Elisabeth Sophie of Brandenburg, Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2018

Elisabeth Sophie of Brandenburg, Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen; Credit – Wikipedia

Elisabeth Sophie of Brandenburg was the second wife of Ernst Ludwig I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen. She was born in Cölln Electorate of Brandenburg, now part of Berlin, Brandenburg, Germany, on April 5, 1674, to Friedrich Wilhelm, Elector of Brandenburg and Princess Dorothea Sophie of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, and had six siblings:

Elisabeth Sophie also had six older half-siblings from her father’s first marriage to Princess Luise Henriette of Nassau:

Friedrich Casimir Kettler, Duke of Courland; Credit – Wikipedia

On April 29, 1691, Elisabeth Sophie married her first cousin, Friedrich Casimir Kettler, Duke of Courland, as his second wife. He was the son of Jacob Kettler, Duke of Courland and Luise Charlotte of Brandenburg. They had two sons:

After being widowed in 1698, Elisabeth Sophie became Co-Regent of Courland with her brother-in-law. She left Courland in 1701 for her brother’s court in Berlin, losing custody of her son and her position as Co-Regent.

Christian Ernst, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth; Credit – Wikipedia

On March 30, 1703, in Potsdam, Elisabeth Sophie married Christian Ernst, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth, as his third wife. He was the son of Erdmann August, Hereditary Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth and Sophie of Brandenburg-Ansbach. They had no children. From all accounts, she completely dominated her husband, particularly by imposing her pro-Prussian political views on him. A lavish spender, Elisabeth Sophie’s expenses greatly impacted the finances of the Margraviate during their nine-year marriage. She was widowed again in May 1712.

Ernst Ludwig I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen; Credit – Wikipedia

Elisabeth Sophie’s third husband was the widowed Ernst Ludwig I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen, whom she married at Schloss Ehrenburg in Coburg, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg, Saalfeld, now in Bavaria, Germany, on June 3, 1714. They had no children. After ten years of marriage, Elisabeth Sophie was once again widowed in 1724. She survived her husband by twenty-four years and died at Schloss Glücksburg (link in German), in Römhild, Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen, now in Thuringia, Germany, on November 22, 1748. She is buried in the Castle Church at Elisabethenburg Palace. in Meinigen, Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen, now in Thuringia, Germany.

Saxe-Meiningen Resources at Unofficial Royalty

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