20 km east of Pritzwalk, and 95 km northwest of Berlin. It was the location of the 1636 Battle of Wittstock between Sweden and an alliance of the Holy Roman...

. Here Sabina cared for her own children and also for her stepson Joachim Friedrich, who later became Elector of Brandenburg. Sabina's thrifty life style caused Rheinsberg to prosper for a while.

After Sabina's husband became Elector in 1571, she had an influence on religious affairs and was a patron of churches and schools. She supported the sick and the poor and had regular personal contact with the doctor Leonhard Thurneysser

Leonhard Thurneysser

Leonard Thurneysser was a scholar and miracle doctor at the court of Elector John George of Brandenburg.- Life :...

.

Sabina died on 2 November 1575 and was buried in the Berlin Cathedral.

Offspring

From her marriage Sabina had the following children:

• Georg Albrecht (1555–1557)
• Erdmuthe
  Erdmuthe of Brandenburg
  Erdmuthe of Brandenburg was a Princess of Brandenburg and by marriage Duchess of Pomerania.- Life :...
  
   (1562–1623)

married in 1577 Duke John Frederick of Pomerania-Stettin (1542-1600)

• Anna Maria
  Anna Maria of Brandenburg
  Anna Maria of Brandenburg was an Princess of Brandenburg by birth and marriage Duchess of Pomerania.- Life :...
  
   (1567–1618)

married in 1581 Duke Barnim X of Pomerania

Barnim X, Duke of Pomerania

Barnim X, or according to another count Barnim XII was a duke of Pomerania and a member of the House of Griffins. He administered from 1569, the Rügenwalde district...

 (1549–1603)

• Sophie
  Sophie of Brandenburg
  Sophie of Brandenburg was a Princess of Brandenburg and by marriage Electress of Saxony. From 1591 she was the regent of Saxony during the minority of her son Christian II.- Biography :...
  
   (1568–1622)

married in 1582 Elector Christian I of Saxony

Christian I, Elector of Saxony

Christian I of Saxony was Elector of Saxony from 1586 to 1591.He was the sixth but second surviving son of Elector Augustus of Saxony and Anna of Denmark...

(1568-1622)

Two other princes and five princesses of this marriage died in childhood.