This article lists the Margraves and Electors of Brandenburg during the time when Brandenburg was a constituent state of the Holy Roman Empire.
The Mark, or march, of Brandenburg was one of the primary constituent states of the Holy Roman Empire. It was created in 1157 as the Margraviate of Brandenburg by Albert the Bear, Margrave of the Northern March. In 1356, by the terms of the Golden Bull of Charles IV, the Margrave of Brandenburg was given the permanent right to participate in the election of the Holy Roman Emperor with the title of Elector ().
The early rulers came from several different dynasties, but from 1415 Brandenburg and its successor states were ruled by the House of Hohenzollern for over 500 years. From 1618 onward, Brandenburg was ruled in personal union with the Duchy of Prussia. The Hohenzollerns raised Prussia to a kingdom as the Kingdom of Prussia in 1701, and from then on Brandenburg was de facto treated as part of the kingdom even though it was legally still part of the Holy Roman Empire. The titles of Margrave of Brandenburg and Elector of Brandenburg were abolished along with the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, and Brandenburg was formally integrated into Prussia. Despite this, the Prussian kings still included the title "Margrave of Brandenburg" in their royal style. From 1871 to 1918, the Hohenzollerns were also German Emperors.
Margraves and Electors of Brandenburg House of Ascania
Partitions of Brandenburg under Ascanian rule + Margraviate of Brandenburg(1157-1266/1267)Krossen(1266–1308)Stendal(1266–1318)Neumark(1266–1318)Salzwedel(1267–1317)Stargard(1267–1316) Margraviate of Brandenburg(Neumark then Stendal lines)(1318–1320)Annexed to theDuchy of Mecklenburg
Table of rulers RulerBornReignDeathRuling partConsortNotes Albert I the Bear c.11001157–117018 November 1170Margraviate of BrandenburgSophie of Winzenburg1124thirteen childrenFirst Margrave who founded a dynasty in Brandenburg. Ruler of the Northern March from 1134. Otto I 11281170–11848 July 1184Margraviate of BrandenburgJudith of Poland1148two childrenAda of Holland1175one childRuled together with his father since 1144. Otto II the Generous c.11501184–12054 July 1205Margraviate of BrandenburgUnmarriedLeft no descendants, and the Margraviate went to his brother. Albert II 11771205–122025 February 1220Margraviate of BrandenburgMatilda of Lusatia(1185–1225)1205four childrenBrother of the previous.Regencies of Henry I, Count of Anhalt (1220–1225), Albert I, Archbishop of Magdeburg (1220–1221), Matilda of Lusatia (1221–1225)Children of Albert II, ruled jointly, but their children divided the margraviate. John I 12131220–12664 April 1266Margraviate of BrandenburgSophie of Denmark(1217–1247)1230six childrenBrigitte Jutta of Saxony(d. 4 April 1266)1230six children Otto III the Pious 12151220–12679 October 1267Margraviate of BrandenburgBeatrice of Bohemia1243six children John II 12371267–128110 September 1281Margraviate of Brandenburg(at Krossen)Hedwig of Werle(1243–1287)c. 1260two childrenChildren of John I. Despite co-rulership between them, they received different parts in the Margraviate to rule (alone or in co-rulership): John II received a seat at Krossen; Otto IV received a seat at Stendal; Conrad received a seat at Neumark and associated his eldest son in 1286 (who predeceased him). Otto IV of the Arrow 12381267–130827 November 1308Margraviate of Brandenburg(at Stendal)Heilwig of Holstein-Kiel(d. 1305)1279no childrenJudith of Henneberg(d. 1315)1308no children Conrad I 12401267–13041304Margraviate of Brandenburg(at Neumark)Constance of Greater Poland1260Santokthree children Otto VII c. 12601286–12971297Margraviate of Brandenburg(at Neumark)Unmarried John III of Prague12131267–12684 April 1266Margraviate of Brandenburg(at Salzwedel)UnmarriedChildren of Otto III. Despite co-rulership between them, they received different parts in the Margraviate to rule (alone or in co-rulership): John III (and then Otto V with Otto VI) received the seat at Salzwedel, from which Otto VI abdicated in 1286; Albert III received a seat in Stargard (which he ruled alone at least from 1284. Otto V the Tall 12461267–12981298Margraviate of Brandenburg(at Salzwedel)Judith of Henneberg-Coburg(1252–1327)22 October 1268four children Otto VI the Short3/17 November 12641267–12866 July 1303Margraviate of Brandenburg(at Salzwedel)Hedwig of HabsburgFebruary 1279Viennano children Albert IIIc. 12501267–1300Between19 September and 4 December 1300Margraviate of Brandenburg(at Stargard)Matilda of Denmark(d. 1300)1268four children Conrad II 12611281–13081308Margraviate of Brandenburg(at Krossen)UnmarriedWith his childless death his land reverted to Stendal. Herman the Tall 12751298–13081 February 1308Margraviate of Brandenburg(at Salzwedel)Anne of Austria1295Grazfour children Children of Otto V, divided the land. Beatrice's part was then annexed to the Duchy of Świdnica-Jawor. Beatrice (I) 12701298–13161316Margraviate of Brandenburg(at Upper Lusatia)Bolko I, Duke of Świdnica4 October 1284Berlinten childrenWładysław, Duke of Bytom21 September 1308two children Beatrice (II) c.12701300–131422 September 1314Margraviate of Brandenburg(at Stargard)Henry II, Lord of Mecklenburg1292Stargard Castlefour children Daughter and heiress of Albert III. Her marriage transferred the Stargard region into the Duchy of Mecklenburg. John IV12611304–13051305Margraviate of Brandenburg(at Neumark)UnmarriedCo-ruler of his father since 1291. His childless death reverted his lands to Stendal. Henry I Lackland 21 March 12561308–131814 February 1318Margraviate of Brandenburg(at Delitzsch since 1297; at Stendal since 1308)Agnes of Bavaria1303three childrenYounger brother of John II, Otto IV and Conrad I. Started his co-rulership in 1297, receiving seat at Delitzsch; he ended up as successor of his childless elder brother Otto IV. Regency of Waldemar, Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal (1308–1316) Children of Herman, divided the land: John V received the core of Salzwedel; Matilda received a seat at Lower Lusatia; Agnes received a seat at Altmark; Jutta received a seat at Coburg.
John's childless death left the main core of Salzwedel to be reunited by his regent, Valdemar. The remaining possessions were annexed by the respective marriages. John V the Illustrious 13021308–131726 March 1317Margraviate of Brandenburg(at Salzwedel)Unmarried Matilda 12961308–132931 March 1329Margraviate of Brandenburg(at Lower Lusatia)Henry IV, Duke of Żagań5 January 1310four children Agnes12971308–133427 November 1334Margraviate of Brandenburg(at Altmark)Waldemar, Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal1309no childrenOtto, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg1319no children Judith13011308–13531353Margraviate of Brandenburg(at Coburg)Henry IX, Count of Henneberg-Schleusingen1 January 1317 or 1 February 1319five children Waldemar the Great 12801305–131814 August 1319Margraviate of Brandenburg(at Neumark)Agnes of Brandenburg-Salzwedel(1297-27 November 1334)1309no children Son of Conrad, co-ruled with his uncles since 1308. Left no descendants, and the margraviate went to his underage cousin.1318–1319Margraviate of BrandenburgRegency of Wartislaw IV, Duke of Pomerania (1319–1320) Son of Henry I. Died as a minor. After the extinction of the Ascanian dynasty in 1320, Brandenburg came under the control of the Emperor Louis IV of the House of Wittelsbach, who granted Brandenburg to his eldest son, Louis V of Bavaria. Henry II the Child 13021319–132026 March 1317Margraviate of BrandenburgUnmarried Sophia 13001320–13561356Margraviate of Brandenburg(at Landsberg)Magnus I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg1327eight children After her death, the Margraviate of Landsberg was annexed to the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg.
House of Wittelsbach
RulerBornReignDeathRuling partConsortNotesLouis I the BrandenburgerMay 13151323–135118 September 1361Margraviate of BrandenburgMargaret of Denmark1324one childMargaret, Countess of Tyrol10 February 1342Meranfour children In 1351, his brothers Louis and Otto gave up their inheritance in Bavaria, in exchange for the Electoral dignity in Brandenburg.Louis II the Roman7 May 13281351–136517 May 1365Margraviate of BrandenburgCunigunde of Polandbefore 1349no childrenIngeborg of Mecklenburg-Schwerin1360no childrenElevated in 1356 by the Holy Roman Emperor as First Elector of Brandenburg.Otto the Lazy1340/13421365–137315 November 1379Electorate of BrandenburgCatherine of Bohemia19 March 1366no childrenCo-ruler of Brandenburg with his brother from 1351, but as a minor (b. 1346) took no part in administration until his brother's death. Abdicated in 1373 but retained the Electoral title. Died 1379.
Luxembourg Dynasty
Image Name Began Ended Comments WenceslausWenzel 2 October 1373 29 November 1378 Emperor Charles IV forced the last Wittelsbach Elector to abdicate, and then installed his own son, Wenceslaus. As Wenceslaus was still a minor (b. 1361), the Emperor administered the margraviate for him. Sigismund 29 November 1378 1388 Younger brother of Wenceslaus; took control of Brandenburg on his brother's ascension as King of Germany and Bohemia. Gave up Brandenburg to his cousin Jobst as security for a substantial loan. Jobst 1388 16 January 1411 Sigismund's first cousin, nephew of Charles IV. Elected as German King in 1410 in opposition to Sigismund, but died very shortly afterwards. Sigismund 16 January 1411 30 April 1415 Following Jobst's death, Sigismund regained control of Brandenburg and was elected undisputed King of Germany.
House of Hohenzollern
Partitions of Brandenburg under Hohenzollern rule + Electorate of Brandenburg(1415–1440) Margraviate of Brandenburg(under Luxemburg rule) Margraviate of Brandenburg(1417–1440)Electorate of Brandenburg and Margraviate of Brandenburg-Brandenburg(1440–1618)Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach(1440–1791)Margraviate of Brandenburg-Kulmbach(1st creation)(1440–1457) Margraviate of Brandenburg-Kulmbach(2nd creation)(1486–1495) Margraviate of Brandenburg-Kulmbach(3rd creation)(1515–1557) Margraviate of Brandenburg-Küstrin(1535–1571) Margraviate of Brandenburg-Bayreuth(changed seat from Kulmbach to Bayreuth)(1603–1769)Electorate of Brandenburg, Duchy of Prussia and Margraviate of Brandenburg-Brandenburg(1618–1701) Margraviate of Brandenburg-Schwedt(1692–1788)Electorate of Brandenburg and Kingdom of Prussia(1701–1806) Kingdom of Prussia(1806–1918)
Table of rulers (Note: here, the numbering of the princes is the same for all principalities, as all were titled Margraves of Brandenburg, despite the different parts of land and their particular numbering of the rulers. The princes are numbered by the year of their succession.)