Elisabeth of Austria, Duchess of Lorraine

For other people named Elisabeth of Austria, see Elisabeth of Austria (disambiguation).

Elisabeth of Austria
Image of Elisabeth from the 15th century
Duchess consort of Lorraine
Tenure	1307–1329
Born	c. 1285 Vienna, Duchy of Austria, Holy Roman Empire
Died	19 May 1353 Nancy, Duchy of Lorraine, Holy Roman Empire
Burial	Königsfelden Monastery, County of Tyrol, Holy Roman Empire
Spouse	Frederick IV, Duke of Lorraine
Issue Among others...	Rudolph, Duke of Lorraine Margaret, Countess of Friburg
House	House of Habsburg
Father	Albert I of Germany
Mother	Elisabeth of Tirol

Elisabeth of Austria (c. 1285 – 19 May 1353), also known as Isabelle, was Duchess of Lorraine as the wife of Duke Frederick IV, and regent of Lorraine during the minority of their son Rudolph from 1329 until 1331. She was also a member of the House of Habsburg.

Life

Elisabeth was the tenth of twelve children to King Albert I of Habsburg and his wife Queen Elisabeth of Gorizia-Tyrol. She was the sister of King Rudolph I of Bohemia, King Frederick the Fair, Leopold I, Duke of Austria, Albert II, Duke of Austria, Otto, Duke of Austria, Agnes, Queen of Hungary and Anna, Margravine of Brandenburg.

Duchess of Lorraine

Elisabeth of Habsburg, daughter of Albert I of Germany.

Elisabeth was betrothed at a young age to one of the sons of Philip IV of France, so her father could make stronger connections with France. On May 25, 1300, Elisabeth's eldest brother Rudolph I of Bohemia married Blanche of France, a daughter of Philip III. After this marriage, Elisabeth's betrothal to one of Philip's sons was scrapped.

Elisabeth was instead married to Frederick IV, Duke of Lorraine. The contract was signed on 6 August 1306 and they married in 1307. From this marriage Elisabeth became Duchess of Lorraine and Frederick was able to support Elisabeth's brother Frederick the Fair, to become Holy Roman Emperor. Elisabeth's husband was captured at the Battle of Mühldorf, where he was fighting for Elisabeth's brother and was released by the King of France. Elisabeth became known as Isabelle in Lorraine.

Regency

Elisabeth outlived Frederick. Frederick left Lorriane to their young son Rudolph and Elisabeth became regent for her son. Her regency lasted from 1329 to 1331. Rudolph married aged only ten to Eleanor of Bar and made his father-in-law Edward I of Bar regent in place of Elisabeth.

Elisabeth died in Nancy, capital of the Duchy of Lorraine, on 19 May 1353 and was buried in the cemetery of the Poor Clare monastery in Königsfelden in the County of Tyrol.

Children

Elisabeth and Frederick were married for twenty two years, in that time the couple had six children:

• Rudolph, Duke of Lorraine (1320 – 26 August 1346), successor of his father
• Frederick, Earl of Luneville
• Margaret (died 9 August 1376), married Jean de Chalon, lord of Auberive (died 1350), then Conrad, count of Friburg, and lastly Ulrich (died 1377), lord of Rappoltstein
• Agnes (died young)
• Theobald (died young)
• Albert (died young)

Many of the couple's children died during childhood, only Rudolph and Margaret lived to adulthood.

Ancestry

Ancestors of Elisabeth of Austria, Duchess of Lorraine

16. Rudolph II, Count of Habsburg 8. Albert IV, Count of Habsburg 17. Agnes of Staufen 4. Rudolf I of Germany 18. Ulrich, Count of Kiburg and Dillingen 9. Heilwig of Kiburg 19. Anna von Zähringen 2. Albert I of Germany 20. Burckhard IV, Count of Hohenburg 10. Burckhard V, Count of Hohenburg 5. Gertrude of Hohenberg 22. Rudolph II, Count Palatine of Tübingen 11. Mechtild of Tübingen 1. Elisabeth of Austria 24. Engelbert III, Count of Gorizia 12. Meinhard I of Gorizia-Tyrol 25. Matilda of Andechs 6. Meinhard, Duke of Carinthia 26. Albert IV, Count of Tyrol 13. Adelaide of Tyrol 27. Uta of Frontenhausen 3. Elisabeth of Tirol 28. Louis I, Duke of Bavaria 14. Otto II Wittelsbach, Duke of Bavaria 29. Ludmilla of Bohemia 7. Elisabeth of Bavaria 30. Henry V, Count Palatine of the Rhine 15. Agnes of the Palatinate 31. Agnes of Hohenstaufen

Sources

• Bogdan, Henry (2007). La Lorraine des Ducs (in French). Perrin.