Hedvig of Holstein

For the Queen of Sweden (1276–1290), see Helvig of Holstein.

Hedvig of Holstein^[1] (German: Heilwig,^[2] Danish: Hedevig; 1398–1436) was a duchess of Schleswig and a countess of Holstein from the family of Schauenburg. She was the mother of King Christian I of Denmark and ancestor of the Danish Royal houses of Oldenburg and Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg. ^[3][4]

Hedvig of Holstein
Countess of Oldenburg
Born	1398
Died	1436 (aged 37–38)
Buried	St. Lambert's Church in Oldenburg
Noble family	House of Schauenburg
Spouse(s)	Balthasar of Mecklenburg Dietrich of Oldenburg
Issue	King Christian I of Denmark Maurice V of Delmenhorst Gerhard VI, Count of Oldenburg Adelheid, Countess of Hohenstein and Mansfeld
Father	Gerhard VI of Holstein-Rendsburg
Mother	Catherine Elisabeth of Brunswick-Lüneburg

Biography

She was a daughter of Gerhard VI of Holstein-Rendsburg and his wife, Catherine Elisabeth of Brunswick-Lüneburg. Her brother was Adolf VIII/I, Count of Holstein/Duke of Schleswig. Through their father, they were cognatic descendants of King Eric V of Denmark (1249–1286) while through their mother, they were cognatic descendants of King Abel of Denmark (1218–1252).^[5] Through their father, they were also descendants of King Magnus III of Sweden.

On 18 April 1417 Hedvig was married to Prince Balthasar of Mecklenburg, who died of the plague in 1421. In 1423 she was married to Dietrich, Count of Oldenburg. From her second marriage she had the following children:

• Christian I of Denmark (1426–1481), who succeeded his father as Count of Oldenburg and Delmenhorst. In 1448, he was elected King of Denmark. He also inherited the counties of Schleswig and Holstein upon the death of his childless uncle, Adolf VIII.^[6]
• Maurice V of Delmenhorst (1428–1464); when his elder brother became king, he was given the County of Delmenhorst.
• Gerhard VI of Oldenburg (1430–1500); when his eldest brother had become king, he was given the county of Oldenburg, and from his other brother's heirs he also inherited Delmenhorst in about 1483.
• Adelheid of Oldenburg (1425–1475); first married Ernest III, Count of Hohenstein (died 1454) and then in 1474 Gerhard VI, Count of Mansfeld (died 1492).

References

1. "Christian I". Britannica. 2024-04-18. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
2. "Christian I." Deutsche Biographie (in German). Retrieved 2024-04-30.
3. "Christian (Christiern) I, 1426-81, Konge". Dansk biografisk Lexikon. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
4. . danmarkskonger.dk. Archived from the original on October 23, 2015. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
5. "Erik 5. Klipping, 1249-1286". Danmarks Historie. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
6. "Christian I. (König von Dänemark, Norwegen und Schweden)". Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie. Retrieved August 1, 2020.

Other Sources

• "Christian I 2019". Britannica Library. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
• Hartmut Platte (2006) Das Haus Oldenburg (Börde-Verlag, Werl) ISBN 3-9810315-4-7

Ancestry

Ancestors of Hedvig of Holstein

8. Gerhard III, Count of Holstein-Rendsburg 4. Henry II, Count of Holstein-Rendsburg 9. Sophie of Mecklenburg-Werle 2. Gerhard VI, Count of Holstein-Rendsburg 10. Albert II, Duke of Mecklenburg 5. Ingeborg of Mecklenburg 11. Euphemia of Sweden 1. Hedvig of Holstein 12. Magnus I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg 6. Magnus II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg 13. Sophie of Brandenburg 3. Catherine Elisabeth of Brunswick-Lüneburg 14. Bernhard III, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg 7. Catherine of Anhalt-Bernburg 15. Agnes of Saxe-Wittemberg

Danish royal descent

Valdemar II

Christopher I

Abel

Eric V

Sophie

Richenza

Bernhard II

Sophie

Bernhard III

Henry II

Catherine

Gerhard VI

Catherine Elisabeth

Hedvig of Holstein

House of Oldenburg

See also

• Counts of Schauenburg and Holstein