Frederick II, Elector of Brandenburg

This article is about Frederick II of Brandenburg. See Frederick II for other rulers

Frederick II (Friedrich II.; 19 November, 1413 - 10 February, 1471), nicknamed "the Iron" (der Eiserne) and sometimes "Irontooth" (Eisenzahn), was a Prince-elector of the Margraviate of Brandenburg from 1440 until his abdication in 1470, and was a member of the House of Hohenzollern.

Biography

Frederick II was born in Tangermünde to Frederick I, Brandenburg's first Hohenzollern ruler, and his wife Elizabeth of Bavaria-Landshut. His maternal grandparents were Frederick, Duke of Bavaria and Maddalena Visconti. The latter was a daughter of Bernabò Visconti and Beatrice della Scala.

Frederick II brothers included John the Alchemist, and Albert Achilles, both of whom also ruled Brandenburg as margraves.

In 1421, at age 8, Frederick was betrothed to Princess Jadwiga of Lithuania; but she died on 8 December, 1431, before the marriage could take place. She was purportedly poisoned by her stepmother Sophia of Halshany.

On 11 June, 1441, Frederick II married Katharina of Saxony, a daughter of Frederick I, Elector of Saxony and Katharina Braunschweig-Lüneburg. They had four children:

Dorothea of Brandenburg (c. 1446 - March, 1519). Married John V, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg.
Margaret of Brandenburg (c. 1450 - 1489). Married Boguslaw X, Duke of Pomerania.
John of Brandenburg (1452 - 1454).
Erasmus von Brandenburg (c. 1453 - 1465).