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Frederick I | |
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Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach | |
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Margrave of Ansbach | |
Reign | 1486–1536 |
Predecessor | Albert III |
Successor | George |
Margrave of Kulmbach | |
Reign | 1495–1515 |
Predecessor | Siegmund |
Successor | Kasimir |
Born | Ansbach | 8 May 1460
Died | 4 April 1536 Ansbach | (aged 75)
Spouse | |
Issue |
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House | Hohenzollern |
Father | Albert III, Margrave of Brandenburg |
Mother | Anna of Saxony |
Frederick I of Ansbach and Bayreuth (also known as Frederick V; German: Friedrich V. von Brandenburg-Ansbach-Kulmbach or Friedrich der Ältere; 8 May 1460 – 4 April 1536) was born at Ansbach as the eldest son of Albert III, Margrave of Brandenburg by his second wife Anna, daughter of Frederick II, Elector of Saxony. His elder half-brother was the Elector John Cicero of Brandenburg. Friedrich succeeded his father as Margrave of Ansbach in 1486 and his younger brother Siegmund as Margrave of Bayreuth in 1495.
After depleting the finances of the margraviate with his lavish lifestyle, Frederick I was deposed by his two elder sons, Casimir and George, in 1515. He was then locked up at Plassenburg Castle by his eldest son Casimir in a tower room from which he could not escape for 12 years. Thereupon, his son Casimir took up the rule of the Margraviate of Bayreuth (Kulmbach) and his son George took up the rule of the Margraviate of Ansbach. However, the overthrow of Frederick did outrage his other younger sons and led to far-reaching political countermeasures. When Elector Joachim I of Brandenburg visited Kulmbach during his journey to Augsburg, and wanted to plead for Frederick's release, he was nevertheless denied entry to Plassenburg Castle. The dispute was finally cleared when an agreement was reached in 1522, in which the demands of the younger sons of Frederick were met.