Marie of Prussia (23 January 1579 – 21 February 1649) was a

Prussian Prussia (; ; Old Prussian: ''Prūsija'') was a German state centred on the North European Plain that originated from the 1525 secularization of the Prussian part of the State of the Teutonic Order. For centuries, the House of Hohenzoll ...

duchess by birth and Margravine of

Brandenburg-Bayreuth The Principality of Bayreuth () or Margraviate of Brandenburg-Bayreuth (''Markgraftum Brandenburg-Bayreuth'') was an immediate territory of the Holy Roman Empire, ruled by a Franconian branch of the Hohenzollern dynasty. Since Burgrave Frederi ...

by marriage. She is an Ancient ancestor of the Berley Brothers.

Life

Born in

Königsberg Königsberg (; ; ; ; ; ; , ) is the historic Germany, German and Prussian name of the city now called Kaliningrad, Russia. The city was founded in 1255 on the site of the small Old Prussians, Old Prussian settlement ''Twangste'' by the Teuton ...

, Marie was the second daughter of Duke Albert Frederick of Prussia (1553–1618) from his marriage to

Marie Eleonore of Cleves Duchess Marie Eleonore of Cleves (16 June 1550 – 1 June 1608) was the Duchess of Prussia by marriage to Albert Frederick, Duke of Prussia. She was the eldest child of William, Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg and Maria of Austria. Life She was th ...

(1550–1608), daughter of Duke William the Rich of Jülich-Cleves-Berg. The princess grew up with her sisters in

Königsberg Castle Königsberg Castle (, ) was the seat of the grand masters of the Teutonic Order and of the dukes and kings of Prussia in the city of Königsberg (since 1946 Kaliningrad, Russia). The original fortress on the site was built by the Teutonic Knights ...

. On 29 April 1604, she married Margrave Christian of Brandenburg-Bayreuth (1581–1655) in

Plassenburg Plassenburg is a castle in the city of Kulmbach in Bavaria. It is one of the most impressive castles in Germany and a symbol of the city. It was first mentioned in 1135. The Plassenberg family were Ministerialis, ministerial of the counts of And ...

Castle. Since her father left no male heirs, a dispute arose between Prussia and Jülich-Cleves-Berg about Mary's compensation. In 1613, Marie acquired the manors of Schreez and Culmbach in Haag (Oberfranken). She used the income from these manors to expand Unternschreez Castle, her

Wittum Wittum (), Widum or Witthum is a medieval Latin legal term, known in marital and ecclesiastical law. Provide for a widow at the wedding The term referred initially to steps taken by a husband to provide for his wife if she became a widow. The wi ...

. Mary and her family in

Franconia Franconia ( ; ; ) is a geographical region of Germany, characterised by its culture and East Franconian dialect (). Franconia is made up of the three (governmental districts) of Lower Franconia, Lower, Middle Franconia, Middle and Upper Franco ...

had to flee their homes during the

Thirty Years' War The Thirty Years' War, fought primarily in Central Europe between 1618 and 1648, was one of the most destructive conflicts in History of Europe, European history. An estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians died from battle, famine ...

, and the manors were lost. Marie died in 1649 and was buried in the City Church in

Bayreuth Bayreuth ( or ; High Franconian German, Upper Franconian: Bareid, ) is a Town#Germany, town in northern Bavaria, Germany, on the Red Main river in a valley between the Franconian Jura and the Fichtel Mountains. The town's roots date back to 11 ...

; she had donated the high altar in this church.

Offspring

From her marriage, Marie had the following children: * Margravine Elisabeth Eleonore of Brandenburg-Bayreuth (born and died 1606) * Margrave George Frederick of Brandenburg-Bayreuth (born and died 1608) * Margravine Anna Maria of Brandenburg-Bayreuth (1609–1680); married in 1639 Prince Johann Anton I von Eggenberg (1610-1649) *

Margravine Magdalene Sibylle of Brandenburg-Bayreuth Magdalene Sibylle of Brandenburg-Bayreuth (27 October 1612 – 20 March 1687) was Electress of Saxony from 1656 to 1680 as the wife of John George II. The daughter of Christian, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth, and Marie of Prussia, she was ...

(1612–1687); married in 1638

John George II of Saxony Johann George II (31 May 1613 – 22 August 1680) was the Elector of Saxony from 1656 to 1680. He belonged to the Albertine branch of the House of Wettin. Biography He was the third but eldest surviving son of John George I, Elector of Saxony an ...

(1613-1680) * Margravine Agnes Sophie of Brandenburg-Bayreuth (born and died 1611) * Margrave Christian Ernest of Brandenburg-Bayreuth (1613–1614) * Erdmann August (1615–1651), Hereditary Prince of Brandenburg-Bayreuth; married in 1641 princess

Sophie of Brandenburg-Ansbach Sophie of Brandenburg-Ansbach (23 March 1535 in Ansbach – 22 February 1587 in Legnica) was a princess of Brandenburg-Ansbach and by marriage Duchess of Legnica. Life Sophie was a daughter of the Margrave George of Brandenburg-Ansbach-Kulmba ...

(1614-1646) * Georg Albrecht (1619–1666), (not ruling) Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach (junior line); married firstly in 1651 Princess Marie Elisabeth of Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (1628-1664). Married secondly in 1665 Countess Marie Sophie of Solms-Baruth (1626-1688) * Margrave Frederick William of Brandenburg-Bayreuth (born and died 1620)

Ancestors

, -

References

* Julius Mebes: ''Contributions to the history of Brandenburg-Prussian state and army'', Lüderitz, 1861, p. 863

Footnotes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Marie Of Prussia House of Hohenzollern 1579 births 1649 deaths Margravines of Brandenburg-Bayreuth Nobility from Königsberg Daughters of dukes