Catherine of Austria (1420–1493)


Catherine of Austria was a member of the House of Habsburg and through marriage Margravine of Baden.

Life

Catherine was a daughter of the Duke Ernest I of Austria and Styria, nicknamed "the Iron" from his marriage to Cymburgis, a daughter of Duke Siemowit IV of Masovia. Catherine's older brother Frederick III was crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 1452. She grew up in Wiener Neustadt, together with her brothers Frederick III and Albert VI.
She married Margrave Charles I of Baden-Baden in Pforzheim 15 July 1447. She brought him a dowry of. She expressed the preservation of her high rank by putting the Austrian coat of arms next to the shield of Baden in her personal coat of arms. after his marriage, Charles I was appointed governor of Further Austria by Archduke Sigismund of Austria and Tyrol. In this position, he became acquainted with Sigismund's councillor Matthäus Hummel.
Catherine outlived her husband, with whom she was joined in tender marriage for 18 years. She became the ancestress of the House of Baden. Her son Christopher left her Hohenbaden Castle as a widow seat and built the New Castle in Baden-Baden for himself.
Catherine died in 1493 and was buried in Baden-Baden.

Issue

From her marriage with Charles I, Catherine had the following children:
  1. Catherine, married on 19 May 1464 to Count George III of Werdenberg-Sargans
  2. Zimburgis, married on 19 December 1468 to Count Engelbert II of Nassau-Dillenburg
  3. Margareta, Abbess in Lichtenthal
  4. Christopher I, Margrave of Baden-Baden
  5. Albert, Margrave of Baden-Hachberg
  6. Frederick, Bishop of Utrecht

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