Sophia Dorothea of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg
| Princess Sophia Dorothea | |
|---|---|
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Duchess consort of Brunswick-Lüneburg Electress consort of Brandenburg | |
 Portrait of Sophia Dorothea by Jacques Vaillant, 1682 | |
| Born |
28 September 1636 Glücksburg |
| Died |
6 August 1689 (aged 52) Karlsbad |
| Spouse |
Christian Louis, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg |
| House | Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg |
| Father | Philip, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg |
| Mother | Sophia Hedwig of Saxe-Lauenburg |
Princess Dorothea Sophia of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (28 September 1636 – 6 August 1689) was a German noblewoman. The highest title she acquired through marriage was Electress of Brandenburg as the wife of Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg, the "Great Elector".
Biography
Sophia Dorothea was born in Glücksburg. She could claim royal blood through her descent from her great-grandfather King Christian III of Denmark, but her parents were of much lower rank: Philip, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, and Sophia Hedwig of Saxe-Lauenburg. She was the sister of Auguste of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg.
In 1653, Sophia Dorothea married Christian Louis, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, brother-in-law of King Frederick III of Denmark. The marriage was childless. In 1665 her first spouse died, and she moved into Herzberg Castle. On 14 June 1668, she married again, this time to Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg. In 1670, she purchased Brandenburg-Schwedt and other fiefs for her sons. In 1676, she became the commander of her own regiment, and in 1678 and 1692 equipped two fleets for the Brandenburg state.
She died in Karlsbad and is buried in Berlin Cathedral. The Dorotheenstadt neighbourhood of Berlin was a present to her from her husband and is named after her.
Issue
From her second marriage, Sophia Dorothea had the following children:
- Philip William (1669–1711),
- Marie Amalie (1670–1739) married:
- Albert Frederick (1672–1731),
- Charles Philip (1673–1695),
- Elisabeth Sofie (1674–1748), who married Christian Ernst of Brandenburg-Bayreuth (6 August 1644 - 20 May 1712) on 30 March 1703.
- Dorothea (1675–1676),
- Christian Ludwig (1677–1734), recipient of Bach's Brandenburg Concertos.
Ancestry
Succession
| Sophia Dorothea of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg Cadet branch of the House of Oldenburg Born: 28 September 1636 Died: 6 August 1689 | ||
| German nobility | ||
|---|---|---|
| Vacant Title last held by Luise Henriette of Nassau |
Duchess consort of Prussia 14 June 1668 – 29 April 1688 |
Succeeded by Sophia Charlotte of Hanover |
| Electress consorts of Brandenburg 14 June 1668 – 29 April 1688 | ||
| Vacant Title last held by Dorothea of Denmark |
Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg, Princess of Lüneburg 9 October 1653 – 15 March 1665 |
Vacant Title next held by Benedicta Henrietta of the Palatinate and Éléonore Desmier d'Olbreuse |
| Vacant Title last held by Anne Eleonore of Hesse-Darmstadt |
Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg, Princess of Calenberg and Göttingen 9 October 1653 – 15 March 1665 | |
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