Margaret of Austria, Electress of Saxony

Margaret of Austria (c. 1416, Innsbruck – 12 February 1486, Altenburg, buried in the local castle church) was the elder daughter of Ernest, Duke of Austria and his second wife Cymburgis of Masovia. From her marriage she was Electress of Saxony. She was sister of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor.

Life

Margaret was betrothed to Frederick II, Elector of Saxony ^[1] in 1428, not long after his accession; the wedding took place on 3 June 1431 at Leipzig. She reconciled her husband with his brother, William III, Landgrave of Thuringia and also took part in the otherwise intense government. Margaret received her own coinage.

Margaret was regarded as a Christian-influenced women. After a war that claimed the life of her brother-in-law, she set up a spiritual foundation. In 1453, she had laid the foundation for the fourteen Holy Helpers sacred sanctuary in a desolate village in Jena.

In July 1455, her two sons Ernst and Albrecht, Knights of Kunz Kauffungen were taken from the castle of Altenburg, but were saved.

After the death of her husband on 7 September 1464, she received an extensive dowry, including the city of Altenburg as well as: Leipzig, Liebenwerda, Colditz, Eilenburg and Liebenwerda. Until her death she lived in Altenburg, where she exercised her sovereign rights and thus was under the jurisdiction. In the Old Castle in 1468, she set up a grain house, which was destroyed by fire in 1868. With the support of the Altenburg civil servants who cared for her household plot, Margaret gave generous supplies industries.

Margaret died in Altenburg and was buried in the Castle's local church, she was outlived by six of her eight children.

Family

Margaret and Frederick had eight children:

1. Amalia (b. Meissen, 4 April 1436 - d. Rochlitz, 19 October 1501), married on 21 March 1452 to Louis IX, Duke of Bavaria.
2. Anna (b. Meissen, 7 March 1437 - d. Neustadt am Aisch, 31 October 1512), married on 12 November 1458 to Albert III Achilles, Elector of Brandenburg.
3. Frederick (b. Meissen, 28 August 1439 - d. Meissen, 23 December 1451).
4. Ernest, Elector of Saxony (b. Meissen, 24 March 1441 - d. Colditz, 26 August 1486).
5. Albert, Duke of Saxony (b. Grimma, 31 July 1443 - d. Emden, 12 September 1500).
6. Margaret (b. Meissen?, 1444 - d. Seusslitz?, ca. 19 November 1498), Abbess of Seusslitz.
7. Hedwig (b. Meissen?, 31 October 1445 - d. Quedlinburg, 13 June 1511), Abbess of Quedlinburg (1458).
8. Alexander (b. Meissen, 24 June 1447 - d. Meissen, 14 September 1447).

Ancestors

References

This article incorporates information from the revision as of 8 May 2011 of the equivalent article on the German Wikipedia.