Maria, Abbess of Quedlinburg

Princess-Abbess Maria

Duchess Maria of Saxe-Weimar (7 October 1571 - 7 March 1610) was Princess-Abbess of Quedlinburg from 1601 until her death.

Born in Weimar, Maria was the daughter of John William, Duke of Saxe-Weimar, and Dorothea Susanne of Simmern.

Princess-Abbess Anna III of Quedlinburg died on 12 May 1601. The provost of the congregation had died of plague and had not been replaced. Dorothea was suggested as Anna III's successor by the guardian of the abbey, her brother, Frederick William I, Duke of Saxe-Weimar. Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II confirmed her election on 2 July.

Her reign was calm. She proved to be unwilling to confront the abbey's protectors, the Dukes of Saxony, which led to the decrease in her own temporal authority. She died suddenly in Halle, Saxony-Anhalt, on her way to Dresden, and was buried in Quedlinburg. She was succeeded by Princess Dorothea of Saxony.

References

• Lorenz, H. (1922). Werdegang von Stift und Stadt Quedlinburg (in German). Quedlinburg.

Ancestry

16. Ernest, Elector of Saxony

8. John, Elector of Saxony

17. Elisabeth of Bavaria-Munich

4. John Frederick I, Elector of Saxony

18. Magnus II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Güstrow

9. Sophie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

19. Sophie of Pomerania-Wolgast

2. John William, Duke of Saxe-Weimar

20. John II, Duke of Cleves

10. John III, Duke of Cleves

21. Matilda of Hesse

5. Sybille of Cleves

22. William IV, Duke of Jülich-Berg

11. Maria of Jülich-Berg

23. Sibylle of Brandenburg

1. Maria, Princess-Abbess of Quedlinburg

24. John I of Pfalz-Simmern

12. John II of Pfalz-Simmern

25. Joanna of Nassau-Saarbrücken

6. Frederick III, Elector Palatine

26. Christopher I, Margrave of Baden-Baden

13. Beatrice of Baden

27. Ottilie of Katzenelnbogen

3. Dorothea Susanne of Simmern

28. Frederick I, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach

14. Casimir, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth

29. Sophia of Poland

7. Marie of Brandenburg-Kulmbach

30. Albert IV, Duke of Bavaria

15. Susanna of Bavaria

31. Kunigunde of Austria