Marie Eleonore of Cleves

Marie Eleonore with her mother Maria of Austria

Marie Eleonore of Cleves (1550–1608) was a Duchess consort of Prussia as the wife of Albert Frederick, Duke of Prussia. She was the eldest child of Wilhelm, Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg and Maria of Austria.

Family

Her mother was the daughter of Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor and Anna of Bohemia and Hungary. Her brother was John William, Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg. Her paternal aunts were Anne of Cleves who was the fourth wife of Henry VIII of England, and Sybille of Cleves who married John Frederick I, Elector of Saxony. Marie Eleonore had many maternal aunts and uncles such as Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor and Johanna of Austria. Among her cousins were Anna of Austria, Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor, Eleonora de' Medici and Marie de' Medici.

Marriage

In 1573 Marie Eleonore married Albert Frederick, Duke of Prussia the son of Albert of Prussia, they were the parents of seven children,

• Anna of Prussia (3 July 1576 – 30 August 1625). Married John Sigismund, Elector of Brandenburg.
• Marie of Prussia (23 January 1579 – 21 February 1649). Married Christian, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth.
• Albert Frederick of Prussia (1 June – 8 October 1580).
• Sofie of Prussia (31 March 1582 – 4 December 1610). Married Wilhelm Kettler of Courland.
• Eleonore of Prussia (22 August 1583 – 31 March/9 April 1607). Married Joachim Frederick, Elector of Brandenburg.
• Wilhelm of Prussia (23 June 1585 – 18 January 1586).
• Magdalene Sibylle of Prussia (31 December 1586 – 22 February 1659). Married John George I, Elector of Saxony.

References

Vacant Title last held by Anna Maria of Brunswick-Lüneburg

Duchess consort of Prussia 1573–1608

Succeeded by Duchess Anna of Prussia