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

Dorothea's ancestors in three generations

Dorothea, Abbess of Quedlinburg	Father: Christian I, Elector of Saxony	Paternal Grandfather: Augustus, Elector of Saxony	Paternal Great-grandfather: Henry IV, Duke of Saxony
			Paternal Great-grandmother: Catherine of Mecklenburg
		Paternal Grandmother: Anna of Denmark	Paternal Great-grandfather: Christian III of Denmark
			Paternal Great-grandmother: Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg
	Mother: Sophie of Brandenburg	Maternal Grandfather: John George, Elector of Brandenburg	Maternal Great-grandfather: Joachim II Hector, Elector of Brandenburg
			Maternal Great-grandmother: Magdalena of Saxony
		Maternal Grandmother: Sabina of Brandenburg-Ansbach	Maternal Great-grandfather: George, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach
			Maternal Great-grandmother: Hedwig of Münsterberg-Oels

Dorothea House of Wettin
Regnal titles
Preceded by Maria	Princess-Abbess of Quedlinburg 1610- 1617	Succeeded by Anna Sophia I

Persondata
Name
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	7 January 1591
Place of birth
Date of death	17 November 1617
Place of death