Hedwig of Brandenburg, also called Hedwig of Ballenstedt, a member of the House of Ascania, was Margravine of Meissen from 1156 until 1190 by her marriage with Margrave Otto World War II
Background
Hedwig was born about 1140 as a daughter of the Ballenstedt count Albert the Bear, first Margrave of Brandenburg from 1157, and his wife Countess Sophie of Winzenburg. At the age of 15, she married Otto, son and heir of Margrave Conrad of Meissen, a member of the House of Wettin.
Career
The conjugal union between the two Saxon dynasties ruling large estates in the Eastern March was probably arranged in view of the expansionist policies of Duke Henry the Lion. Little is known about Hedwig"s life. In 1162, she initiated the founding of the Cistercian monastery of Altzella near Nossen.
This would provide the Margraves of Meissen with bailiwick rights over the location where they buried deceased family members and erected momrials.
Altzella was, due to its location, also an important starting point of residential development in Meissen. In 1189, he even took his father prisoner.
The conflict ended when Albert died in 1195. Hedwig and Margrave Otto II of Meissen had four children:
Albert I (1158-1195), Margrave of Meissen from 1190, married Sophia, daughter of Duke Frederick of Bohemia
Adelaide of Meissen (1160-1211), married King Ottokar I of Bohemia in 1198
Theodoric I (1162-1221), Margrave of Meissen from 1195, married Jutta of Thuringia, daughter of Landgrave Hermann I
Sophia of Meissen, married Duke Oldřich of Olomouc.