Magdalena von Brandenburg

A Clarification

Magdalena is variously described as Magdalena von Zollern, von Nürnberg or von Brandenburg, all three of which are correct. She is also sometimes referred to incorrectly as a Hohenzollern.

She is the descendant of Friedrich I, Graf von Zollern (+c.1125), founder of the House of Hohenzollern. Friedrich’s grandson, also Friedrich became first Burggraf von Nürnberg through his marriage to Sofie von Raabs, heiress of the last of the old Burggraves of Nürnberg.

He left two sons, Friedrich and Konrad.

Friedrich (1188-1251/5) continued the von Zollern and, subsequently, von Hohenzollern line.

Konrad (+1260/1) continued the Nürnberg line and, as Magdalena is his descendant, she is not a Hohenzollern as such.

Further down this line, Friedrich VI Burggraf von Nürnberg (1398-1412) became Kurfürst von Brandenburg (1412-40) after Emperor Sigismund pawned the Mark of Brandenburg to him in 1411. Unable to redeem it, the Emperor installed Friedrich as Friedrich I, Markgraf and Kurfürst (Elector) of Brandenburg.

Johann "der Alchemist" renounced his rights of succession as Burggraf von Nürnberg and Kurfürst von Brandenburg and his natural son, Fritz (Knighted around 1456), father of Magdalena, may have adopted von Brandenburg as surname.