List of margraves and electors of Brandenburg

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This article lists the Margraves and Electors of Brandenburg during the period of time that Brandenburg was a constituent state of the Holy Roman Empire.

The Mark, or March, of Brandenburg was one of the primary constituent states of the Holy Roman Empire. It was created in 1157 as the Margraviate of Brandenburg by Albert the Bear, Margrave of the Northern March. In 1356, by the terms of the Golden Bull of Charles IV, the Margrave of Brandenburg was given the permanent right to participate in the election of the Holy Roman Emperor with the title of Elector (German: Kurfürst).

The early rulers came from several different dynasties, but from 1415 Brandenburg and its successor states were ruled by the House of Hohenzollern for over 500 years. From 1618 onward, Brandenburg was ruled in personal union with the Duchy of Prussia. The Hohenzollerns raised Prussia to a kingdom as the Kingdom of Prussia in 1701, and from then on Brandenburg was de facto treated as part of the kingdom even though it was legally still part of the Holy Roman Empire. The titles of Margrave of Brandenburg and Elector of Brandenburg were abolished along with the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, and Brandenburg was formally integrated into Prussia. Despite this, the Prussian kings still included the title "Margrave of Brandenburg" in their royal style. From 1871 to 1918 the Hohenzollerns were also German Emperors.

Ruler		Born	Reign	Death	Ruling part	Consort	Notes
Albert I the Bear		c.1100	1157–1170	18 November 1170	Margraviate of Brandenburg	Sophie of Winzenburg 1124 thirteen children	First Margrave who founded a dynasty in Brandenburg. Ruler of the Northern March from 1134.
Otto I		1128	1170–1184	8 July 1184	Margraviate of Brandenburg	Judith of Poland 1148 two children Ada of Holland 1175 one child	Ruled together with his father since 1144.
Otto II the Generous		c.1150	1184–1205	4 July 1205	Margraviate of Brandenburg	Unmarried	Left no descendants, and the Margraviate went to his brother.
Albert II		1177	1205–1220	25 February 1220	Margraviate of Brandenburg	Matilda of Lusatia (1185–1225) 1205 four children	Brother of the previous.
Regencies of Henry I, Count of Anhalt (1220–25), Albert I, Archbishop of Magdeburg (1220–21), Matilda of Lusatia (1221–25)							Children of Albert II, ruled jointly, but their children divided the margraviate.
John I		1213	1220–1266	4 April 1266	Margraviate of Brandenburg	Sophie of Denmark (1217–1247) 1230 six children Brigitte Jutta of Saxony (d. 4 April 1266) 1230 six children
Otto III the Pious		1215	1220–1267	9 October 1267	Margraviate of Brandenburg	Beatrice of Bohemia 1243 six children
John II		1237	1267–1281	10 September 1281	Margraviate of Brandenburg (at Krossen)	Hedwig of Werle (1243–1287) c.1260 two children	Children of John I. Despite co-rulership between them, they received different parts in the Margraviate to rule (alone or in co-rulership): John II received seat at Krossen; Otto IV received seat at Stendal; Conrad received seat at Neumark, and associated his eldest son in 1286 (who predeceased him).
Otto IV of the Arrow		1238	1267–1308	27 November 1308	Margraviate of Brandenburg (at Stendal)	Heilwig of Holstein-Kiel (d.1305) 1279 no children Judith of Henneberg (d.1315) 1308 no children
Conrad I		1240	1267–1304	1304	Margraviate of Brandenburg (at Neumark)	Constance of Greater Poland 1260 Santok three children
Otto VII		c.1260	1286–1297	1297	Margraviate of Brandenburg (at Neumark)	Unmarried
John III of Prague		1213	1267–1268	4 April 1266	Margraviate of Brandenburg (at Salzwedel)	Unmarried	Children of Otto III. Despite co-rulership between them, they received different parts in the Margraviate to rule (alone or in co-rulership): John III (and then Otto V with Otto VI) received the seat at Salzwedel, from which Otto VI abdicated in 1286; Albert III received a seat in Stargard (which he ruled alone at least from 1284.
Otto V the Tall		1246	1267–1298	1298	Margraviate of Brandenburg (at Salzwedel)	Judith of Henneberg-Coburg (1252–1327) 22 October 1268 four children
Otto VI the Short		3/17 November 1264	1267–1286	6 July 1303	Margraviate of Brandenburg (at Salzwedel)	Hedwig of Habsburg February 1279 Vienna no children
Albert III		c.1250	1267–1300	Between 19 Sept. and 4 Dec. 1300	Margraviate of Brandenburg (at Stargard)	Matilda of Denmark(d.1300) 1268 four children
Conrad II		1261	1281–1308	1308	Margraviate of Brandenburg (at Krossen)	Unmarried	With his childless death his land reverted to Stendal.
Herman the Tall		1275	1298–1308	1 February 1308	Margraviate of Brandenburg (at Salzwedel)	Anne of Austria 1295 Graz four children	Children of Otto V, divided the land. Beatrice's part was then annexed to the Duchy of Świdnica-Jawor.
Beatrice (I)		1270	1298–1316	1316	Margraviate of Brandenburg (at Upper Lusatia)	Bolko I, Duke of Świdnica 4 October 1284 Berlin ten children Władysław, Duke of Bytom 21 September 1308 two children
Beatrice (II)		c.1270	1300–1314	22 September 1314	Margraviate of Brandenburg (at Stargard)	Henry II, Lord of Mecklenburg 1292 Stargard Castle four children	Daughter and heiress of Albert III. Her marriage transferred the Stargard region into the Duchy of Mecklenburg.
John IV		1261	1304–1305	1305	Margraviate of Brandenburg (at Neumark)	Unmarried	Co-ruler of his father since 1291. His childless death reverted his lands to Stendal.
Henry I Lackland		21 March 1256	1308–1318	14 February 1318	Margraviate of Brandenburg (at Delitzsch since 1297; at Stendal since 1308)	Agnes of Bavaria 1303 three children	Younger brother of John II, Otto IV and Conrad I. Started his co-rulership in 1297, receiving seat at Delitzsch; he ended up as successor of his childless elder brother Otto IV.
Regency of Waldemar, Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal (1308–1316)							Children of Herman, divided the land: John V received the core of Salzwedel; Matilda received a seat at Lower Lusatia; Agnes received a seat at Altmark; Jutta received a seat at Coburg. John's childless death left the main core of Salzwedel to be reunited by his regent Valdemar. The remaining possessions were annexed by the respective marriages.
John V the Illustrious		1302	1308–1317	26 March 1317	Margraviate of Brandenburg (at Salzwedel)	Unmarried
Matilda		1296	1308–1329	31 March 1329	Margraviate of Brandenburg (at Lower Lusatia)	Henry IV, Duke of Żagań 5 January 1310 four children
Agnes		1297	1308–1334	27 November 1334	Margraviate of Brandenburg (at Altmark)	Waldemar, Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal 1309 no children Otto, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg 1319 no children
Judith		1301	1308–1353	1353	Margraviate of Brandenburg (at Coburg)	Henry IX, Count of Henneberg-Schleusingen 1 January 1317 or 1 February 1319 five children
Waldemar the Great		1280	1305–1318	14 August 1319	Margraviate of Brandenburg (at Neumark)	Agnes of Brandenburg-Salzwedel (1297-27 November 1334) 1309 no children	Son of Conrad, co-ruled with his uncles since 1308. Left no descendants, and the margraviate went to his underage cousin.
			1318–1319		Margraviate of Brandenburg
Regency of Wartislaw IV, Duke of Pomerania (1319–1320)							Son of Henry I. Died as a minor. After the extinction of the Ascanian dynasty in 1320, Brandenburg came under the control of the Emperor Louis IV of the House of Wittelsbach, who granted Brandenburg to his eldest son, Louis V of Bavaria.
Henry II the Child		1302	1319–1320	26 March 1317	Margraviate of Brandenburg	Unmarried
Sophia		1300	1320–1356	1356	Margraviate of Brandenburg (at Landsberg)	Magnus I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg 1327 eight children	After her death, the Margraviate of Landsberg was annexed to the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg.

Ruler		Born	Reign	Death	Ruling part	Consort	Notes
Louis I the Brandenburger		May 1315	1323–1351	18 September 1361	Margraviate of Brandenburg	Margaret of Denmark 1324 no children Margaret, Countess of Tyrol 10 February 1342 Meran four children	In 1351 his brothers Louis and Otto gave up their inheritance in Bavaria, in exchange for the Electoral dignity in Brandenburg.
Louis II the Roman		7 May 1328	1351–1365	17 May 1365	Margraviate of Brandenburg	Cunigunde of Poland before 1349 no children Ingeborg of Mecklenburg-Schwerin 1360 no children	Elevated in 1356 by the Holy Roman Emperor as First Elector of Brandenburg.
Otto the Lazy		1340/42	1365–1373	15 November 1379	Electorate of Brandenburg	Catherine of Bohemia 19 March 1366 no children	Co-ruler of Brandenburg with his brother from 1351, but as a minor (b. 1346) took no part in administration until his brother's death. Abdicated 1373 but retained Electoral title. Died 1379.

Image	Name	Began	Ended	Comments
	Wenceslaus Wenzel	2 October 1373	29 November 1378	Emperor Charles IV forced the last Wittelsbach Elector to abdicate, and then installed his own son, Wenceslaus. As Wenceslaus was still a minor (b. 1361), the Emperor administered the margraviate for him.
	Sigismund	29 November 1378	1388	Younger brother of Wenceslaus; took control of Brandenburg on his brother's ascension as King of Germany and Bohemia. Gave up Brandenburg to his cousin Jobst as security for a substantial loan.
	Jobst	1388	16 January 1411	Sigismund's first cousin, nephew of Charles IV. Elected as German King in 1410 in opposition to Sigismund, but died very shortly afterwards.
	Sigismund	16 January 1411	30 April 1415	Following Jobst's death, Sigismund regained control of Brandenburg and was elected undisputed King of Germany.

(Note: here, the numbering of the princes is the same for all principalities, as all were titled Margraves of Brandenburg, despite the different parts of land and its particular numbering of the rulers. The princes are numbered by the year of their succession.)

Ruler		Born	Reign	Death	Ruling part	Consort	Notes
Frederick I Friedrich I		21 September 1371	30 April 1415 – 20 September 1440	20 September 1440	Electorate of Brandenburg	Elisabeth of Bavaria-Landshut 18 September 1401 ten children	Originally Burgrave of Nuremberg as Frederick VI. Appointed by King Sigismund in 1415 and enfeoffed in 1417.
			1417–1426		Margraviate of Brandenburg		In spite of being granted with the Electorate in 1415, the Margraviate was only given to him in 1417, which he abdicated to his son in 1426. In 1420 joined all his ancestors' Nurembergian lands with Brandenburg.
John the Alchemist		1406	1426–1440	16 November 1464	Margraviate of Brandenburg	Barbara of Saxe-Wittenberg 1416 four children	Received the Margraviate of Brandenburg from his father. However, after the latter's death, Brandenburg was redivided, and from then on retained Kulmbach. Abdicated 1457.
			1440–1457		Margraviate of Brandenburg-Kulmbach
Frederick II Irontooth Friedrich II Eisenzahn		19 November 1413	20 September 1440 – 10 February 1471	10 February 1471	Margraviate and Electorate of Brandenburg	Catherine of Saxony 11 June 1441 Wittenberg three children	Reunited definitely the Margraviate and the Electorate of Brandenburg; however, his father gave to his brothers the lands of Ansbach and Kulmbach.
Albert I Achilles Albrecht Achilles		9 November 1414	1440–1486	11 March 1486	Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach	Margaret of Baden 1446 four children Anna of Saxony 12 November 1458 Ansbach thirteen children	Received Ansbach after his father's death. In 1457 inherited Kulmbach from his brother John. On the death of his brother in 1471, became Elector.
			1457–1486		Margraviate of Brandenburg-Kulmbach
			10 February 1471 – 11 March 1486		Electorate of Brandenburg
John Cicero Johann Cicero		2 August 1455	11 March 1486 – 9 January 1499	9 January 1499	Electorate of Brandenburg	Margaret of Thuringia 15 August 1476 Berlin six children	Eldest son of Albert Achilles.
Sigismund		27 September 1468	1486–1495	26 February 1495	Margraviate of Brandenburg-Kulmbach	Unmarried	Received Kulmbach after his father's death. Left no descendants, and Kulmbach returned to Ansbach.
Frederick I the Elder		8 May 1460	1486–1536	4 April 1536	Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach	Sophia of Poland 14 February 1479 Frankfurt (Oder) seventeen children	Received Ansbach after his father's death. In 1495 inherited the land of his brother. In 1515 the lands were separated again.
			1495–1515		Margraviate of Brandenburg-Kulmbach
Joachim I Nestor		21 February 1484	9 January 1499 – 11 July 1535	11 July 1535	Electorate of Brandenburg	Elizabeth of Denmark 10 April 1502 Berlin five children
Casimir		27 December 1481	1515–1527	21 September 1527	Margraviate of Brandenburg-Kulmbach	Susanna of Bavaria 25 August 1518 Augsburg five children	Eldest son of Frederick III, received Kulmbach in his father's lifetime.
Regency of George, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach (1527–1541)							Left no descendants, and Kulmbach returned to Ansbach.
Albert II Alcibiades the Warlike		28 March 1522	1527–1557	8 January 1557	Margraviate of Brandenburg-Kulmbach	Unmarried
Joachim II Hector		13 January 1505	11 July 1535 – 3 January 1571	3 January 1571	Electorate of Brandenburg	Magdalena of Saxony 6 November 1524 Dresden six children Hedwig of Poland 29 August/1 September 1535 Kraków six children	First Protestant Elector of Brandenburg.
John		3 August 1513	1535–1571	13 January 1571	Margraviate of Brandenburg-Küstrin	Catherine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel 11 November 1537 Wolfenbüttel two children	Son of Elector Joachim I. The Margraviate of Küstrin was created for him. After his death without male descendants, Küstrin was annexed again to the Electorate.
George I the Pious		4 March 1484	1536–1543	27 December 1543	Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach	Beatrice de Frangepan 21 January 1509 Gyula no children Hedwig of Münsterberg-Oels 9 January 1525 Oleśnica two children Emilie of Saxony 25 August 1533 four children
Regencies of Joachim II Hector, Elector of Brandenburg and Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse (1543–1548), John Frederick I, Elector of Saxony (1543–1547) and Maurice, Elector of Saxony (1547–1548)							In 1557, reunited Kulmbach to Ansbach once more. Left no descendants, and the Margraviates passed to sons of the Elector John George.
George Frederick I the Elder		5 April 1539	1543–1603	25 April 1603	Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach	Elisabeth of Brandenburg-Küstrin 26 December 1558 Küstrin no children Sophie of Brunswick-Lüneburg 3 May 1579 Dresden no children
			1557–1603		Margraviate of Brandenburg-Kulmbach
John George Johann Georg		11 September 1525	3 January 1571 – 8 January 1598	8 January 1598	Electorate of Brandenburg	Sophie of Legnica 15 February 1545 one child Sabina of Brandenburg-Ansbach 12 February 1548 Ansbach eleven children Elisabeth of Anhalt-Zerbst 6 October 1577 Letzlingen eleven children
Joachim Frederick Joachim Friedrich		27 January 1546	8 January 1598 – 18 July 1608	18 July 1608	Electorate of Brandenburg	Catherine of Brandenburg-Küstrin 8 January 1570 Küstrin eleven children Eleanor of Prussia 2 November 1603 Berlin one child
Joachim Ernest		22 June 1583	1603–1625	7 March 1625	Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach	Sophie of Solms-Laubach 1612 Ansbach three children	Son of Elector John George. Received Ansbach
Christian		30 January 1581	1603–1655	30 May 1655	Margraviate of Brandenburg-Bayreuth	Maria of Prussia 29 April 1604 Kulmbach nine children	Son of Elector John George. Received Kulmbach. In 1604 moved the capital of the Margraviate to Bayreuth. From 1604 on, Brandenburg-Kulmbach changed its name to Brandenburg-Bayreuth.
John Sigismund Johann Sigismund		8 November 1572	18 July 1608 – 3 November 1619	23 December 1619	Electorate of Brandenburg	Anna of Prussia 30 October 1594 Königsberg eight children	Duke of Prussia from 1618.
George William I Georg Wilhelm		13 November 1595	3 November 1619 – 1 December 1640	1 December 1640	Electorate of Brandenburg	Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate 24 July 1616 Heidelberg four children	His reign was marked by ineffective governance during the Thirty Years' War. Also Duke of Prussia.
Frederick III		1 May 1616	1625–1634	6 September 1634	Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach	Unmarried	Left no descendants. He was succeeded by his brother.
Albert II		18 September 1620	1634–1667	22 October 1667	Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach	Henriette Louise of Württemberg-Mömpelgard 31 August 1642 Stuttgart three children Sophie Margarete of Oettingen-Oettingen 15 October 1651 Oettingen five children Christine of Baden-Durlach 6 August 1665 Durlach no children
Frederick William I the Great Elector Friedrich Wilhelm		16 February 1620	1 December 1640 – 29 April 1688	29 April 1688	Electorate of Brandenburg	Louise Henriette of Nassau 7 December 1646 The Hague six children Sophia Dorothea of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg 13 July 1668 Gröningen seven children	Also Duke of Prussia.
Christian Ernest		6 August 1644	1655–1712	20 May 1712	Margraviate of Brandenburg-Bayreuth	Erdmuthe Sophie of Saxony 29 October 1662 Dresden no children Sofie Louise of Württemberg 8 February 1671 Stuttgart six children Elisabeth Sophie of Brandenburg 30 March 1703 Potsdam nine children	Son of Erdmann August, son of Christian I.
John Frederick		18 October 1654	1667–1686	22 March 1686	Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach	Johanna Elisabeth of Baden-Durlach 26 January 1673 Durlach five children Eleonore Erdmuthe of Saxe-Eisenach 4 November 1681 Eisenach three children
Council of Regency (1686–1692)							Died as a minor; he was succeeded by his brother.
Christian Albert		18 September 1675	1686–1692	16 October 1692)	Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach	Unmarried
Frederick III Friedrich I		11 July 1657	29 April 1688 – 25 February 1713	25 February 1713	Electorate of Brandenburg	Elisabeth Henriette of Hesse-Kassel 13 August 1679 Potsdam one child Sophia Charlotte of Hanover 8 October 1684 Herrenhausen two children Sophia Louise of Mecklenburg-Schwerin 28 November 1708 Berlin no children	Also Duke of Prussia. In 1701 became the first King in Prussia, as Frederick I.
Electorate and Margraviate of Brandenburg annexed to Prussia
George Frederick II		3 May 1678	1692–1703	29 March 1703	Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach	Unmarried	Died without descendants; he was succeeded by his brother.
Philip William		19 May 1669	1692–1711	19 December 1711	Margraviate of Brandenburg-Schwedt	Johanna Charlotte of Anhalt-Dessau 25 January 1699 Oranienbaum six children	Son of Elector Frederick William I. The Margraviate of Schwedt was created for him.
William Frederick		8 January 1686	1703–1723	7 January 1723	Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach	Christiane Charlotte of Württemberg-Winnental 28 August 1709 Stuttgart three children
Frederick William		17 November 1700	1711–1771	4 March 1771	Margraviate of Brandenburg-Schwedt	Sophia Dorothea of Prussia 10 November 1734 Potsdam five children	Left no male descendants. The title passed to his brother, Frederick Henry.
George William		26 November 1678	1712–1726	18 December 1726	Margraviate of Brandenburg-Bayreuth	Sophie of Saxe-Weissenfels 16 October 1699 Leipzig five children
Regency of Christiane Charlotte of Württemberg-Winnental (1723–1729)
Charles William Frederick the Wild Margrave		12 May 1712	1723–1757	3 August 1757	Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach	Friederike Luise of Prussia 30 May 1729 Berlin two children
George Frederick Charles		30 June 1688	1726–1735	17 May 1735	Margraviate of Brandenburg-Bayreuth	Princess Dorothea of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck 17 April 1709 Reinfeld five children
Frederick		10 May 1711	1735–1763	26 February 1763	Margraviate of Brandenburg-Bayreuth	Wilhelmine of Prussia 17 April 1709 Berlin one child Sophie Caroline of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel 20 September 1759 Brunswick no children	Left no male descendants; the title passed to Frederick Christian, from a collateral Bayreuth line.
Frederick Christian		17 July 1708	1763–1769	20 January 1769	Margraviate of Brandenburg-Bayreuth	Victoria Charlotte of Anhalt-Zeitz-Hoym 26 April 1732 Schaumburg two children	Great-grandson of Christian I and cousin of his predecessors. Left no male descendants; Bayreuth was reunited to Ansbach.
Bayreuth definitively annexed to Ansbach
Charles Alexander		24 February 1736	1757–1791	5 January 1806	Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach	Frederica Caroline of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld 22 November 1754 Coburg no children Elizabeth Craven 13/30 October 1791 Lisbon morganatic no children	In 1769 reunited both Margraviates of Ansbach and Bayreuth.In 1791 sold both Margraviates to the Kingdom of Prussia.
Frederick Henry		21 August 1709	1771–1788	12 December 1788	Margraviate of Brandenburg-Schwedt	Leopoldine Marie of Anhalt-Dessau 13 February 1739 two children	Left no male descendants. Schwedt went back to the Electorate.
Schwedt definitively annexed to Prussia

This includes Kings of Prussia with the title of Margrave of Brandenburg (1806–1918) and pretenders to the throne of Prussia (1918–present)

Margrave	Portrait	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end
Frederick William V Friedrich Wilhelm III		3 August 1770 – 7 June 1840	6 August 1806	7 June 1840
Frederick William VI Friedrich Wilhelm IV		15 October 1795 – 2 January 1861	7 June 1840	2 January 1861
William I Wilhelm I		22 March 1797 – 9 March 1888	2 January 1861	9 March 1888
Frederick VIII Friedrich III		18 October 1831 – 15 June 1888	9 March 1888	15 June 1888
William II Wilhelm II		27 January 1859 – 4 June 1941	15 June 1888	Prussian monarchy abolished on 28 November 1918 4 June 1941
William III Wilhelm III		6 May 1882 – 20 July 1951	4 June 1941	20 July 1951
Louis Ferdinand Ludwig Ferdinand I		9 November 1907 – 26 September 1994	20 July 1951	26 September 1994
George Frederick III Georg Friedrich I		10 June 1976 – present	26 September 1994	Incumbent