Maleen of Adlkofen
Maleen of Adlkofen (8 October 1507 – 7 September 1578) was regent of the principality of Kollstansze four times between 1535 and 1570. Her life is well-recorded in Notes on Kollstansze, a compendium of letters and self-reflective notes kept by her husband, Conrad von Hemsdorf, during their marriage. Her letters to Conrad also survive.
Early Life
Betrothals
Switch
Marriage
At the Court
First Regency
Second Regency
Third Regency
Fourth Regency
Issue
Later Life
Political Strategy
In Popular Culture
Betrothals
Switch
Marriage
At the Court
First Regency
Second Regency
Third Regency
Fourth Regency
Issue
Later Life
Political Strategy
In Popular Culture
Maleen was born at Hernberg Palace in the Duchy of Adlkofen, a state of the Holy Roman Empire, on the night of 8 October 1507. She was the oldest surviving child of Duke Otto of von der Mark and his wife, Duchess Amalia of Scharrau. Maleen was short in stature, with fair hair, dark eyes, and a fair complexion. She was related, on her maternal side, to the Prince of Scharrau—he was her great-uncle on her mother’s side.
In childhood, Maleen was betrothed several times - twice to princes of Zittau, and once to a duke of Dagmarten.
The longest and most lasting betrothal was to John of Willmars, second son of Prince John of Willmars. It lasted from 1516 - 1522 and was broken off after the deaths of Prince John and his elder son left John as prince, in the same year that Duke Otto died. John was seventeen at the time, and heavily influenced by an uncle who was afraid of being too closely connected to the dangerously unstable Prince of Scharrau.
Maleen was then betrothed to Prince Ludvik of Kollstansze, a match organized by her mother's cousin Frederick, Viscount of Scharrau, who had accompanied her mother to Adlkofen in 1505 when she married. Ludvik had been rejected by nine princesses of Zittau, and Maleen was not in favor of the match, but her uncle wanted the power and protection that the match would bring for Maleen's thirteen-year-old brother, the new duke of Adlkofen.
The longest and most lasting betrothal was to John of Willmars, second son of Prince John of Willmars. It lasted from 1516 - 1522 and was broken off after the deaths of Prince John and his elder son left John as prince, in the same year that Duke Otto died. John was seventeen at the time, and heavily influenced by an uncle who was afraid of being too closely connected to the dangerously unstable Prince of Scharrau.
Maleen was then betrothed to Prince Ludvik of Kollstansze, a match organized by her mother's cousin Frederick, Viscount of Scharrau, who had accompanied her mother to Adlkofen in 1505 when she married. Ludvik had been rejected by nine princesses of Zittau, and Maleen was not in favor of the match, but her uncle wanted the power and protection that the match would bring for Maleen's thirteen-year-old brother, the new duke of Adlkofen.
Maleen departed for Kollstansze in 1525. Among the people who accompanied her were her cousin Frederick, his daughter Adelaide, and his daughter Federica, Adelaide's half-sister, who possibly had schizophrenia. What exactly happened on the trip is unclear, but what is known is that by the time the party arrived in Kollstansze, Frederick had put Adelaide into Maleen's place and was pretending that Maleen was his daughter. It has been suggested that Maleen refused to marry Ludvik and that Frederick forced her to switch places with the more willing Adelaide, although some scholars, including Elizabeth Raye-Muller, who has written a detailed account of Maleen's life, suggest that she had a more active role in arranging the switch. Maleen was presented as "Maleen of Scharrau". Adelaide was married under Maleen's name in October of 1525.
The switch of Maleen and Adelaide would have been seamless had Count Conrad von Hemsdorf, a friend of John of Wilmars, not been at count as an ambassador from Willmars. John had earlier met Maleen, and when Conrad reported details of the exchange, the prince expressed suspicion. Conrad took his suspicions to Frederick, who denied them. Conrad did not reveal the secret. In April of 1526, Maleen and Conrad married after Maleen wrote to John asking him to suggest the match to Frederick.
Maleen served as one of Adelaide’s ladies-in-waiting. She was not treated well by Adelaide or her mother. She shared a room with Federica until her marriage. Adelaide became pregnant quickly, and in October of 1526, when Ludvik was at a summit in Willmars, delivered a stillborn son. Adelaide did not recover well; by November, she was too weak to stand, and she died in early December. With Maleen married, Frederick put Federica into Adelaide’s place. When Ludvik returned to the castle, he found reports that the princess had gone insane.
Ludvik apparently made no effort to get rid of his wife and showed no sign that he noticed a difference in her appearance. Maleen continued to serve as Federica’s lady-in-waiting, apparently with better treatment. She and Conrad also spent much time in Willmars.
Ludvik apparently made no effort to get rid of his wife and showed no sign that he noticed a difference in her appearance. Maleen continued to serve as Federica’s lady-in-waiting, apparently with better treatment. She and Conrad also spent much time in Willmars.
Federica and Ludvik had no issue. By spring of 1534, Ludvik was suffering from what might have been tuberculosis and became concerned about an heir to his territories. He adopted Maleen’s oldest son, eight-year-old Ludvik, as an heir. Prince Ludvik died in the fall of 1534. Federica died the same day. Maleen and Frederick became co-regents for Ludvik, and when Frederick died in the spring of 1535, Maleen sole regent. At that time, she also inherited his title of Marquess of Scharrau.
In 1542, Ludvik reached the age of majority at sixteen and Maleen was relieved as regent. She and Conrad were granted land, although often remained at court. Ludvik married in the spring of 1543. Maleen and Conrad continued to travel between Kollstansze and Willmars.
In 1542, Ludvik reached the age of majority at sixteen and Maleen was relieved as regent. She and Conrad were granted land, although often remained at court. Ludvik married in the spring of 1543. Maleen and Conrad continued to travel between Kollstansze and Willmars.
In 1546, Ludvik began having visions and hearing voices, often staying up all night and pacing. His wife was pregnant at the time and in her confinement period, and Maleen filled in as regent. She continued as regent until Ludvik's death in 1550. At this point, her son Otto became prince, and Maleen again stepped down.
In 1555, Otto had an accident while horseback riding--a branch pierced his skill through one eye socket. It didn't kill him at once, but he was unable to rule. Maleen filled in as regent, to the displeasure of her daughter-in-law's family. Maleen's son Conrad became prince in 1556.
In 1559, Maleen's son Conrad was stabbed to death by his thirteen or fourteen-year-old nephew, Ludvik's son. Ludvik's son apparently did not remember the event after it took place. Henrik rejected the throne, which left Otto's five-year-old son as the heir. Maleen served as regent until 1570, when he reached the age of majority.
Ludvik
Born 30 October 1526
Died 17 November 1550 (aged 24)
married in 1542, Dorothea of Breisig, and had children (Ludvik and Ella)
Ramona
Born 2 October 1527
Died 17 August 1577 (aged 50)
Married in 1550, Otto of Willmars, and had children
Siegmund
Born 17 November 1528
Died 30 December 1528
Otto
Born 9 December 1529
Died 17 April 1556 (aged 27)
Married in 1549, Anna of Olsker, had children (Otto)
Conrad
Born 11 May 1531
Died 9 October 1559 (age 28)
Married in 1552, Barbara of Vallececa, had no children
Ursula
Born 13 October 1533
Died 1600 (aged 67)
Married in 1551, Franz of Zittau, had children
Henrik
Born 1 November 1538
Died 28 November 1599 (aged 61)
Never married; had no children
Margareta
Born 5 May 1540
Died 15 August 1590 (aged 50)
Married in 1557, Frederick of Damgarten, had no surviving children; adopted niece Ella c. 1565
Born 30 October 1526
Died 17 November 1550 (aged 24)
married in 1542, Dorothea of Breisig, and had children (Ludvik and Ella)
Ramona
Born 2 October 1527
Died 17 August 1577 (aged 50)
Married in 1550, Otto of Willmars, and had children
Siegmund
Born 17 November 1528
Died 30 December 1528
Otto
Born 9 December 1529
Died 17 April 1556 (aged 27)
Married in 1549, Anna of Olsker, had children (Otto)
Conrad
Born 11 May 1531
Died 9 October 1559 (age 28)
Married in 1552, Barbara of Vallececa, had no children
Ursula
Born 13 October 1533
Died 1600 (aged 67)
Married in 1551, Franz of Zittau, had children
Henrik
Born 1 November 1538
Died 28 November 1599 (aged 61)
Never married; had no children
Margareta
Born 5 May 1540
Died 15 August 1590 (aged 50)
Married in 1557, Frederick of Damgarten, had no surviving children; adopted niece Ella c. 1565
Maleen died in 1578 at the age of 71 from what may have been cancer—the notes record abdominal and chest pain.
Maleen was a good and often popular ruler of Kollstansze, although rumors of a curse after the violent deaths of her sons diminished her popularity somewhat. She attempted to remedy this through frequent attendance at church and frequent almsgiving among the poor. With the marriage of her daughter Ramona to the son of John of Willmars, she closely bound the two kingdoms--they were unified during her successor Otto's lifetime, after his marriage to his first cousin, Ramona's daughter. She built a strong educational system and facilities for the poor. She dealt strictly with crime--the only example of a full pardon during her reign is the pardon of her grandson Ludvik for the murder of his uncle, her son Prince Conrad.
A fictionalized account is in George Powell's TV show "The Cursed Queen"
An account of Maleen's life is published in Elizabeth Raye-Muller's "The Cursed Queen"
A fictional account of Maleen's life is recorded in Natalie Andrew's "As Alike As Two Suns" , in which Frederick is said to be her uncle, not her cousin, and in which Maleen orchestrates the switch.
Another fictional account is in Laura Gillespie's "A Time Traveler at Court"
Kira Lennox's "The So-Called Mad Kings" tells the story of Maleen's sons
Julie Shipland's "Love Letters" is a translation of Maleen's letters to her husband
An account of Maleen's life is published in Elizabeth Raye-Muller's "The Cursed Queen"
A fictional account of Maleen's life is recorded in Natalie Andrew's "As Alike As Two Suns" , in which Frederick is said to be her uncle, not her cousin, and in which Maleen orchestrates the switch.
Another fictional account is in Laura Gillespie's "A Time Traveler at Court"
Kira Lennox's "The So-Called Mad Kings" tells the story of Maleen's sons
Julie Shipland's "Love Letters" is a translation of Maleen's letters to her husband