The Historia vom Leiden, Sterben, Aufferstehung vnd Himelfart Christi of Margarethe, Princess of Anhalt (1473 –1530)

Margarethe, Princess of Anhalt, regent of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau from 1516 until her death, was the first female ruler to have to take a stand on the Reformation. A letter Martin Luther wrote her on Nov 4, 1519 indicates there existed a friendly relationship between them before she broke...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inThe Sixteenth century journal Vol. 51; no. 1; p. 79
Main Author Reinis, Austra
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Chicago University of Chicago Press 01.03.2020
Subjects
16th century
Margarethe, Furstin von Anhalt (1473-1530)
Nobility
Poetry
Protestant Reformation
Religious literature
Royalty
Theology
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Summary:Margarethe, Princess of Anhalt, regent of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau from 1516 until her death, was the first female ruler to have to take a stand on the Reformation. A letter Martin Luther wrote her on Nov 4, 1519 indicates there existed a friendly relationship between them before she broke with him and worked to prevent the Reformation of her territory. Like Luther, Margarethe wrote devotional works, among them her Historia vom Leiden...Christi, a lengthy passion meditation in verse. This work, published posthumously by her son, Georg III of Anhalt, deserves to be ranked as an important and hitherto unrecognized example of the mediating theology of figures like Julius Pflug, Georg Witzel, and Johannes Wild who, before the Council of Trent, sympathized with some of Martin Luther's theological ideas, yet remained loyal to the papacy.
ISSN:0361-0160
2326-0726
DOI:10.1086/SCJ5101004