Sophia of Thuringia (1224–1284)
Sophia of Thuringia (1224–1284)
German duchess and founder of landgraviate of Hesse. Name variations: Sophie von Thuringen or Thüringen. Born on March 20, 1224; died on May 29, 1284 (some sources cite 1275); daughter of St. Elizabeth of Hungary (1207–1231) and Ludwig IV of Thuringia; niece of Henry Raspe IV of Thuringia; became second wife of Henry II (1207–1248), duke of Brabant (r. 1235–1248), around 1240; children: Elizabeth of Brabant (1243–1261); Henry I (b. 1244), landgrave of Hesse (Henry I was first male ruler of Hesse).
Sophia of Thuringia was born in 1224, the daughter of St. Elizabeth of Hungary (1207–1231) and Ludwig IV of Thuringia, and niece of Henry Raspe IV of Thuringia, a major landowner in Germany. She married Henry II of Brabant around 1240. When Sophia's cousin Henry of Meissen fought against Sophia and Henry over Thuringia, Meissen was triumphant. But Sophia's descendants were given Hesse as a consolation. Henry II's first wife was Marie of Swabia (c. 1201–1235).