Duchess Sophia of Saxe-Weissenfels

Sophia of Saxe-Weissenfels (also: Sophie; 23 June 1654 in Halle an der Saale – 31 March 1724 in Zerbst) was a member of the Albertine branch of the House of Wettin, and a princess ofSaxe-Weissenfels and Querfurt by birth and by marriage Princess of Anhalt-Zerbst.

Sophia was the third daughter of the Duke August of Saxe-Weissenfels and his wife Anna Maria of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, daughter of Duke Adolf Frederick I of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.She was named after her paternal great-grandmother, Sophie of Brandenburg, Electress of Saxony.

She married on 18 June 1676 in Halle with Karl William, a son of John VI, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst from his marriage to Sophie Auguste of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp.Unlike most royal couples of the era, Charles William and Sophia shared a bedroom in their new baroque palace.This suggests that they may have married out of love.

They had the following children:

• John Augustus (1677–1742), Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
• Charles Augustus (born: July 2, 1678 in Zerbst, died: 1 September 1693 ibid), Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
• Magdalena Augusta (1679–1740), Princess of Anhalt-Zerbst

married Frederick II, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg

Sophia died at the age of 69 years in her rooms at Zerbst Castle and was buried on 7 June 1724 in the princely tomb in the St. Bartholomew's Church in Zerbst.In 1899 Duke Duke Frederick I of Anhalt, ordered the implementation of a princely family vault in the Castle Church in Zerbst Castle.After the destruction of the castle in 1945, the remains of the damaged coffins were transferred back to St. Bartholomew.

• Publications by or about Sophia of Saxe-Weissenfels, Princess of Anhalt-Zerbst at VD 17
• Entry in ThePeerage.com
• Johann Hübner's ... Three hundred and thirty-three Genealogical Tables, Table 170
• Schloss-Zerbst.de