Sidonie of Saxony
| Sidonie of Saxony | |
|---|---|
| Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg Princess of Calenberg-Göttingen |
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Oil painting by Lucas Cranach the Elder
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| Tenure | 1545-1573 |
| Born |
8 March 1518 Meissen |
| Died | 4 January 1575 (aged 56) Weißenfels |
| Burial | Freiberg Cathedral |
| Spouse | Eric II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg |
| House | Wettin |
| Father | Henry IV, Duke of Saxony |
| Mother | Catherine of Mecklenburg |
| Religion | Lutheranism |
Sidonie of Saxony (also: Sidonia; 8 March 1518, Meissen – 4 January 1575, Weißenfels) was a princess of the House of Wettin and by marriage Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Princess of Calenberg-Göttingen.
Sidonie was the daughter of the Duke Henry IV of Saxony (1473–1541) from his marriage to Catherine (1487–1561), daughter of the Duke Magnus II of Mecklenburg. Her brothers were Elector Maurice of Saxony and August; her sister Sibylle was from 1540 by marriage Duchess of Saxe-Lauenburg; her sister Aemilia was from 1533 by marriage Margravine of Brandenburg-Ansbach.
Sidonie married on 17 May 1545 Duke Eric II of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1528–1584), who was ten years her junior. The wedding ceremony was held in Hann. Münden without the usual pomp and circumstance.
Initially, they liked each other. Eric had been engaged to Agnes of Hesse. When the marriage was negotiated at the court in Kassel, however, he had met Sidonie. He liked her, and broke off the engagement with Agnes, in order to marry Sidonie. Landgrave Philip I of Hesse predicted: "All sorts of things will happen inside this marriage after the kissing month ends.".
Two years into the marriage, in 1547, Duke Eric began his rule and reconverted to the Catholic faith, after the Reformation had been introduced to his Duchy in 1542. Despite her husband's pleas, Sidonie held on to her Lutheran faith. They had financial problems and the marriage remained childless marriage, and soon their relationship took a very unfortunate course.
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