Princess Sophia Dorothea of Prussia

Princess Sophia Dorothea of Prussia (German: Sophia Dorothea Marie von Preußen; 25 January 1719 – 13 November 1765) was the ninth child and fifth daughter of Frederick William I of Prussia and Sophia Dorothea of Hanover. By marriage, she was a Margravine of Brandenburg-Schwedt.

Sophia Dorothea of Prussia
Portrait by Antoine Pesne, c. 1731
Margravine consort of Brandenburg-Schwedt
Tenure	10 November 1734 – 13 November 1765
Born	(1719-01-25)25 January 1719 Berlin
Died	13 November 1765(1765-11-13) (aged 46) Schwedt
Burial	Berlin Cathedral
Spouse	Frederick William, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt ​ ​ (m. 1734)​
Issue	Sophia Dorothea, Duchess of Württemberg Elisabeth Louise, Princess Augustus Ferdinand of Prussia Prince Georg Philipp Philippine, Landgravine of Hesse-Kassel Prince Georg Philipp Wilhelm
Names German: Sophia Dorothea Marie
House	Hohenzollern
Father	Frederick William I of Prussia
Mother	Sophia Dorothea of Hanover

Biography

Marriage and children

On 10 November 1734 in Potsdam, Sophia Dorothea married her Hohenzollern kinsman Frederick William, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt, son of Philip William, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt, and Princess Johanna Charlotte of Anhalt-Dessau, daughter of John George II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau. They had five children:

• Princess Friederike of Brandenburg-Schwedt (18 December 1736 – 9 March 1798); married Frederick II Eugene, Duke of Württemberg.
• Princess Anna Elisabeth Louise of Brandenburg-Schwedt (22 April 1738 – 10 February 1820); married her uncle Prince Augustus Ferdinand of Prussia.
• Prince Georg Philipp of Brandenburg-Schwedt (10 September 1741 – 28 April 1742)
• Princess Philippine of Brandenburg-Schwedt (10 October 1745 – 1 May 1800); married Frederick II, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel.
• Prince Georg Philipp Wilhelm of Brandenburg-Schwedt (3 May 1749 – 13 August 1751)

Frederick William was 19 years older than the princess and he was called the "mad Margrave" because of his pranks and rude manners. Their relationship was not happy, and eventually they lived in separate places: Sophie lived in the castle Montplaisir near the residence, and the Margrave lived in the castle of Schwedt. They only reconciled during Sophie's terminal illness, when she died in the Margrave's arms. She did not, reportedly, have the same spiritual interests of her siblings, Frederick the Great, King of Prussia and Louisa Ulrika, Queen of Sweden. The Margraviate of Schwedt was only a small holding, but enjoyed a prosperous economy due to immigrant Huguenots.

Ancestry

Ancestors of Princess Sophia Dorothea of Prussia[1]

16. George William, Elector of Brandenburg 8. Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg 17. Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate 4. Frederick I of Prussia 18. Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange 9. Louise Henriette of Orange-Nassau 19. Amalia of Solms-Braunfels 2. Frederick William I of Prussia 20. George, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (=24, 28) 10. Ernest Augustus, Elector of Hanover (=12) 21. Anne Eleonore of Hesse-Darmstadt (=25, 29) 5. Sophia Charlotte of Hanover 22. Frederick V, Elector Palatine (=26) 11. Sophia of the Palatinate (=13) 23. Elizabeth Stuart (=27) 1. Princess Sophia Dorothea of Prussia 24. George, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (=20, 28) 12. Ernest Augustus, Elector of Hanover (=12) 25. Anne Eleonore of Hesse-Darmstadt (=21, 29) 6. George I of Great Britain 26. Frederick V, Elector Palatine (=22) 13. Sophia of the Palatinate (=11) 27. Elizabeth Stuart (=23) 3. Sophia Dorothea of Hanover 28. George, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (=20,24) 14. George William, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg 29. Anne Eleonore of Hesse-Darmstadt (=21,25) 7. Sophia Dorothea of Celle 30. Alexandre Desmier, Seigneur d'Olbreuse 15. Éléonore Desmier d'Olbreuse 31. Jacquette Poussard du Bas-Vandré