In 1568, Gandersheim Abbey turned Protestant, under pressure from Julius.

In 1582, Julius abandoned this plan and started looking around for a suitable husband from Elisabeth.

Elisabeth married for the first time on 6 May 1583 in Wolfenbütel to Count Adolph XIV of Holstein-Schauenburg (1547–1601), son of Otto IV of Schaumburg.

After Adolph's death, she remarried on 28 October 1604 at Harburg Castle to Duke Christopher of Brunswick-Harburg (1570–1606).

From 1609 to 1617, Elisabeth lived in Bremen, at the expense of the town of Harburg.