Sophia of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorf
Sophia von Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorf , also Sophie (born May 31, 1569 in Gottorf ; † November 14, 1634 in Lübz ) was de facto regent of the (partial) duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin from 1603 to 1608 .
Life
Sophia (in regional literature about Mecklenburg consistently Sophie ) was the eldest daughter of Duke Adolf I von Holstein-Gottorf and his wife Christine von Hessen . She married Duke Johann VII of Mecklenburg on February 17, 1588 in Reinbek . Johann was considered a weak ruler who did not understand how to govern his indebted and corrupt country. Sophia lived in almost poor conditions. After her husband stabbed himself with seven knife wounds in 1592, Duke Ulrich von Mecklenburg took over the regency. Sophia retired to her widow's residence in Lübz back, while the land visibly fell into disrepair due to Duke Ulrich's administrators.
Sophia administered the estates of her Wittum , the offices of Rehna and Wittenburg , extremely prudently, economically and carefully. After Duke Ulrich's death in 1603, Duke Karl von Mecklenburg became regent in the Schwerin part of the country, who entrusted Sophia with the task of administering the inheritance of her sons. She took active steps against the grievances of the previous administration. In 1608, Duke Karl had Sophia's eldest son declared by Emperor Rudolf II to be of legal age. Sophia's sons had been estranged from their mother for some time and again caused a financial breakdown of the state budget, which the mother had rudimentarily put in order.
The Dowager Duchess withdrew again to Lübz. Their goods were guaranteed by Wallenstein , even if their sons had to leave the country in 1628 after the imperial ban and only returned with the help of the Swedish troops in May 1631 after Wallenstein's fall. In gratitude for her return, Sophia donated the widow's pen in Lübz, which was later named after her .
The two later grand ducal lines Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Mecklenburg-Strelitz descend from Sophia .
Duchess Sophia was buried in the town church of Lübz . Your tomb probably goes back to Franz Julius Döteber and Daniel Werner.
progeny
- Adolf Friedrich I. , Duke of Mecklenburg [-Schwerin] from 1592 to 1628, 1631–58
- Johann Albrecht II , Duke of Mecklenburg [-Güstrow] from 1592 to 1628, 1631–1636
- Anna Sophie (1591-1648)
literature
- Karl Ernst Hermann Krause : Sophia, regent of Mecklenburg-Schwerin . In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 34, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1892, pp. 674-676.
- Georg Dehio : Handbook of the German art monuments. Bd. Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Deutscher Kunstverlag , Munich / Berlin 2000. p. 327.
- Ira Koch: Sophia of Schleswig Holstein Duchess of Mecklenburg (1569–1634). In: Martina Schattkowsky: Widowhood in early modern times: princely and noble widows between foreign and self-determination. (= Writings on Saxon history and folklore 6) Leipzig: Universitätsverlag 2003 ISBN 9783936522792 , pp. 203–226
Web links
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Sophia of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorf |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Sophie of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorf; Sophia, Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Regent of Mecklenburg-Schwerin |
| DATE OF BIRTH | May 31, 1569 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Gottorf |
| DATE OF DEATH | November 14, 1634 |
| Place of death | Luebz |