Sophia Dorothea of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg

Princess Sophia Dorothea
Duchess consort of Brunswick-Lüneburg Electress consort of Brandenburg
Portrait of Sophia Dorothea by Jacques Vaillant, 1682
Born	(1636-09-28)28 September 1636 Glücksburg
Died	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

File:Dom Berlin Sarg Kurfürstin Dorothea von Brandenburg.jpg

Her tomb

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:

1. Philip William (1669–1711),
2. Marie Amalie (1670–1739) married:
   1. Charles of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, son of Gustav Adolph, Duke of Mecklenburg-Güstrow
   2. Maurice William, Duke of Saxe-Zeitz, son of Maurice, Duke of Saxe-Zeitz
3. Albert Frederick (1672–1731),
4. Charles Philip (1673–1695),
5. Elisabeth Sofie (1674–1748), who married Christian Ernst of Brandenburg-Bayreuth (6 August 1644 - 20 May 1712) on 30 March 1703.
6. Dorothea (1675–1676),
7. Christian Ludwig (1677–1734), recipient of Bach's Brandenburg Concertos.

Ancestry

Family of Sophia Dorothea of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg

16. Frederick I of Denmark               8. Christian III of Denmark                       17. Anna of Brandenburg               4. John II, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg                             18. Magnus I, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg               9. Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg                       19. Catherine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel               2. Philip, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg                                   20. Philip I, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen               10. Ernest III, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen                       21. Katharina of Mansfeld-Vorderort               5. Elisabeth of Brunswick-Grubenhagen                             22. George I, Duke of Pomerania-Wolgast               11. Margarethe of Pomerania-Wolgast                       23. Amalie of the Palatinate               1. Sophia Dorothea of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg                                         24. Magnus I, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg               12. Francis I, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg                       25. Catherine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel               6. Francis II, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg                             26. Henry IV, Duke of Saxony               13. Sibylle of Saxony                       27. Catherine of Mecklenburg               3. Sophia Hedwig of Saxe-Lauenburg                                   28. Henry V, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg               14. Julius, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg                       29. Maria of Württemberg               7. Maria of Brunswick-Lüneburg                             30. Joachim II, Elector of Brandenburg               15. Hedwig of Brandenburg                       31. Hedwig Jagiellon

Succession

Sophia Dorothea of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg House 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