Agnes of Brandenburg

Not to be confused with Agnes of Babenberg.

Agnes of Brandenburg
Fresco of Queen Agnes from the ceiling of St. Bendt's Church, Ringsted
Queen consort of Denmark
Reign	1273–1286
Born	c. 1257
Died	29 September 1304
Burial	St. Bendt's Church
Spouse	Eric V, King of Denmark Gerhard II, Count of Holstein-Plön
Issue	Eric VI, King of Denmark Richeza Eriksdatter of Denmark Christopher II of Denmark Martha of Denmark Katharine Valdemar Elisabeth John III, Count of Holstein-Plön
House	House of Ascania
Father	John I, Margrave of Brandenburg
Mother	Brigitte of Saxony
Religion	Roman Catholicism

Agnes of Brandenburg (c. 1257 – 29 September 1304) was a Danish Queen consort by marriage to King Eric V of Denmark. As a widow, she served as the regent of Denmark for her son, King Eric VI, during his minority from 1286 until 1293.

Life

She was born to John I, Margrave of Brandenburg (d. 1266) and Brigitte of Saxony, the daughter of Albert I, Duke of Saxony.

She married King Eric V of Denmark at Schleswig on 11 November 1273. The marriage was probably agreed upon during King Eric's captivity in Brandenburg by Agnes' father from 1261 to 1264. Tradition claims that the King of Denmark was released from captivity on his promise to marry Agnes without a dowry. Denmark and Brandenburg, however, had a long tradition of dynastic marriages between them.

Regency

In 1286, she became a Queen dowager and the Regent of Denmark during the minority of her son. The details of her regency are not known more closely, and it is hard to determine which of the decisions were made by her, and which was made by the council. Peder Nielsen Hoseøl was also very influential in the regency, and she is likely to have received support from her family. In 1290, she financed a granted lime painting in the church St. Bendt's Church in Ringsted, which depicts her in a dominating way. Her son was declared of legal majority in 1293, thus ending her formal regency.

Agnes of Brandenburg

Later life

Married in 1293 to count Gerhard II of Holstein-Plön (d. 1312) with whom she had the son John III, Count of Holstein-Plön. She often visited Denmark also after her second marriage, and it continued to be a second home. She died on 29 September 1304, and was buried in Denmark.

References

• Alf Henrikson: Dansk historia (Danish history) (1989) (Swedish)
• Sven Rosborn (In Swedish): När hände vad i Nordens historia ('When did what happen in the history of the Nordic countries') (1997)
• Dansk Kvindebiografisk Leksikon (In Danish)