Dorothea, Abbess of Quedlinburg

Princess-Abbess Dorothea

Princess Dorothea of Saxony (7 January 1591 - 17 November 1617) reigned as Princess-Abbess of Quedlinburg from 1610 until her death.

Dorothea was born in Dresden to Christian I, Elector of Saxony, and his wife, Princess Sophie of Brandenburg. Her baptism was notably held without the customary exorcism.

Reign

On 18 April 1610, Dorothea was elected successor of Princess-Abbess Maria of Quedlinburg. Vogt and patron of the abbey-principality at the time was Dorothea's brother, Christian II, Elector of Saxony. Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II confirmed her election on 19 July.

Dorothea's relatively short reign was uneventful. She granted additional rights to the town of Quedlinburg and raised the income of preachers and teachers.

The 26-year-old Princess-Abbess died suddenly in Dresden during a visit to her brother. She was buried in Freiberg. As she had not selected her coadjurix, the chapter elected Countess Palatine Anna Sophia of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld.

Ancestry

Family of Dorothea, Abbess of Quedlinburg

16. Albert III, Duke of Saxony (1443-1500) 8. Henry IV, Duke of Saxony (1473-1541) 17. Sidonie of Poděbrady (1449-1510) 4. Augustus, Elector of Saxony (1526-1586) 18. Magnus II, Duke of Mecklenburg (1441-1503) 9. Catherine of Mecklenburg (1487-1561) 19. Sophie of Pomerania, Duchess of Mecklenburg (1460-1504) 2. Christian I, Elector of Saxony (1560-1591) 20. Frederick I of Denmark (1471-1533) 10. Christian III of Denmark (1503-1559) 21. Anna of Brandenburg (1487-1514) 5. Anne of Denmark, Electress of Saxony (1532-1585) 22. Magnus I, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg (1470-1543) 11. Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg (1511-1571) 23. Catherine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, Duchess of Saxe-Lauenburg (1488-1563) 1. Dorothea, Abbess of Quedlinburg 24. Joachim I, Elector of Brandenburg (1484-1535) 12. Joachim II, Elector of Brandenburg (1505-1571) 25. Elizabeth of Denmark, Electress of Brandenburg (1485-1555) 6. John George, Elector of Brandenburg (1525-1598) 26. George, Duke of Saxony (1471-1539) 13. Magdalena of Saxony (1507-1534) 27. Barbara Jagiellon (1478-1534) 3. Sophie of Brandenburg (1568-1622) 28. Frederick I, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach (1460-1536) 14. George, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach (1484-1543) 29. Sophia Jagiellon, Margravine of Brandenburg-Ansbach (1464-1512) 7. Sabina of Brandenburg-Ansbach (1529-1575) 30. Charles I, Duke of Münsterberg-Oels (1476-1536) 15. Hedwig of Münsterberg-Oels (1508-1531) 31. Anna of Sagan (d. 1541)