Magdalene of Bavaria

Magdalene of Bavaria (4 July 1587 – 25 September 1628) was a German princess of the House of Wittelsbach who became Countess Palatine of Neuburg and Duchess of Jülich-Berg by marriage. She was born in Munich, Bavaria, the tenth and youngest child of William V, Duke of Bavaria and Renata of Lorraine. Life In 1607 Archduke Matthias of Austria asked the hand of Magdalene in marriage. The initiator of this project was Matthias' consultant Melchior Khlesl, who wanted the Bavarian in the strife between the Archduke and his brother Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor. Although Magdalene's father was inclined to accept this union, her brother Maximilian I refused her hand because he didn't want to be involved into the Austrian dynastic disputes. In 1608 Matthias officially renounced to a Bavarian marriage at the request of his brother. Shortly after, Archduke Leopold V showed interest in Magdalene. In May 1609 Leopold V visited Munich and agreed to renounce his ecclesiastical positions in order to marry Magdalene. During this visit, she developed feelings for her suitor and stated that "for Matthias she didn't have any feelings of affection" and would prefer to become a nun rather than marrying him. Under the pressure of both her father and brother, Magdalene finally accepted in 1613 a marriage of convenience.