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| succession = [[List of consorts of Brandenburg#Margravine of Brandenburg-Ansbach, 1398–1791|Margravine consort of Brandenburg-Ansbach]]
| succession = [[List of consorts of Brandenburg#Margravine of Brandenburg-Ansbach, 1398–1791|Margravine consort of Brandenburg-Ansbach]]
| reign = 4 November 1681 – 22 March 1686
| reign = 4 November 1681 – 22 March 1686
| predecessor = [[Johanna Elisabeth of Baden-Durlach]]
| predecessor = [[Johanna Elisabeth of Baden-Durlach (1651–1680)|Johanna Elisabeth of Baden-Durlach]]
| successor = [[Christiane Charlotte of Württemberg-Winnental]]
| successor = [[Christiane Charlotte of Württemberg-Winnental]]
| succession1 = [[List of Saxon consorts#Electress of Saxony|Electress consort of Saxony]]
| succession1 = [[List of Saxon consorts#Electress of Saxony|Electress consort of Saxony]]
Line 28: Line 28:


== Biography ==
== Biography ==
Eleonore Erdmuthe Louise was the firstborn daughter of [[John George I, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach]], and [[Joanna of Sayn-Wittgenstein]]. One of her younger siblings was the future [[John William III, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach]].
Eleonore Erdmuthe Louise was the eldest child of [[John George I, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach]], and [[Johannetta of Sayn-Wittgenstein (1632-1701)|Johannetta of Sayn-Wittgenstein]]. Fron her seven younger siblings, only four survive adulthood: Frederick August, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Eisenach, [[John George II, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach]], [[John William III, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach]] and [[Fredericka Elisabeth of Saxe-Eisenach|Fredericka Elisabeth]] (by marriage Duchess of Saxe-Weisselfels).


In 1681, she became the second wife of [[John Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach]]. She had a son, [[William Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach|William Frederick]], and a daughter, [[Caroline of Ansbach|Caroline]]. In 1686, she was [[widow]]ed. As a widow, she and her children lived in poverty in [[Crailsheim]].
In [[Eisenach]] on 4 November 1681, Eleonore married firstly [[John Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach]] as his second wife. They had three children:


*[[Caroline of Ansbach|Margravine Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach]] (1 March 1683 – 20 November 1737), married [[George II of Great Britain]] and had issue.
In [[Leipzig]] on 17 April 1692, Eleonore Erdmuthe married [[John George IV, Elector of Saxony|Johann Georg IV]].<ref name="Sharp23">Sharp 2001, p. 23.</ref> The young Elector was forced to marry by his mother, the Dowager Electress [[Princess Anna Sophie of Denmark|Anna Sophie]], ostensibly to produce legitimate heirs to the Electorate but truly to end the liaison between John George and his mistress, [[Magdalena Sibylla of Neidschutz|Magdalene Sibylle "Billa" of Neidschutz]]. Another consideration was an alliance between Brandenburg and Saxony.
*Margrave Frederick Augustus of Brandenburg-Ansbach (3 January 1685 – 30 January 1685), died in infancy.
*[[William Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach]] (8 January 1686 – 7 January 1723) married [[Duchess Christiane Charlotte of Württemberg]], daughter of [[Frederick Charles, Duke of Württemberg-Winnental]] and had issue.


After the death of her husband (22 March 1686), the government of Brandenburg-Ansbach passed to her stepson [[Christian Albert, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach|Christian Albert]] (eldest surviving son of her husband's first marriage), who being a minor ruled under a regency. Because her relationship with her stepchildren wasn't good since the beginning, Eleonore and her children moved to [[Crailsheim]], where they lived in poverty; shortly after, she returned alone to her homeland Eisenach,<ref name="Arkell5">Arkell 1939, p. 5.</ref><ref name="Beatty134">Beatty 2003, p. 134.</ref> while her children were sent to Berlin, where they became companions of the together with [[Frederick William I of Prussia|Frederick William, Electoral Prince of Brandenburg]]. In November 1691 Eleonore also arrived in Berlin to actively participate in the negociations of her second marriage.<ref>Sharp 2001, p. 21.</ref>
Immediately after assuming the Electorate, John George lived openly with Billa, and she became the first ever Official Mistress (''Favoritin'') of an Elector of Saxony. Eleonore was relegated to the ''Hofe'' (the official residence of the Elector) while John George moved into another palace with Billa.


In [[Leipzig]] on 17 April 1692, Eleonore married secondly [[John George IV, Elector of Saxony]]<ref name="Sharp23">Sharp 2001, p. 23.</ref><ref name="Van2">Van der Kiste 2013, p. 2.</ref> and moved with her children to [[Dresden]], where the Saxon court was established. The wedding was concluded at the insistence of [[Frederick I of Prussia|Frederick III, Elector of Brandenburg]] (who thus wanted to secure an alliance with Saxony){{efn|Saxony was heavily influenced by Austria. Saxon Field Marshal [[Hans Adam von Schöning]] longed for liberation of the Electorate from Austrian influence. To this end, he made sure that John George IV made an offer to Eleonore, who by her first marriage now belonged to the House of Hohenzollern. This option is most suited and Frederick III, as the marriage of Eleonore and John George IV marked the actual transition of the Electorate of Saxony to the side of the future King of Prussia.}}<ref>Van der Kiste 2013, pp. 2—3.</ref> and the Dowager Electress [[Princess Anna Sophie of Denmark|Anna Sophie]], ostensibly to produce legitimate heirs to the Electorate but truly to end the liaison between John George and his mistress, [[Magdalena Sibylla of Neidschutz|Magdalene Sibylle "Billa" of Neidschutz]].
Desperate to marry his mistress, John George tried to murder Eleonore, but was prevented by his younger brother, [[Augustus II the Strong|Frederick August]]. When John George tried to stab Eleonore with a sword, the unarmed Frederick turned the impact away with his hand, leaving him with a lifelong handicap.


Electress Eleonore suffered two [[miscarriage]]s during their marriage, in August 1692<ref name="Sharp23"/> and February 1693,<ref>Sharp 2001, p. 38.</ref> and a [[phantom pregnancy]] in December 1693.<ref>Sharp 2001, pp. 48-49.</ref> She confided in the English diplomat [[George Stepney]], who wrote extensively about her and the Saxon court. Johann Georg died on 27 April 1694 from [[smallpox]]. As a widow, she and her children were [[exile]]d to [[Pretzsch, Wittenberg|Pretzsch]]. She died after two years, on 9 September 1696.
The union proved to be unsuccessful;<ref name="Beatty134"/> John George IV lived openly with Billa, and she became the first ever Official Mistress (''Favoritin'') of an Elector of Saxony; while Eleonore was relegated to the ''Hofe'' (the official residence of the Elector).<ref name="Arkell5"/> In addition, the Electress suffered two [[miscarriage]]s during their marriage, in August 1692<ref name="Sharp23"/> and February 1693,<ref name="Sharp38">Sharp 2001, p. 38.</ref> and a [[phantom pregnancy]] in December 1693.<ref>Sharp 2001, pp. 48—49.</ref> In March 1693 began rumors at the Saxon court that Eleonore wasn't the lawful wife of John Georg IV, because at the time of their marriage, he was already married with Billa;<ref>Sharp 2001, p. 37.</ref> was even found a document confirming the conclusion of a marriage contract between the Elector of Saxony and his mistress, but John George IV (probably fearing the anger of the Hohenzollerns) said that he didn't considers this contract as a formal marriage, and that was only made with the purpose to legitimize his offspring with Billa.<ref name="Sharp38"/> Nevertheless, during all his marriage, John George IV desperately wanted to legitimize the relationship with his mistress and tried to get rid of his wife and her children; fearing for her and her children's lives, Eleonore left the ''Hofe'' and settled in [[Pretzsch, Wittenberg|Pretzsch]].<ref name="Van3">Van der Kiste 2013, p. 3.</ref>

She confided in the English diplomat [[George Stepney]], who wrote extensively about her and the Saxon court. Johann Georg died on 27 April 1694 from [[smallpox]]. As a widow, she and her children were [[exile]]d to [[Pretzsch, Wittenberg|Pretzsch]]. She died after two years, on 9 September 1696.

==Notes==
{{notelist}}


==References==
==References==
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==Sources==
==Sources==
*Sharp, Tony. ''Pleasure and Ambition: The Life, Loves and Wars of Augustus the Strong, 1670-1707''. London: I.B. Tauris, 2001. ''Google Books''. Web. 24 May 2010. [http://books.google.com/books?id=3X71YRvm9m4C google.books.com]
*Arkell, Ruby Lillian Percival. ''Caroline of Ansbach''. Oxford University Press, 1939. 338 p. [https://books.google.ru/books?id=eKrSAAAAMAAJ]
*Beatty, Michael A. ''The English Royal Family of America, from Jamestown to the American Revolution''. McFarland, 2003 pp. 133—138.261 p. ISBN 0786415584, 9780786415588. [https://books.google.ru/books?id=2xNmOeE7LH8C]

==Further reading==
* Böttcher, Hans-Joachim. ''Johann Georg IV. von Sachsen und Magdalena Sibylla von Neitschütz - Eine tödliche Liaison''. Dresden 2014. ISBN 978-3-941757-43-1.
* Böttcher, Hans-Joachim. ''Johann Georg IV. von Sachsen und Magdalena Sibylla von Neitschütz - Eine tödliche Liaison''. Dresden 2014. ISBN 978-3-941757-43-1.
*Hichens, Mark. ''Wives of the Kings of England: From Hanover to Windsor''. Peter Owen, 2006. — 182 p. ISBN 0720612713, 9780720612714. [https://books.google.ru/books?id=sxwTAQAAIAAJ]
*Van der Kiste, John. ''George II and Queen Caroline''. Stroud, Gloucestershire: The History Press, 2013. 240 p. ISBN 0750954485, 9780750954488. [https://books.google.ru/books?id=yQc7AwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover]
*Sharp, Tony. ''Pleasure and Ambition: The Life, Loves and Wars of Augustus the Strong, 1670-1707''. London: I.B. Tauris, 2001. [http://books.google.com/books?id=3X71YRvm9m4C google.books.com]
*Weir, Alison. ''Britain's Royal Families: The Complete Genealogy''. Random House, 2011 pp. 277—278. 400 p. ISBN 1446449114, 9781446449110. [https://books.google.ru/books?id=7nZ90l1_IzAC]


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{{s-vac|last=[[Johanna Elisabeth of Baden-Durlach]]}}
{{s-vac|last=[[Johanna Elisabeth of Baden-Durlach (1651–1680)|Johanna Elisabeth of Baden-Durlach]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[List of consorts of Brandenburg#Margravine of Brandenburg-Ansbach, 1398–1791|Margravine consort of Brandenburg-Ansbach]]|years=4 November 1681 – 22 March 1686}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[List of consorts of Brandenburg#Margravine of Brandenburg-Ansbach, 1398–1791|Margravine consort of Brandenburg-Ansbach]]|years=4 November 1681 – 22 March 1686}}
{{s-vac|next=[[Christiane Charlotte of Württemberg-Winnental]]}}
{{s-vac|next=[[Christiane Charlotte of Württemberg-Winnental]]}}

Revision as of 23:41, 26 September 2016

Princess Eleonore Erdmuthe
Margravine consort of Brandenburg-Ansbach
Tenure4 November 1681 – 22 March 1686
PredecessorJohanna Elisabeth of Baden-Durlach
SuccessorChristiane Charlotte of Württemberg-Winnental
Electress consort of Saxony
Tenure17 April 1692 - 27 April 1694
PredecessorAnna Sophie of Denmark
SuccessorChristiane Eberhardine of Brandenburg-Bayreuth
Born(1662-04-13)13 April 1662
Friedewald
Died9 September 1696(1696-09-09) (aged 34)
Schloss Pretzsch, Pretzsch
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1681; died 1686)​

​
​
(m. 1692; died 1694)​
IssueCaroline, Queen of the United Kingdom
Prince Friedrich August
William Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach
Names
Eleonore Erdmuthe Louise
HouseWettin
FatherJohn George I, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach
MotherCountess Johanna of Sayn-Wittgenstein
ReligionLutheranism

Princess Eleonore Erdmuthe Louise of Saxe-Eisenach (13 April 1662 – 9 September 1696) was the mother of Caroline of Ansbach, Queen consort of King George II of Great Britain. She was the Margravine of Brandenburg-Ansbach from 1681 to 1686 as the second wife of John Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach, and the Electress of Saxony from 1692 to 1694 as a result of her disastrous second marriage to John George IV, Elector of Saxony.

Biography

Eleonore Erdmuthe Louise was the eldest child of John George I, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach, and Johannetta of Sayn-Wittgenstein. Fron her seven younger siblings, only four survive adulthood: Frederick August, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Eisenach, John George II, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach, John William III, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach and Fredericka Elisabeth (by marriage Duchess of Saxe-Weisselfels).

In Eisenach on 4 November 1681, Eleonore married firstly John Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach as his second wife. They had three children:

After the death of her husband (22 March 1686), the government of Brandenburg-Ansbach passed to her stepson Christian Albert (eldest surviving son of her husband's first marriage), who being a minor ruled under a regency. Because her relationship with her stepchildren wasn't good since the beginning, Eleonore and her children moved to Crailsheim, where they lived in poverty; shortly after, she returned alone to her homeland Eisenach,[1][2] while her children were sent to Berlin, where they became companions of the together with Frederick William, Electoral Prince of Brandenburg. In November 1691 Eleonore also arrived in Berlin to actively participate in the negociations of her second marriage.[3]

In Leipzig on 17 April 1692, Eleonore married secondly John George IV, Elector of Saxony[4][5] and moved with her children to Dresden, where the Saxon court was established. The wedding was concluded at the insistence of Frederick III, Elector of Brandenburg (who thus wanted to secure an alliance with Saxony)[a][6] and the Dowager Electress Anna Sophie, ostensibly to produce legitimate heirs to the Electorate but truly to end the liaison between John George and his mistress, Magdalene Sibylle "Billa" of Neidschutz.

The union proved to be unsuccessful;[2] John George IV lived openly with Billa, and she became the first ever Official Mistress (Favoritin) of an Elector of Saxony; while Eleonore was relegated to the Hofe (the official residence of the Elector).[1] In addition, the Electress suffered two miscarriages during their marriage, in August 1692[4] and February 1693,[7] and a phantom pregnancy in December 1693.[8] In March 1693 began rumors at the Saxon court that Eleonore wasn't the lawful wife of John Georg IV, because at the time of their marriage, he was already married with Billa;[9] was even found a document confirming the conclusion of a marriage contract between the Elector of Saxony and his mistress, but John George IV (probably fearing the anger of the Hohenzollerns) said that he didn't considers this contract as a formal marriage, and that was only made with the purpose to legitimize his offspring with Billa.[7] Nevertheless, during all his marriage, John George IV desperately wanted to legitimize the relationship with his mistress and tried to get rid of his wife and her children; fearing for her and her children's lives, Eleonore left the Hofe and settled in Pretzsch.[10]

She confided in the English diplomat George Stepney, who wrote extensively about her and the Saxon court. Johann Georg died on 27 April 1694 from smallpox. As a widow, she and her children were exiled to Pretzsch. She died after two years, on 9 September 1696.

Notes

  1. ^ Saxony was heavily influenced by Austria. Saxon Field Marshal Hans Adam von Schöning longed for liberation of the Electorate from Austrian influence. To this end, he made sure that John George IV made an offer to Eleonore, who by her first marriage now belonged to the House of Hohenzollern. This option is most suited and Frederick III, as the marriage of Eleonore and John George IV marked the actual transition of the Electorate of Saxony to the side of the future King of Prussia.

References

  1. ^ a b Arkell 1939, p. 5.
  2. ^ a b Beatty 2003, p. 134.
  3. ^ Sharp 2001, p. 21.
  4. ^ a b Sharp 2001, p. 23.
  5. ^ Van der Kiste 2013, p. 2.
  6. ^ Van der Kiste 2013, pp. 2—3.
  7. ^ a b Sharp 2001, p. 38.
  8. ^ Sharp 2001, pp. 48—49.
  9. ^ Sharp 2001, p. 37.
  10. ^ Van der Kiste 2013, p. 3.

Sources

  • Arkell, Ruby Lillian Percival. Caroline of Ansbach. Oxford University Press, 1939. 338 p. [1]
  • Beatty, Michael A. The English Royal Family of America, from Jamestown to the American Revolution. McFarland, 2003 pp. 133—138.261 p. ISBN 0786415584, 9780786415588. [2]
  • Böttcher, Hans-Joachim. Johann Georg IV. von Sachsen und Magdalena Sibylla von Neitschütz - Eine tödliche Liaison. Dresden 2014. ISBN 978-3-941757-43-1.
  • Hichens, Mark. Wives of the Kings of England: From Hanover to Windsor. Peter Owen, 2006. — 182 p. ISBN 0720612713, 9780720612714. [3]
  • Van der Kiste, John. George II and Queen Caroline. Stroud, Gloucestershire: The History Press, 2013. 240 p. ISBN 0750954485, 9780750954488. [4]
  • Sharp, Tony. Pleasure and Ambition: The Life, Loves and Wars of Augustus the Strong, 1670-1707. London: I.B. Tauris, 2001. google.books.com
  • Weir, Alison. Britain's Royal Families: The Complete Genealogy. Random House, 2011 pp. 277—278. 400 p. ISBN 1446449114, 9781446449110. [5]
Princess Eleonore Erdmuthe of Saxe-Eisenach
Born: 13 April 1662 Died: 9 September 1696
German nobility
Vacant
Title last held by
Johanna Elisabeth of Baden-Durlach 		Margravine consort of Brandenburg-Ansbach
4 November 1681 – 22 March 1686 		Vacant
Title next held by
Christiane Charlotte of Württemberg-Winnental
Vacant
Title last held by
Anna Sophie of Denmark 		Electress consort of Saxony
17 April 1692 – 27 April 1694 		Succeeded by

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