Margaret of Brandenburg

Margaret of Brandenburg-Salzwedel (1270 – 1 May 1315) was a Polish queen consort as the spouse of king Przemysł II of Poland and later a Saxon duchess consort as spouse of Albert III of Saxe-Ratzeburg. She was daughter of Albert III, Margrave of Brandenburg-Salzwedel and Matilda, daughter of Christopher I of Denmark.

First Marriage

Przemysł II wished to marry for a third time in order to have a son, his first wife Ludgarda, daughter of Henry I the Pilgrim had given him no children. His second wife was Rikissa, daughter of Valdemar I of Sweden, this marriage had produced a daughter, Elisabeth Richeza of Poland. Rikissa and Przemysł II were only married for a few years before Rikissa died, leaving her young daughter. For his third wife, Przemysł chose Margaret. This marriage was made for political reasons and was expected to secure the succession of Przemysl. Given the relatively close relationship between husband and wife (both were great-grandchildren of Přemysl Otakar I of Bohemia), they needed a papal dispensation in order to marry.^[1] Some historians consider that on the occasion of the wedding, Przemysł betrothed his daughter to Margaret's brother, Otto.

The coronation of the couple took place on June 26, 1295 in Poznan at Gniezno Cathedral. Margaret was the first undisputed Queen consort of Poland since Richeza of Lotharingia during the 11th century.

The celebrations did not last long. In 1296, Przemysł was kidnapped by men of Margaret's family, with some help from the Polish noble families of Nałęcz and Zaremba, he was murdered on February 8 in Rogoźno by Jakub Kaszuba. Margaret, now a widow, stayed in Poland with her stepdaughter Elisabeth Richeza. After a while, Margaret went back to her homeland of Brandenburg, were she became engaged to Nicholas, Duke of Rostock. The marriage plans fell through and the marriage was cancelled.

Second marriage and issue

In 1302 Margaret married instead the Saxon Duke Albert III, who ruled with his brothers Eric I and John II the Duchy of Saxe-Lauenburg, partitioned from Saxony in 1296. Already in the following year Albert and his brothers divided Saxe-Lauenburg into three branch duchies. Albert III and Margaret then held Saxe-Ratzeburg, however, he already deceased in 1308. Her brother-in-law Eric I inherited part of Albert's share, while Margaret retained the other part, in order to bring up their children. On her death Eric I also achieved her share.^[2]

From her second marriage, Margaret had two sons:

• Albrecht (died 1344), married Sophie of Ziegenhain
• Eric (died 1338)

Margaret died in 1315 and was buried in Ratzeburg.

Ancestors

References