Anna of Veldenz

Countess Palatine Anna of Veldenz (12 November 1540 – 30 March 1586) was Margravine of Baden-Durlach by marriage to Charles II, Margrave of Baden-Durlach, and co-regent of the Margraviate of Baden-Durlach during the minority of her son Ernest Frederick from 1577 to 1584. Life Anna was the eldest child of the Count Palatine Rupert of Veldenz (1506–1544) from his marriage to Ursula (1515–1601), daughter of Wild- and Rhinegrave John VII of Salm-Kyrburg. She married Charles II, Margrave of Baden-Durlach on the first of August 1558 in Heidelberg; it was his second marriage. Like her husband, Anna held a Lutheran faith and the children from both his marriages were also raised as Lutherans. Regency When her husband died, his sons were still minors. Therefore, she acted as guardian and regent from 1577 until her son Ernest Frederick came of age in 1584. Her co-regents were Elector Palatine Louis VI and Duke Louis "the Pious" of Württemberg. In 1584, Baden-Durlach was split: her eldest son Ernest Frederick, received the largest part and became Margrave of Baden-Durlach. Her second son James received Baden-Hachberg and had his residence at Emmendingen. He converted to Catholicism in 1590 and reverted his territory to the Catholic faith. However, a short while later, he died of arsenic poisoning and Baden-Hachberg fell to his brother Ernest Frederick.