Francis Charles of Saxe-Lauenburg
Encyclopedia
Francis Charles of Saxe-Lauenburg (born: 2 May 1591; died: 30 November 1660 in Neuhaus
) was a prince of Saxe-Lauenburg and a general during the Thirty Years' War
.
(1547–1619) from his second marriage to Maria
(1566–1626), daughter of Duke Julius of Brunswick and Lunenburg, Prince of Wolfenbüttel.
In 1619, Francis Charles and his brothers confirmed in an inheritance contract that their elder half-brother Augustus
would inherit all of Saxe-Lauenburg. Francis Charles went into military service, and after serving in various armies, he eventually joined the Protestant army of Count Ernst von Mansfeld
. With this army, he fought in Bohemia
against Emperor Ferdinand II
. Three of his brothers served in the imperial army opposing him.
In 1623, Francis Charles' elder brother Julius Henry came to a reconciliation with the Emperor. At a meeting of Protestant Princes in Lauenburg upon Elbe
in 1625, it was decided to put Lower Saxony
under the protection of King Christian IV of Denmark
against the Emperor and his Catholic League
. Francis Charles recruited a new regiment for the Danish King and quartered it in his brother's neutral Saxe-Lauenburg, where his troops took a hostile stance. After Christian IV was defeated, Francis Charles asked Wallenstein to help him seek another reconciliation with the Emperor.
On 19 September 1628 Francis Charles married Agnes of Brandenburg
, widow of the Duke Philip Julius
of Pomerania-Wolgast. Again with the help of Wallenstein, his brother Francis Julius achieved, that his wife was allowed keep her jointure, the district of Barth. After King Gustavus II Adolphus of Sweden had landed in Pomerania in 1630, Francis Charles entered his service as a colonel. Francis Charles was captured at the residence of his brother Augustus in Ratzeburg
by the imperial general Pappenheim
, but was soon back in Swedish service as a colonel. After Gustavus Adolphus' death, Francis Charles switched sides and joined the army of Electoral Saxony
. This allowed him to reconcile with the Emperor once again.
In 1637, Francis Charles converted to Catholicism
and entered the imperial service as a major general
. After the death of his first wife, and after imperial mediation Francis Charles married on 27 August 1639 in Sopron
Catherine of Brandenburg
, the very rich widow of the Transylvanian prince Gábor Bethlen. His second wife sold all her Hungarian possessions and moved to her husband to Germany, where she died in 1644. Francis Charles remarried in 1651 Countess Elisabeth Christine of Meggau, widow of the Baron Adolf Chritsoph of Teuff. After leaving the military service he toured Italy. He died in Saxe-Lauenburgian Neuhaus and, despite his three marriages, he left only children born out of wedlock.
Amt Neuhaus
Amt Neuhaus is a municipality in the District of Lunenburg , in Lower Saxony, Germany.- History :In the course of the eastern colonisation the area of today's Amt Neuhaus became a part of the Duchy of Saxony...
) was a prince of Saxe-Lauenburg and a general during the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
.
Life
Francis Charles was a son of the Duke Francis II of Saxe-LauenburgFrancis II, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg
Francis II of Saxe-Lauenburg , was the third son of Francis I of Saxe-Lauenburg and Sybille of Saxe-Freiberg , daughter of Duke Henry IV the Pious of Saxony...
(1547–1619) from his second marriage to Maria
Maria of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel was a princess of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel by birth and by marriage Duchess of Saxe-Lauenburg.- Life :...
(1566–1626), daughter of Duke Julius of Brunswick and Lunenburg, Prince of Wolfenbüttel.
In 1619, Francis Charles and his brothers confirmed in an inheritance contract that their elder half-brother Augustus
Augustus, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg
Augustus of Saxe-Lauenburg was Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg between 1619 and 1656. He was a son of Duke Francis II and his first wife Margaret of Pomerania-Wolgast , daughter of Philip I, Duke of Pomerania-Wolgast...
would inherit all of Saxe-Lauenburg. Francis Charles went into military service, and after serving in various armies, he eventually joined the Protestant army of Count Ernst von Mansfeld
Ernst von Mansfeld
Ernst, Graf von Mansfeld , was a German military commander during the early years of the Thirty Years' War.-Biography:...
. With this army, he fought in Bohemia
Kingdom of Bohemia
The Kingdom of Bohemia was a country located in the region of Bohemia in Central Europe, most of whose territory is currently located in the modern-day Czech Republic. The King was Elector of Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution in 1806, whereupon it became part of the Austrian Empire, and...
against Emperor Ferdinand II
Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand II , a member of the House of Habsburg, was Holy Roman Emperor , King of Bohemia , and King of Hungary . His rule coincided with the Thirty Years' War.- Life :...
. Three of his brothers served in the imperial army opposing him.
In 1623, Francis Charles' elder brother Julius Henry came to a reconciliation with the Emperor. At a meeting of Protestant Princes in Lauenburg upon Elbe
Lauenburg/Elbe
Lauenburg/Elbe is a town in the state of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is situated at the northern bank of the river Elbe, east of Hamburg. It is the southernmost town of Schleswig-Holstein. Lauenburg belongs to the Kreis of Herzogtum Lauenburg and had a population of 11,900 as of 2002...
in 1625, it was decided to put Lower Saxony
Lower Saxon Circle
The Lower Saxon Circle was an Imperial Circle of the Holy Roman Empire. Covering much of the territory of the mediæval Duchy of Saxony , firstly the circle used to be called the Saxon Circle , only to be later better differentiated from the Upper Saxon Circle the more specific name prevailed.An...
under the protection of King Christian IV of Denmark
Christian IV of Denmark
Christian IV was the king of Denmark-Norway from 1588 until his death. With a reign of more than 59 years, he is the longest-reigning monarch of Denmark, and he is frequently remembered as one of the most popular, ambitious and proactive Danish kings, having initiated many reforms and projects...
against the Emperor and his Catholic League
Catholic League (German)
The German Catholic League was initially a loose confederation of Roman Catholic German states formed on July 10, 1609 to counteract the Protestant Union , whereby the participating states concluded an alliance "for the defence of the Catholic religion and peace within the Empire." Modeled...
. Francis Charles recruited a new regiment for the Danish King and quartered it in his brother's neutral Saxe-Lauenburg, where his troops took a hostile stance. After Christian IV was defeated, Francis Charles asked Wallenstein to help him seek another reconciliation with the Emperor.
On 19 September 1628 Francis Charles married Agnes of Brandenburg
Agnes of Brandenburg (1584-1629)
Agnes of Brandenburg was an Princess of Brandenburg by birth and by marriage successively Duchess of Pomerania and of Saxe-Lauenburg.- Life :...
, widow of the Duke Philip Julius
Philipp Julius, Duke of Pomerania
Philipp Julius was duke of Pomerania in the Teilherzogtum Pomerania-Wolgast from 1592 to 1625.-Early life:...
of Pomerania-Wolgast. Again with the help of Wallenstein, his brother Francis Julius achieved, that his wife was allowed keep her jointure, the district of Barth. After King Gustavus II Adolphus of Sweden had landed in Pomerania in 1630, Francis Charles entered his service as a colonel. Francis Charles was captured at the residence of his brother Augustus in Ratzeburg
Ratzeburg
Ratzeburg is a town in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is surrounded by four lakes—the resulting isthmuses between the lakes form the access lanes to the town. Ratzeburg is the capital of the Kreis of Lauenburg.-History:...
by the imperial general Pappenheim
Gottfried Heinrich Graf zu Pappenheim
Gottfried Heinrich Graf zu Pappenheim was field marshal of the Holy Roman Emperor in the Thirty Years' War.-Biography:...
, but was soon back in Swedish service as a colonel. After Gustavus Adolphus' death, Francis Charles switched sides and joined the army of Electoral Saxony
Electorate of Saxony
The Electorate of Saxony , sometimes referred to as Upper Saxony, was a State of the Holy Roman Empire. It was established when Emperor Charles IV raised the Ascanian duchy of Saxe-Wittenberg to the status of an Electorate by the Golden Bull of 1356...
. This allowed him to reconcile with the Emperor once again.
In 1637, Francis Charles converted to Catholicism
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
and entered the imperial service as a major general
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
. After the death of his first wife, and after imperial mediation Francis Charles married on 27 August 1639 in Sopron
Sopron
In 1910 Sopron had 33,932 inhabitants . Religions: 64.1% Roman Catholic, 27.8% Lutheran, 6.6% Jewish, 1.2% Calvinist, 0.3% other. In 2001 the city had 56,125 inhabitants...
Catherine of Brandenburg
Catherine of Brandenburg
Catherine of Brandenburg was ruler of Transylvania between 1629 and 1630.She was the daughter of John Sigismund, Elector of Brandenburg and Anne of Prussia....
, the very rich widow of the Transylvanian prince Gábor Bethlen. His second wife sold all her Hungarian possessions and moved to her husband to Germany, where she died in 1644. Francis Charles remarried in 1651 Countess Elisabeth Christine of Meggau, widow of the Baron Adolf Chritsoph of Teuff. After leaving the military service he toured Italy. He died in Saxe-Lauenburgian Neuhaus and, despite his three marriages, he left only children born out of wedlock.