Catherine of Brandenburg

Catherine of Brandenburg ( born May 28, 1602 Königsberg; † August 27, 1644 in Schoningen ) was a princess of Brandenburg and succession by marriage Princess of Transylvania and Duchess of Saxe- Lauenburg. From 1629 to 1630 she was officially Princess of Transylvania, but refrained back to the regency.

Life

Catherine was a daughter of the Elector Johann Sigismund of Brandenburg (1572-1619) from his marriage to Anna (1576-1625), daughter of Duke Albrecht Friedrich of Prussia. In 1623, when she was staying with her ​​sister Maria Eleonora in Sweden, Tsar Michael campaigned in vain for her hand.

She married her first husband on March 2, 1626 in Košice, Gabor Bethlen Prince of Transylvania ( 1580-1629 ). Even during his lifetime Catherine had been elected in 1626 to the Princess of Transylvania and recognized as a successor. She followed her husband as a sovereign princess and confirmed by the Sublime Porte in office. Because of their inclination to Catholicism, her love affair with Count Istvan Csáky and their lack of assertiveness in the throne disputes, she resigned after the parliament in Medias had severely criticized the stands in Cluj forced to resign.

As a prince of Transylvania followed her brother Istvan, but a few weeks later also resigned. The following Prince George I Rákóczi escaped Catherine Palace and rule Fagaras, the only possessions that had been her according to the will of her husband. Rákóczi also forced them to adopt his son George.

Catherine moved back to Székesfehérvár and converted in 1633 on her widow's residence Tokaj to the Catholic faith. Emperor Ferdinand II then she sat back in the possession of their testamentary insured possessions.

Her second husband was born on August 27, 1639 in Sopron Duke Franz Karl of Saxe- Lauenburg ( 1594-1660 ). Catherine sold all their possessions and moved to Germany Hungary. She died in 1644 at Schloss Schoningen, the widow's residence of her sister Anna Sophia.

Catherine remained childless in two marriages.