Katharina of Hanau

Catherine of Hanau (also known as Katharina) (25 January 1408 – 25 September 1460) was the eldest daughter of Reinhard II, who would become the first Count of Hanau in 1429, and his wife, Catherine of Nassau-Beilstein (d. 6 September 1459).

Marriage and issue

Katharina von Hanau was married twice. She first married in 1421, to Count Thomas II of Rieneck (before 1408 – 8 February 1431), 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 had been 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 (d. 5 December 1488), married to Countess Palatine Amalia of Mosbach (1433 – 15 May 1483), a daughter of Count Palatine Otto I of Mosbach
2. Philip the Younger, Count of Lohr, Gemünden, Brückenau and Schildeck (d. 14 July 1497), who joined the clergy, but reverted to a secular state in 1454 and married twice:
   1. Margaret of Eppstein
   2. in 1465 to Anna of Wertheim-Breuberg

After Thomas's 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.

In 1434, Catherine married Count William II of Henneberg-Schleusingen (14 March 1415 – 8 January 1444 in a hunting accident). 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 (12 March 1434 – 26 May 1480), married Duches Margaret of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (1451 – 13 February 1509)
2. Margaret (1437–1491), a nun in the Ilm Convent
3. John II (2 July 1439 – 20 May 1513), from 1472 abbot of Fulda Abbey
4. Berthold XII (b. 9 January 1441), clergyman
5. Berthold XIV (4 March 1443 – 20 April 1495), provost of Bamberg
6. Margaret (10 October 1444 – between 16 February and 3 March 1485), married Count Günther XXXVI of Schwarzburg-Blakenburg (8 July 1439 – 30 December 1503 in Rudolstadt)

Catherine died on 25 September 1460 Maßfeld Castle in Untermaßfeld.

Ancestors