Henry, Count of Württemberg
Encyclopedia
Henry of Württemberg was from 1473 to 1482 Count
by Montbéliard
.
(1413–1480), from his second marriage to Elisabeth of Bavaria-Landshut (1419–1451). As a second son, Henry was provided with a career in the clergy
. In 1464, he became provost at Eichstätt. The intent was that he would succeed Adolph II of Nassau
as Archbishop of Mainz
. To that end, he was appointed as Adolph's coadjutor and worldly regent in 1465. This plan had been masterminded by the powerful Elector Albrecht III Achilles of Brandenburg, who married his daughter Elisabeth to Henry's brother Eberhard II
. This would bind the Archbishopric of Mainz tightly to the Margraviate of Brandenburg and to the imperial party, which was led by Albrecht Achilles, and to which Henry's father Ulrich V also belonged. The archbishop of Mainz was one of the seven electors and thus had considerable influence on policy in the Holy Roman Empire of German Nation. The plan was directed against the Wittelsbach family, and in particular Elector Palatine Frederick I
, who had humiliated Ulrich V in the Battle of Seckenheim in 1462. The Archbishop of Mainz, however, disagreed with the plan and refused to play the intented rôle. This led to the so-called "coadjutor feud" from 1465 to 1467. In 1466, Count John of Wertheim declared a feud against Henry. This feud escalated to a conflict between the great princes of the Empire and almost to a civil war. In the end, the Elector Palatine won the conflict on a diplomatic level and Henry and the other Württembergs stood empty-handed. Henry was compensated with the district of Bischofsheim, which he returned to Electoral Mainz in 1470.
The 1473 Treaty of Urach awarded the county of Montbéliard and the other Württemberg possessions on the left bank of the Rhine to Henry. In the course of a dispute between Duke Charles the Bold of Burgundy
and Emperor Frederick III
, Charles took Henry prisoner in 1474. The captivity lasted until 1477 and Henry was treated very badly, allegedely including a mock execution. After his father's death in 1480, Henry claimed a part of the inheritance, in particular Württemberg-Stuttgart. He did not succeed, and in the 1482 Treaty of Reichenweier, he gave the county of Montbéliard to his brother Eberhard II
.
In 1490, his cousing Eberhard I
had Henry arrested in Stuttgart, on the grounds of an alleged metal illness. In 1492, Emperor Frederick III appointed Eberhard I as Henry's legal guardian. Until his death in 1519, Henry and his wife were held prisoner on Hohenurach Castle, though they were occasionally allowed to visit Stuttgart.
and he later became the third Duke of Württemberg.
Henry married again on 21 July 1488, the Countess Eva of Salm. They had two children:
Henry was thus the founder of older line Württemberg-Montbéliard.
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
by Montbéliard
County of Montbéliard
The County of Montbéliard , also known as County of Mömpelgard , was a feudal county of the Holy Roman Empire based around the city of Montbéliard in the present-day Franche-Comté region of France...
.
Life
Henry was the second son of Count Ulrich V of Württemberg-StuttgartUlrich V, Count of Wurttemberg
Ulrich V of Württemberg called "der Vielgeliebte" , Count of Württemberg. He was the younger son of Count Eberhard IV and Henriette of Mömpelgard.-Life:...
(1413–1480), from his second marriage to Elisabeth of Bavaria-Landshut (1419–1451). As a second son, Henry was provided with a career in the clergy
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
. In 1464, he became provost at Eichstätt. The intent was that he would succeed Adolph II of Nassau
Adolph II of Nassau
Adolph II of Nassau-Wiesbaden-Idstein was Archbishop of Mainz from 1461 until 1475.Adolph was a son of Count Adolph II of Nassau-Wiesbaden-Idstein....
as Archbishop of Mainz
Archbishopric of Mainz
The Archbishopric of Mainz or Electorate of Mainz was an influential ecclesiastic and secular prince-bishopric in the Holy Roman Empire between 780–82 and 1802. In the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy, the Archbishop of Mainz was the primas Germaniae, the substitute of the Pope north of the Alps...
. To that end, he was appointed as Adolph's coadjutor and worldly regent in 1465. This plan had been masterminded by the powerful Elector Albrecht III Achilles of Brandenburg, who married his daughter Elisabeth to Henry's brother Eberhard II
Eberhard II, Duke of Württemberg
Eberhard VI/II was count of Württemberg-Stuttgart since 1480 as Eberhard VI and Duke Eberhard II of Württemberg since 1496....
. This would bind the Archbishopric of Mainz tightly to the Margraviate of Brandenburg and to the imperial party, which was led by Albrecht Achilles, and to which Henry's father Ulrich V also belonged. The archbishop of Mainz was one of the seven electors and thus had considerable influence on policy in the Holy Roman Empire of German Nation. The plan was directed against the Wittelsbach family, and in particular Elector Palatine Frederick I
Frederick I, Elector Palatine
Frederick I, the Victorious was a Count Palatine of the Rhine and Elector Palatine from the House of Wittelsbach in 1451 - 1476....
, who had humiliated Ulrich V in the Battle of Seckenheim in 1462. The Archbishop of Mainz, however, disagreed with the plan and refused to play the intented rôle. This led to the so-called "coadjutor feud" from 1465 to 1467. In 1466, Count John of Wertheim declared a feud against Henry. This feud escalated to a conflict between the great princes of the Empire and almost to a civil war. In the end, the Elector Palatine won the conflict on a diplomatic level and Henry and the other Württembergs stood empty-handed. Henry was compensated with the district of Bischofsheim, which he returned to Electoral Mainz in 1470.
The 1473 Treaty of Urach awarded the county of Montbéliard and the other Württemberg possessions on the left bank of the Rhine to Henry. In the course of a dispute between Duke Charles the Bold of Burgundy
Duchy of Burgundy
The Duchy of Burgundy , was heir to an ancient and prestigious reputation and a large division of the lands of the Second Kingdom of Burgundy and in its own right was one of the geographically larger ducal territories in the emergence of Early Modern Europe from Medieval Europe.Even in that...
and Emperor Frederick III
Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick the Peaceful KG was Duke of Austria as Frederick V from 1424, the successor of Albert II as German King as Frederick IV from 1440, and Holy Roman Emperor as Frederick III from 1452...
, Charles took Henry prisoner in 1474. The captivity lasted until 1477 and Henry was treated very badly, allegedely including a mock execution. After his father's death in 1480, Henry claimed a part of the inheritance, in particular Württemberg-Stuttgart. He did not succeed, and in the 1482 Treaty of Reichenweier, he gave the county of Montbéliard to his brother Eberhard II
Eberhard II, Duke of Württemberg
Eberhard VI/II was count of Württemberg-Stuttgart since 1480 as Eberhard VI and Duke Eberhard II of Württemberg since 1496....
.
In 1490, his cousing Eberhard I
Eberhard I, Duke of Württemberg
Eberhard I of Württemberg . From 1459 till 1495 he was Count Eberhard V. From July 1495 he was the first Duke of Württemberg. He is also known as Eberhard im Bart ....
had Henry arrested in Stuttgart, on the grounds of an alleged metal illness. In 1492, Emperor Frederick III appointed Eberhard I as Henry's legal guardian. Until his death in 1519, Henry and his wife were held prisoner on Hohenurach Castle, though they were occasionally allowed to visit Stuttgart.
Importance
In 1999, the historian Klaus Graf tried to rehabilitate Henry, who had been stigmatized as a madman by the historiography of Württemberg. He referred to Henry's intellectual interests, which we can infer from his collections of prints and manuscripts. In 2004, Felix Heinzer tried to compare Henry and Eberhard I as book lovers, based on a recently discovered book from Henry's collectionMarriage and issue
Henry married in 1485 Countess Elisabeth of Zweibrücken-Bitsch. Elizabeth died on 17 February 1487, a few days after giving birth to her son Eitel Henry on 8 February 1487. At his confirmation in 1493, Eitel Henry's name was changed to UlrichUlrich, Duke of Württemberg
Herzog Ulrich von Württemberg succeeded his kinsman Eberhard II as Duke of Württemberg in 1498, being declared of age in 1503.-Early life:...
and he later became the third Duke of Württemberg.
Henry married again on 21 July 1488, the Countess Eva of Salm. They had two children:
- Maria (1496–1541), married Duke Henry II of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
- George I of Württemberg-Montbéliard (1498–1558)
Henry was thus the founder of older line Württemberg-Montbéliard.