Sigismund of Brandenburg

Sigismund of Brandenburg (* December 11, 1538 in Berlin, † September 13, 1566 at the Moritzburg in Halle ( Saale) ) was Archbishop of Magdeburg and Bishop of Halberstadt.

Life

Sigismund was a son of the Elector Joachim II of Brandenburg (1505-1571) from his second marriage with Hedwig (1513-1572), daughter of King Sigismund I of Poland. His grandfather, he is said to have also owes a great similarity next to his name.

Sigismund followed his older brother Frederick in 1552 as archbishop of Magdeburg and Bishop of Halberstadt. Because of his age of only 13 years, he was first postulated (26 October 1552), since he could not be selected. Until his actual accession Count Johann Georg von Mansfeld was used by the chapter to the governor, who worked until 1557. Already on January 21, 1554 was the now Pope Julius III. confirmed young archbishop was paid homage by the Estates in Halle. As a Protestant, Sigismund was also Administrator of Magdeburg and remained unmarried. In 1567 the remaining cathedral chapter to the Protestant faith.

1555 Sigismund issued an order process, three years later Emperor Ferdinand I granted to the Archbishop the privilege de non apel lando. In the years 1552/53 Sigismund in Halberstadt had built the Peterhof as new residence.

His death in age of 28 prevented a serious candidate on the Polish throne, and the introduction of the Reformation in his entire archbishopric.