Katharina of Hanau


Catherine of Hanau also known as Katharina was a German regent. She was the regent of the County of Rieneck during the minority of her son from 1431 until 1434. She was the eldest daughter of Reinhard II, who would become the first Count of Hanau in 1429, and Catherine of Nassau-Beilstein.

Countess of Rieneck

She first married in 1421, to Count Thomas II of Rieneck, who was twice a widower at that time, having been married before to Elisabeth of Henneberg and to Elisabeth of Castell. His first two marriages were childless. Catherine and Thomas were engaged on 14 October 1419. After their marriage, the pair resided at Wildenstein Castle.
They had the following children:
  1. Philip the Elder, Count of Grünsfeld, Lauda and Wildenstein, married to Countess Palatine Amalia of Mosbach, a daughter of Count Palatine Otto I of Mosbach
  2. Philip the Younger, Count of Lohr, Gemünden, Brückenau and Schildeck, who joined the clergy, but reverted to a secular state in 1454 and married Margaret of Eppstein and then in 1465 to Anna of Wertheim-Breuberg.

    Regency

After Thomas' death, Catherine became the guardian of her children, who were still minors. When she remarried, the guardianship and regency of Rieneck were taken up by her brother Reinhard III.

Countess of Henneberg-Schleusingen

In 1434, Catherine married Count William II of Henneberg-Schleusingen. Catherine and William were engaged on 17 May 1432. On 15 June 1432, Catherine renounced her claim on the County of Rieneck, in exchange for 8000 guilders. From her husband, she received a dowry of 16000 guilder, which was secured with the district and castle of Mainberg Castle, near Schweinfurt.
Catherine and William had the following children:
  1. William III, married Duches Margaret of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
  2. Margaret, a nun in the Ilm Convent
  3. John II, from 1472 abbot of Fulda Abbey
  4. Berthold XII, clergyman
  5. Berthold XIV, provost of Bamberg
  6. Margaret, married Count Günther XXXVI of Schwarzburg-Blakenburg
Catherine died on 25 September 1460 Massfeld Castle in Untermassfeld.

Ancestors