Sophia Jagiellon (1522–1575)
Encyclopedia
Sophia Jagiellon of Poland (13 July 1522 – 28 May 1575) was a Polish Lithuanian Princess and Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg
. She was a daughter Sigismund I the Old
and his second wife Bona Sforza
.
Sophia was born in Krakow
, the third of her parents' six children. Her siblings included: Isabella Jagiellon, Sigismund II Augustus
, Anna Jagiellon
, Catherine Jagellon and Albert Jagellon.
Sophia's maternal grandparents were Gian Galeazzo Sforza
and Isabella of Naples
, daughter of Alfonso II of Naples
and Ippolita Maria Sforza
. Sophia's paternal grandparents were Casimir IV Jagiellon
and Elisabeth of Austria, daughter of Albert II of Germany
and his wife Elisabeth (II) of Bohemia.
. He had previously been married to Mary of Württemberg, with whom he had eight children. This marriage proved childless. On June 11, 1568 Sophia was widowed. After the death of her husband Sophia moved to the families house in Schöningen
. Shortly after, she fell into dispute with her stepson Julius, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
; the conflict, which concerned the scope of princely rule in Schöningen, ended on January 17, 1572 when they signed an agreement. Julius did not honor the terms of the agreement and 1573, Sophia had to ask for help from Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor
.
In the spring of 1570 Sophia converted to Lutheranism and was the only Lutheran in the Jagiellonian dynasty.
She died on 28 May 1575 at Schöningen. She was buried in the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Wolfenbüttel
.
Brunswick-Lüneburg
The Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg , or more properly Duchy of Brunswick and Lüneburg, was an historical ducal state from the late Middle Ages until the late Early Modern era within the North-Western domains of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, in what is now northern Germany...
. She was a daughter Sigismund I the Old
Sigismund I the Old
Sigismund I of Poland , of the Jagiellon dynasty, reigned as King of Poland and also as the Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1506 until 1548...
and his second wife Bona Sforza
Bona Sforza
Bona Sforza was a member of the powerful Milanese House of Sforza. In 1518, she became the second wife of Sigismund I the Old, the King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, and became the Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania.She was the third child of Gian Galeazzo Sforza and his wife...
.
Family
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
, the third of her parents' six children. Her siblings included: Isabella Jagiellon, Sigismund II Augustus
Sigismund II Augustus
Sigismund II Augustus I was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, the only son of Sigismund I the Old, whom Sigismund II succeeded in 1548...
, Anna Jagiellon
Anna Jagiellon
Anna Jagiellon was queen of Poland from 1575 to 1586. She was the daughter of Poland's King Sigismund I the Old, and the wife of Stephen Báthory. She was elected, along with her then fiance, Báthory, as co-ruler in the second election of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth...
, Catherine Jagellon and Albert Jagellon.
Sophia's maternal grandparents were Gian Galeazzo Sforza
Gian Galeazzo Sforza
Gian Galeazzo Sforza was the sixth Duke of Milan.Born in Abbiategrasso, he was only 7 years old when in 1476 his father, Galeazzo Maria Sforza, was assassinated and Gian Galeazzo became the Duke of Milan...
and Isabella of Naples
Isabella of Naples
Isabella of Naples was the daughter of King Alphonse II of Naples by his wife, Ippolita Maria Sforza. From 1489 to 1494, she was the Duchess consort of Milan, and from 1499 to 1524 the Duchess of Bari and Princess of Rossano...
, daughter of Alfonso II of Naples
Alfonso II of Naples
Alfonso II of Naples , also called Alfonso II d'Aragon, was King of Naples from 25 January 1494 to 22 February 1495 with the title King of Naples and Jerusalem...
and Ippolita Maria Sforza
Ippolita Maria Sforza
Ippolita Maria Sforza , Duchess of Calabria, was a member of the powerful Italian condottieri Sforza family which ruled the Duchy of Milan from 1450 until 1535...
. Sophia's paternal grandparents were Casimir IV Jagiellon
Casimir IV Jagiellon
Casimir IV KG of the House of Jagiellon was Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1440, and King of Poland from 1447, until his death.Casimir was the second son of King Władysław II Jagiełło , and the younger brother of Władysław III of Varna....
and Elisabeth of Austria, daughter of Albert II of Germany
Albert II of Germany
Albert the Magnanimous KG was King of Hungary from 1438 until his death. He was also King of Bohemia, elected King of Germany as Albert II, duke of Luxembourg and, as Albert V, archduke of Austria from 1404.-Biography:Albert was born in Vienna as the son of Albert IV, Duke of Austria, and Johanna...
and his wife Elisabeth (II) of Bohemia.
Life
Between 22 and 25 February 1556 she married Henry V, Duke of Brunswick-LüneburgHenry V, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Henry , Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, called the Younger, was Prince of Wolfenbüttel from 1514 until his death...
. He had previously been married to Mary of Württemberg, with whom he had eight children. This marriage proved childless. On June 11, 1568 Sophia was widowed. After the death of her husband Sophia moved to the families house in Schöningen
Schöningen
Schöningen is a town of about 13,000 inhabitants in the district of Helmstedt, Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located near the border with Saxony-Anhalt, on the southeastern rim of the Elm hill range...
. Shortly after, she fell into dispute with her stepson Julius, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Julius, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Julius of Brunswick-Lüneburg , Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, was prince of Wolfenbüttel from 1568 until his death....
; the conflict, which concerned the scope of princely rule in Schöningen, ended on January 17, 1572 when they signed an agreement. Julius did not honor the terms of the agreement and 1573, Sophia had to ask for help from Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor
Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor
Maximilian II was king of Bohemia and king of the Romans from 1562, king of Hungary and Croatia from 1563, emperor of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation from 1564 until his death...
.
In the spring of 1570 Sophia converted to Lutheranism and was the only Lutheran in the Jagiellonian dynasty.
She died on 28 May 1575 at Schöningen. She was buried in the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Wolfenbüttel
Wolfenbüttel
Wolfenbüttel is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany, located on the Oker river about 13 kilometres south of Brunswick. It is the seat of the District of Wolfenbüttel and of the bishop of the Protestant Lutheran State Church of Brunswick...
.