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- BIOGRAPHY
Anna was born on 7 March 1437, the daughter of Friedrich II 'der Sanftmütige', Kurfürst von Sachsen, and Margarethe of Austria.
On 12 November 1458 in Ansbach, Anna became the second wife of Albrecht Achilles of Brandenburg, a younger son of Friedrich I, Kurfürst von Brandenburg, and Elisabeth von Bayern-Landshut, who would later become Elector (Kurfürst) of Brandenburg. To further cement the tie between the house of Wettin and the house of Hohenzollern, the marriage contract also planned a marriage between Anna's brother Albrecht III and Albrecht Achilles' daughter Ursula from his first marriage, but both instead married children of Georg Podiebrad, king of Bohemia.
Anna and Albrecht Achilles had thirteen children of whom a son Friedrich and three daughters would have progeny. As her widow's seat, Anna received Hoheneck Castle and district, plus Leutershausen and Colmberg. Through her marriage she became stepmother to Albrecht Achilles' children from his earlier marriage with Margarete von Baden. At the time of Anna's marriage, Albrecht Achilles held all the Franconian possessions of the Hohenzollerns. In 1470 he also inherited the electorate of Brandenburg. In 1473 Anna agreed to a new house law, which made Mark Brandenburg indivisible, but allowed the Franconian possessions to be shared among several sons. This meant that Johann Cicero, Albrecht Achilles' son from his first marriage, would become Elector of Brandenburg, but Anna's two sons would inherit the Franconian possessions.
Albrecht Achilles specified in his will that Anna was entitled to income and residency in Neustadt an der Aisch, Erlangen, Dachsbach, Baiersdorf and Liebenow. Her sons, however, would retain sovereignty over these territories. Anna survived her husband by 26 years and resided mostly in Neustadt an der Aisch, where she maintained a relatively luxurious court.
Anna died on 31 October 1512, and was buried in Heilsbronn Abbey. The memorial on her tomb is still preserved.
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