Ulrik of Denmark (1578–1624)
Encyclopedia
Prince Ulrik John of Denmark, (Koldinghus
Palace, Kolding
, 30 December 1578 – 27 March 1624, Rühn
) was a son of King Frederick II of Denmark
and his consort, Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow. As the second-born son he bore the merely titular rank of Duke of Holstein and Schleswig, Stormarn
and Ditmarsh and had no share in the royal-ducal condominial rule of Holstein
and Schleswig
, wielded by the heads of the houses of Oldenburg
(royal) and its cadet branch Holstein-Gottorp
(ducal). Since 1602 he held the religiously defunct position of Bishop of Schleswig, enjoying the revenues of the implied estates and manor. The year after he succeeded his grandfather as Administrator of the Prince-Bishopric of Schwerin, holding both posts until his death.
and was tutored by the prestigious school teacher and former rector of Roskilde
, M. Poul Pedersen, since 1584. In the following years Ulrik stayed partly at Kalundborg castle or at Sorø Abbey
, or he accompanied his parents on their journeys in Denmark.
Until his death in 1588 his father Frederick II wielded his influence in order to provide his second-born Ulrik with prebendaries within the Holy Roman Empire
, such as a canonicate at the Minster of Straßburg (Strasbourg)
, or the post of administrator in a Lutheran-ruled prince-bishopric. But these plans did not materialise.
The Danish Queen dowager Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, daughter of Duke Ulrich of Mecklenburg, ruling the Prince-Bishopric of Schwerin as Lutheran administrator as Ulrich I, considered the prince-bishopric as a good sustenance for her son Ulrik.
This seemed easy as long as her father ruled in the prince-bishopric and could wield all his influence for his grandson. When in 1590 Sophie and Ulrich met in Wolfenbüttel
on the wedding of their (grand)daughter Elisabeth, she gained his promise to provide Ulrik with the succession in the prince-bishopric. To this end Ulrich was to effect the chapter electing his grandson as coadjutor, a function usually including the succession to the see.
On 25 August 1590 Sophie promised her father, that she would renounce for her son, if he should beget a son of his own with his second wife Anna of Pomerania-Wolgast. To cathedral provost Heinrich von der Lühe she promised that as long as Ulrich I will be alive her son the to-be-elected coadjutor would not demand any appanage further charging the revenues of the prince-bishopric. Sophie offered to agree to wider ranging conditions and promised to provide her son with an education suited for an administrator.
The chapter was satisfied, it even the more leant on the side of a Danish prince, because his reign would more likely prevent an annexation of the prince-bishopric than a Nikloting prince, who would simultaneously rule the neighbouring Duchy of Mecklenburg. Therefore the capitular canons decided to speak on the matter on the next diet
of the prince-bishopric on 1 September 1590.
Ulrich claimed a greater right of his House of Nikloting to provide a candidate, however, the chapter insisted on its privilege to freely elect the administrator, but was not averse to choosing an indigenous prince accepted by the ducal family.
Administrator Ulrich meanwhile regretted his Wolfenbüttel promise but gave in to the pressurising by his daughter and the chapter. On 24 September 1590 the capitulars decided to elect the Danish Prince Ulrik, grandson of Administrator Ulrich, if he undertook to sign an election capitulation
as was the usage in the prince-bishopric. They right away informed Ulrich on their decision.
Administrator Ulrich I replied on the same date, that Ulrik should guarantee in his election capitualion, that (1) at the future election of Ulrik's successor a member of the ducal family should prevail, that (2) during Ulrich's lifetime Ulrik will waive any claim to the revenues of the prince-bishopric, and that (3) he will renounce if Ulrich will be born a son. While the chapter only accepted the second claim, Queen dowager Sophie on the other hand approved all three points.
In 1590 Ulrik had started his travels and studies abroad, he first visited his aunt Elisabeth and uncle Henry Julius of the Brunswick and Lunenburgian
Principality of Wolfenbüttel and studied at the ducal Julius University of Helmstedt
. Ulrik agreed upon the conditions accepted by his mother. From Helmstedt
he wrote his grandfather that he was very pleased about the progress of the election, assuring him he would continue his studies so that his grandfather "should have a common pleasure and rejoicing thereof."
The Ulrich's Chancellor Jacob Bording and the capitular Dean Otto Wackerbarth conceptualised the election capitulation, comparable to those signed by the administrators of the prince-bishoprics of Bremen, Lübeck, and Ratzeburg. On 12 December 1590 they presented the draft to Ulrich I, who disliked it and negotiations began anew. An improved version was issued on 13 January 1591. Now the main difficulty was that Ulrich and Sophie should guarantee for the minor Ulrik to sign the capitulation when coming of age. The chapter further demanded that the new administrator would effect that the chapter will be enfeoffed with the villages of Uelitz
and Wichmannsdorf within its territory, which King Frederick II had sold as part of the sacularised Holsatian
Monastery of Reinfeld in 1565.
In a treaty signed in Boizenburg
on 27 April 1591, Ulrich I and Sophie guaranteed the chapter, represented by Wackerbarth, meanwhile having succeeded von der Lühe as provost, that Ulrik would sign the election capitulation of 1591 when coming of age in 1596. Further Ulrich I and Sophie committed themselves to help the chapter achieving the aforementioned villages and agreed, that in case Ulrich I would die before Ulrik's majority, that not his eventual guardian, but the Schwerin chapter will rule the prince-bishopric.
The chapter then postulated Ulrik as coadjutor and Ulrich I sent his daughter a copy of the writ recording it (documentum postulationis) on 7 May 1591 with Sophie testifying its reception on 15 May.
The next concern was to obtain an imperial confirmation for Ulrik's coadjutorship, the prior usual papal confirmation as bishop was anyway forlorn with Ulrik being a Lutheran and therefore not searched for. Ulrich I advised his daughter, that an imperial confirmation cannot be reached without douceur.
Ulrik meanwhile continued his studies at Rostock University in 1593 achieving the academic title Rector Magnificus, before he went on to the University of Leipzig
in 1595. The chapter still aimed at nailing Ulrich I and Sophie down on providing the chapter with the aforementioned villages, as recorded by a letter to Ulrich I on 23 December 1595.
Furthermore Coadjutor Ulrik and the chapter now demanded that the prince-bishopric will be excluded from the jurisdiction of last resort of the Duchy of Mecklenburg. Therefore Sophie sent a delegation consisting of Hans Blume, Dr. Ludwig Pinziers and Apitz von Grunenberg for negotiations in Bützow. On 7 December 1595 the Danes arrived and two days later negotiations started with Provost Wackerbarth, Dean Ludolf von Schack and canon Joachim von Bassewitz, who brought as their legal adviser Dr. Daniel Zöllner from Lübeck and Dr. Nordanus from Rostock
.
Ulrich I in his function as Duke of Mecklenburg-Güstrow and his ducal councillors refused, fearing to lose any say in the prince-bishopric and its complete alienation as estate under Nikloting influence. The negotiations ended without result, and the Danish emissaries returned empty-handed.
So Ulrik, worried about his sustenance, claimed an actual rule in the Duchies of Holstein and Schleswig, however, giving rise to strong tensions between him and his elder brother, the still minor King Christian IV of Denmark
. In 1595, when Ulrik stayed with his grandfather Ulrich in Mecklenburg-Güstrow
, Christian invited him to Nyköping Castle
, where they reconciled. Ulrik attended Christian's coronation in 1596, who elevated him to rank of equerry
, however, Ulrik left Denmark again. In the following year, he followed Christian IV on his trip to the Holy Roman Empire, then travelling to France
and England
. In the spring of 1598 the Duke travelled to Scotland to meet his sister Queen of Scotland
. His sojourn included a trip around the coastal towns of Fife and to Dundee. He also visited the fortress on Bass Rock
, accompanied by William Schaw
, the founder of freemasonry.
issued by the chapter assembly in the prince-episcopal castle on 19 February 1597. Ulrik, his brother Christian IV and his grandfather Ulrich I signed and sealed this election capitulation, stipulating the following:
The chapter had dropped (1) to demand its enfeoffment with Uelitz and Wichmannsdorf, (2) to oblige Ulrik to run brickworks in order to repair the Schwerin Cathedral
, and (3) to absolve the civil servants of the prince-bishopric from obeying the administrator in case of his breach of the election capitulation.
. On a stay in Bergen he socialised with Mette Høg, the notorious wife of the Seignory
Jakob Trolle. In 1601 Ulrik stayed with Christian at Bohus (Båhus) Fortress
and 1602 with him in Knærød (Knäred)
.
In the same year he escorted his sister Hedwig of Denmark
with a horsemen squadron on her way to her wedding with Christian II, Elector of Saxony in Dresden
. In question of Ulrik's claims to a rule in Holstein and Schleswig Christian concluded with the Rigsraadet in 1602 to enfeoff Ulrik for 15 years with the manor and estates of the Bishop of Schleswig in Svavsted (Schwabstedt)
. Ulrik was greatly discontent and tried to get their mother Sophie to affect Christian in his favour.
to the chapter.
On 27 March the chapter, gathered in Bützow, addressed Ulrik to take up the administration, and the next day Provost Joachim von Bassewitz travelled to Ulrich I's daughter the Danish Queen dowager Sophie, who then stayed in Güstrow
, to orally negotiate the affairs of the prince-bishopric, the funeral of Ulrich I and to forward the chapter's letter to her son Ulrik (29 March). In addition, the provost demanded to return the inventory list of all estates of the prince-bishopric and the chapter, which Ulrich I had earlier taken to his residence in Bützow. Sophie replied on 30 March that her son Ulrik had informed her that he is on his way from Denmark and would arrive within a few days.
On 30 March Ulrik himself wrote from Copenhagen
to Charles I, Duke of Mecklenburg
-Güstrow, Ulrich I's successor as duke, that he had received the news and would arrive about 6 April in order to attend the funeral of his grandfather scheduled for 14 April.
After representatives of the inhabitants of the prince-bishopric rendered him homage Ulrik assumed the title Ulrich of God's grace, heir of Norway, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein, Stormarn and the Ditmarshes, Administrator of the Prince-Bishopric of Schwerin, Count of Oldenburg and Delmenhorst. From then on he mostly resided in the prince-episcopal residence in Bützow. However, he further pursued to gain an decent appanage from Denmark. So in 1610 - with the help of his mother - he received the Schleswig episcopal Svavsted manor and estates for life and additionally a sum of money.
Ulrich II's rule is fundamentally different from that of his grandfather. While the grandfather as the reigning Duke of Mecklenburg regarded the small prince-bishopric of Schwerin as an appendix, which he liked to incorporate or convert into a permanent appanage for princes of Mecklenburg, his grandson had no other territory than this and therefore eagerly looked after preserving as much independence as possible.
From the beginning Ulrich II, therefore, sought to emancipate his prince-bishopric from its powerful neighbour Mecklenburg. Ulrich II established his own court in Bützow castle and appointed government for the prince-bishopric separate from that of the Duchy of Mecklenburg-Güstrow. Either in 1603 but definitely before 1605 he appointed Dr. Erasmus Reutze as chancellor, who had been a ducal councillor of his grandfather since 1597. Most likely in 1605 Ulrich II joined Emperor Rudolph II's service in order to participate in the Long War
against the Ottoman Turks
. Before returning to Bützow Ulrich II stayed some time with his sister Anne, Queen consort of Scotland
and England
in 1605/1606, where he had gained so much recognition that he had been decorated with the Order of the Garter
, and his brother-in-law Elector Christian II had appointed him steward
in Saxony
in 1607.
In 1612 Ulrich II embarked with Christian in the Danish fleet during the Kalmar War
. In December 1616 Ulrich II attended the enfeoffment of his paternal nephew, Frederick of Holstein-Gottorp
, as Duke of Schleswig (ducal share) in Kolding
.
In 1617, after Reutze's death, Ulrich II appointed Chancellor Dr. Heinrich Stallmeister, formerly burgomaster
of Rostock, who still held the office under Administrator Ulrich III
until their expulsion by Wallenstein in 1628. The chancellor was assisted by the councillors Otto von Grunenberg and Dr. Theodor Bussius. Ulrich II established a supreme court for the prince-bishopric circumventing the prior usual appeal at the court of justice of Mecklenburg.
Ulrich II kept the other officials and only appointed new men - usually indigenous people - for eventual vacancies. The treasurer of the prince-bishopric was Rent-Master Daniel Troie, later under the Swedes he officiated as custodian of the estates of Zibühl and Gallentin (near Bad Kleinen
). Ulrich II's privy secretary was Peter Hennichow (as of 1620).
It is uncertain when Ulrich II married Catherine Hahn
-Hinrichshagen (bef. 1598– after 1631), eldest daughter of Otto II Hahn-Hinrichshagen and Brigitte von Trotha von Krosigk und Wettin. While Lisch considers their marriage proven, Schildt doubts that they ever had been officially wedded. It is also uncertain if Ulrik ever received the 30,000 rixdollar
s, whose payment Christian IV had ratified, as a dower
for Hahn. Undoubted is, that Christian had committed himself to the payment, since the respective ratified writ, proving that, played a role in a lawsuit in 1628.
Ulrich II further endowed Hahn with the manor and estates of Zibühl (a part of today's Dreetz in Mecklenburg
) as her allodial dower, which he had bought for 17,000 rixdollar
s in 1621, charging up 5,000 rixdollar against her monetary dower of 30,000 rixdollar. After a rebuild and furnishing, including the fixture of her and his coat-of-arms on the outside, Hahn had moved in.
On 27 March 1624 Ulrich II suddenly died on his estate in Rühn
. His mother Sophie, his sisters Elisabeth, Duchess dowager of Wolfenbüttel and Augusta, Duchess dowager of ducal Holstein and Schleswig
, as well as his nephews Ulrik, the future administrator Ulrich III
, and Christian
, and Adolf Frederick I, Duke of Mecklenburg including all their entourages attended Ulrich II's funeral in the Collegiate Church of Ss. Mary, John and Elisabeth of Hungary in Bützow on 27 March 1624.
Sophie and Ulrich III challenged Ulrich II's widow's dower and claimed it for himself. Therefore they de facto dispossessed Hahn including her chattels. She later married Nicolaus Herman von Nidrum.
On 16 December 1628, after Wallenstein gained the reign in Mecklenburg and the prince-bishopric, Hahn sued Ulrich III in the Ducal Court and Land Tribunal of Mecklenburg. Due to the changing fortunes of war the tribunal never rendered a verdict. Christian IV organised the exhumation of Ulrich II's mortal remains, which were then translated to Roskilde Cathedral
in 1642.
. His inclination to science, he had manifested by continued study of arithmetic and geometry, collecting geometrical instruments and globes from the Netherlands.
Ulrik seems, however, to have had the desire to amuse himself and was blamed to drink, but certainly not too much so that this governance would suffer. His acting shows him strong willed and persistent, and the many deficiencies in the prince-bishopric did not escape his eyes. A great service he rendered by reorganising the entirely dissipated cathedral chapter, even though he could not fully revive this outdated institution. At least temporarily he shook the canons in their sluggish inaction. He and his appointed government members wanted to create administrative order to the general benefit of his subjects.
Koldinghus
Koldinghus is a Danish royal castle on the south central part of the Jutland peninsula in the town of Kolding. The castle was founded in the 11th century and was expanded since with many functions ranging from fortress, royal residency, ruin, museum, and the location of numerous wartime...
Palace, Kolding
Kolding
Kolding is a Danish seaport located at the head of Kolding Fjord in Region of Southern Denmark . It is the site of the council Kolding Municipality. It is a transportation, commercial, and manufacturing centre, and has numerous industrial companies, principally geared towards shipbuilding...
, 30 December 1578 – 27 March 1624, Rühn
Rühn
Rühn is a municipality in the Rostock district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany....
) was a son of King Frederick II of Denmark
Frederick II of Denmark
Frederick II was King of Denmark and Norway and duke of Schleswig from 1559 until his death.-King of Denmark:Frederick II was the son of King Christian III of Denmark and Norway and Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg. Frederick II stands as the typical renaissance ruler of Denmark. Unlike his father, he...
and his consort, Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow. As the second-born son he bore the merely titular rank of Duke of Holstein and Schleswig, Stormarn
Stormarn
Stormarn is a district in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is bounded by the districts of Segeberg and Ostholstein, the city of Lübeck, the district of Lauenburg, and the city-state of Hamburg.-History:...
and Ditmarsh and had no share in the royal-ducal condominial rule of Holstein
Holstein
Holstein is the region between the rivers Elbe and Eider. It is part of Schleswig-Holstein, the northernmost state of Germany....
and Schleswig
Schleswig
Schleswig or South Jutland is a region covering the area about 60 km north and 70 km south of the border between Germany and Denmark; the territory has been divided between the two countries since 1920, with Northern Schleswig in Denmark and Southern Schleswig in Germany...
, wielded by the heads of the houses of Oldenburg
House of Oldenburg
The House of Oldenburg is a North German dynasty and one of Europe's most influential Royal Houses with branches that rule or have ruled in Denmark, Russia, Greece, Norway, Schleswig, Holstein, Oldenburg and Sweden...
(royal) and its cadet branch Holstein-Gottorp
House of Holstein-Gottorp
The House of Holstein-Gottorp, a cadet branch of the Oldenburg dynasty, ruled Sweden from 1751 until 1818, and Norway from 1814 to 1818.In 1743 Adolf Frederick of Holstein-Gottorp was elected crown prince of Sweden as a Swedish concession to Russia, a strategy for achieving an acceptable peace...
(ducal). Since 1602 he held the religiously defunct position of Bishop of Schleswig, enjoying the revenues of the implied estates and manor. The year after he succeeded his grandfather as Administrator of the Prince-Bishopric of Schwerin, holding both posts until his death.
Education and efforts to provide Ulrik a princely sustenance
As a small child his parents sent Ulrik to his maternal grandparents Ulrich, Duke of Mecklenburg and his consort Duchess Elizabeth of Denmark. In 1583 he had returned to DenmarkDenmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
and was tutored by the prestigious school teacher and former rector of Roskilde
Roskilde
Roskilde is the main city in Roskilde Municipality, Denmark on the island of Zealand. It is an ancient city, dating from the Viking Age and is a member of the Most Ancient European Towns Network....
, M. Poul Pedersen, since 1584. In the following years Ulrik stayed partly at Kalundborg castle or at Sorø Abbey
Sorø Abbey
Sorø Abbey was the preeminent and wealthiest monastic house in all of Denmark during the Middle Ages. It was located in the town of Sorø in central Zealand.- History :...
, or he accompanied his parents on their journeys in Denmark.
Until his death in 1588 his father Frederick II wielded his influence in order to provide his second-born Ulrik with prebendaries within the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
, such as a canonicate at the Minster of Straßburg (Strasbourg)
Strasbourg Cathedral
Strasbourg Cathedral or the Cathedral of Our Lady of Strasbourg is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Strasbourg, France. Although considerable parts of it are still in Romanesque architecture, it is widely consideredSusan Bernstein: , The Johns Hopkins University Press to be among the finest...
, or the post of administrator in a Lutheran-ruled prince-bishopric. But these plans did not materialise.
The Danish Queen dowager Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, daughter of Duke Ulrich of Mecklenburg, ruling the Prince-Bishopric of Schwerin as Lutheran administrator as Ulrich I, considered the prince-bishopric as a good sustenance for her son Ulrik.
This seemed easy as long as her father ruled in the prince-bishopric and could wield all his influence for his grandson. When in 1590 Sophie and Ulrich met in Wolfenbüttel
Wolfenbüttel
Wolfenbüttel is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany, located on the Oker river about 13 kilometres south of Brunswick. It is the seat of the District of Wolfenbüttel and of the bishop of the Protestant Lutheran State Church of Brunswick...
on the wedding of their (grand)daughter Elisabeth, she gained his promise to provide Ulrik with the succession in the prince-bishopric. To this end Ulrich was to effect the chapter electing his grandson as coadjutor, a function usually including the succession to the see.
On 25 August 1590 Sophie promised her father, that she would renounce for her son, if he should beget a son of his own with his second wife Anna of Pomerania-Wolgast. To cathedral provost Heinrich von der Lühe she promised that as long as Ulrich I will be alive her son the to-be-elected coadjutor would not demand any appanage further charging the revenues of the prince-bishopric. Sophie offered to agree to wider ranging conditions and promised to provide her son with an education suited for an administrator.
The chapter was satisfied, it even the more leant on the side of a Danish prince, because his reign would more likely prevent an annexation of the prince-bishopric than a Nikloting prince, who would simultaneously rule the neighbouring Duchy of Mecklenburg. Therefore the capitular canons decided to speak on the matter on the next diet
Diet (assembly)
In politics, a diet is a formal deliberative assembly. The term is mainly used historically for the Imperial Diet, the general assembly of the Imperial Estates of the Holy Roman Empire, and for the legislative bodies of certain countries.-Etymology:...
of the prince-bishopric on 1 September 1590.
Ulrich claimed a greater right of his House of Nikloting to provide a candidate, however, the chapter insisted on its privilege to freely elect the administrator, but was not averse to choosing an indigenous prince accepted by the ducal family.
Administrator Ulrich meanwhile regretted his Wolfenbüttel promise but gave in to the pressurising by his daughter and the chapter. On 24 September 1590 the capitulars decided to elect the Danish Prince Ulrik, grandson of Administrator Ulrich, if he undertook to sign an election capitulation
Conclave capitulation
A conclave capitulation is a capitulation drawn up by the College of Cardinals during a papal conclave, attempting to constrain the actions of the Pope elected by the conclave. Generally, all cardinals would swear to uphold it if elected Pope, and the capitulation would be finished before the first...
as was the usage in the prince-bishopric. They right away informed Ulrich on their decision.
Administrator Ulrich I replied on the same date, that Ulrik should guarantee in his election capitualion, that (1) at the future election of Ulrik's successor a member of the ducal family should prevail, that (2) during Ulrich's lifetime Ulrik will waive any claim to the revenues of the prince-bishopric, and that (3) he will renounce if Ulrich will be born a son. While the chapter only accepted the second claim, Queen dowager Sophie on the other hand approved all three points.
In 1590 Ulrik had started his travels and studies abroad, he first visited his aunt Elisabeth and uncle Henry Julius of the Brunswick and Lunenburgian
Brunswick-Lüneburg
The Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg , or more properly Duchy of Brunswick and Lüneburg, was an historical ducal state from the late Middle Ages until the late Early Modern era within the North-Western domains of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, in what is now northern Germany...
Principality of Wolfenbüttel and studied at the ducal Julius University of Helmstedt
University of Helmstedt
The University of Helmstedt, official Latin name: Academia Julia , was a university in Helmstedt in the Duchy of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel that existed from 1576 until 1810....
. Ulrik agreed upon the conditions accepted by his mother. From Helmstedt
Helmstedt
Helmstedt is a city located at the eastern edge of the German state of Lower Saxony. It is the capital of the District of Helmstedt. Helmstedt has 26,000 inhabitants . In former times the city was also called Helmstädt....
he wrote his grandfather that he was very pleased about the progress of the election, assuring him he would continue his studies so that his grandfather "should have a common pleasure and rejoicing thereof."
The Ulrich's Chancellor Jacob Bording and the capitular Dean Otto Wackerbarth conceptualised the election capitulation, comparable to those signed by the administrators of the prince-bishoprics of Bremen, Lübeck, and Ratzeburg. On 12 December 1590 they presented the draft to Ulrich I, who disliked it and negotiations began anew. An improved version was issued on 13 January 1591. Now the main difficulty was that Ulrich and Sophie should guarantee for the minor Ulrik to sign the capitulation when coming of age. The chapter further demanded that the new administrator would effect that the chapter will be enfeoffed with the villages of Uelitz
Uelitz
Uelitz is a municipality in the Ludwigslust-Parchim district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany....
and Wichmannsdorf within its territory, which King Frederick II had sold as part of the sacularised Holsatian
Holstein
Holstein is the region between the rivers Elbe and Eider. It is part of Schleswig-Holstein, the northernmost state of Germany....
Monastery of Reinfeld in 1565.
In a treaty signed in Boizenburg
Boizenburg
Boizenburg is a municipality in the Ludwigslust-Parchim district, in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. It is situated on the right bank of the Elbe, 53 km west of Ludwigslust, 25 km northeast of Lüneburg and 50 km east of Hamburg. Old Town is connected to the Elbe via a harbor...
on 27 April 1591, Ulrich I and Sophie guaranteed the chapter, represented by Wackerbarth, meanwhile having succeeded von der Lühe as provost, that Ulrik would sign the election capitulation of 1591 when coming of age in 1596. Further Ulrich I and Sophie committed themselves to help the chapter achieving the aforementioned villages and agreed, that in case Ulrich I would die before Ulrik's majority, that not his eventual guardian, but the Schwerin chapter will rule the prince-bishopric.
The chapter then postulated Ulrik as coadjutor and Ulrich I sent his daughter a copy of the writ recording it (documentum postulationis) on 7 May 1591 with Sophie testifying its reception on 15 May.
The next concern was to obtain an imperial confirmation for Ulrik's coadjutorship, the prior usual papal confirmation as bishop was anyway forlorn with Ulrik being a Lutheran and therefore not searched for. Ulrich I advised his daughter, that an imperial confirmation cannot be reached without douceur.
Ulrik meanwhile continued his studies at Rostock University in 1593 achieving the academic title Rector Magnificus, before he went on to the University of Leipzig
University of Leipzig
The University of Leipzig , located in Leipzig in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, is one of the oldest universities in the world and the second-oldest university in Germany...
in 1595. The chapter still aimed at nailing Ulrich I and Sophie down on providing the chapter with the aforementioned villages, as recorded by a letter to Ulrich I on 23 December 1595.
Furthermore Coadjutor Ulrik and the chapter now demanded that the prince-bishopric will be excluded from the jurisdiction of last resort of the Duchy of Mecklenburg. Therefore Sophie sent a delegation consisting of Hans Blume, Dr. Ludwig Pinziers and Apitz von Grunenberg for negotiations in Bützow. On 7 December 1595 the Danes arrived and two days later negotiations started with Provost Wackerbarth, Dean Ludolf von Schack and canon Joachim von Bassewitz, who brought as their legal adviser Dr. Daniel Zöllner from Lübeck and Dr. Nordanus from Rostock
Rostock
Rostock -Early history:In the 11th century Polabian Slavs founded a settlement at the Warnow river called Roztoc ; the name Rostock is derived from that designation. The Danish king Valdemar I set the town aflame in 1161.Afterwards the place was settled by German traders...
.
Ulrich I in his function as Duke of Mecklenburg-Güstrow and his ducal councillors refused, fearing to lose any say in the prince-bishopric and its complete alienation as estate under Nikloting influence. The negotiations ended without result, and the Danish emissaries returned empty-handed.
So Ulrik, worried about his sustenance, claimed an actual rule in the Duchies of Holstein and Schleswig, however, giving rise to strong tensions between him and his elder brother, the still minor 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...
. In 1595, when Ulrik stayed with his grandfather Ulrich in Mecklenburg-Güstrow
Mecklenburg-Güstrow
Mecklenburg-Güstrow was a state of the Holy Roman Empire in Northern Germany, that existed on three separate occasions ruled by the House of Mecklenburg at Güstrow.-History:...
, Christian invited him to Nyköping Castle
Nyköping Castle
Nyköping Castle in Nyköping, Sweden, is a Mediaeval castle from the Birger Jarl era, partly in ruins. The castle is mostly known for the ghastly Nyköping Banquet which took place here in 1317.-Construction:...
, where they reconciled. Ulrik attended Christian's coronation in 1596, who elevated him to rank of equerry
Equerry
An equerry , and related to the French word "écuyer" ) is an officer of honour. Historically, it was a senior attendant with responsibilities for the horses of a person of rank. In contemporary use, it is a personal attendant, usually upon a Sovereign, a member of a Royal Family, or a national...
, however, Ulrik left Denmark again. In the following year, he followed Christian IV on his trip to the Holy Roman Empire, then travelling to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. In the spring of 1598 the Duke travelled to Scotland to meet his sister Queen of Scotland
Anne of Denmark
Anne of Denmark was queen consort of Scotland, England, and Ireland as the wife of King James VI and I.The second daughter of King Frederick II of Denmark, Anne married James in 1589 at the age of fourteen and bore him three children who survived infancy, including the future Charles I...
. His sojourn included a trip around the coastal towns of Fife and to Dundee. He also visited the fortress on Bass Rock
Bass Rock
The Bass Rock, or simply The Bass, , is an island in the outer part of the Firth of Forth in the east of Scotland. It is approximately offshore, and north-east of North Berwick. It is a steep-sided volcanic rock, at its highest point, and is home to a large colony of gannets...
, accompanied by William Schaw
William Schaw
William Schaw was Master of Works to James VI of Scotland, and is claimed to have been an important figure in the development of freemasonry.-Biography:...
, the founder of freemasonry.
Ulrik's election capitulation as future administrator of Schwerin see
Sophie and the chapter continued their efforts to conclude the Schwerin deal and this finally led to the election capitulationConclave capitulation
A conclave capitulation is a capitulation drawn up by the College of Cardinals during a papal conclave, attempting to constrain the actions of the Pope elected by the conclave. Generally, all cardinals would swear to uphold it if elected Pope, and the capitulation would be finished before the first...
issued by the chapter assembly in the prince-episcopal castle on 19 February 1597. Ulrik, his brother Christian IV and his grandfather Ulrich I signed and sealed this election capitulation, stipulating the following:
- Ulrik will aim at an imperial confirmation on his own expense.
- If Ulrik fails to obtain his confirmation the chapter may elect another administrator.
- Ulrik will accept that the chapter does not consider any hereditary claims to the see.
- As long as Ulrich I is still alive, Ulrik will only be coadjutor.
- Ulrik will prevent any incorporation of the prince-bishopric into the Danish realm.
- Ulrik will take care for good pastorPastorThe word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
ing and school education in the parishes with well trained ministers and teachers, honouring the treaty between the chapter and Ulrich I concluded on 21 February 1568. - Ulrik will assure good governance of justice.
- Ulrik will maintain the regalia and dignities of the prince-bishopric, particularly its privilege to staff the chancellor of the University of Rostock.
- Ulrik guarantees to feed at least twelve poor daily from the prince-episcopal kitchen in Bützow.
- Ulrik will rule himself and only appoint a vicar after prior information of the chapter, in case of sede vacanteSede vacanteSede vacante is an expression, used in the Canon Law of the Catholic Church, that refers to the vacancy of the episcopal see of a particular church...
all prince-episcopal officials will be responsible to the chapter. - Therefore all civil servants and subjects of the prince-bishopric will have to commit themselves to the chapter as alternative government on Ulrik's accession as administrator.
- Ulrik will maintain all prince-episcopal castles and fortresses in good shape and man them in case of war.
- Ulrik will name two stewards committed to the chapter to rule on his eventual absence.
- Ulrik will host capitulars and prince-episcopal subjects, eventually violently expelled from their possessions by foreigners, in his castles and fortresses.
- Ulrik will protect church and chapter in their freedoms and privileges.
- Ulrik will not interfere in the chapter's jurisdiction over the capitulars, prelates, beneficiaries, ecclesiastical manors, servants and subjects.
- Ulrik guarantees the chapter's free election of its provost and dean and its free disposing of the prebendaries.
- When Ulrich convenes the capitulars in matters of the chapter, he will board them.
- Ulrik will lodge the capitulars on Ravensburg castle, when they are in Bützow in official matters.
- Ulrik will not pursue unreasonable cases of third parties against the chapter.
- The chapter may imprison wrong-doers in its jail, the tower of WarinWarinWarin is a town in the Nordwestmecklenburg district, in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. It is situated 19 km southeast of Wismar....
Monastery, and guarantees quick interrogation. - Ulrik will consult in all major affairs of the prince-bishopric with the chapter, and will not charge any tax on the prince-episcopal subjects without the chapter's advice and will not hold diets without the presence of the chapter.
- Ulrik will not charge the prince-bishopric with expenses for abnormal events.
- Ulrik will protect the rights and boundaries within the prince-bishopric and will not tolerate any alienation of prince-episcopal territory.
- If prince-episcopal estates are to be sold or pledged as collateral for credits in order to raise necessary funds, the administrator will be ranked first in his right to preempt, followed by the chapter, and each individual capitular.
- Ulrik must not exchange, cease or leave the prince-bishopric without the consent of the chapter.
- Ulrik will set up an inventory of the treasuries and deeds of the prince-bishopric in co-operation with the chapter.
- The chapter will preserve its seal and letters on its own.
- If gold and silver furnishings are to be refurbished the crests of the administrator are to fixed on them besides the crest of the prince-bishopric.
- Ulrik will use savings of revenues of the prince-bishopric to purchase estates in the area or to invest them in interest-bearing titles.
- Ulrik will not challenge legitimate wills of the canons and other inhabitants of the prince-bishopric.
- Ulrik will abide all lawful contracts of the administrators.
- Ulrik will delegate representatives to all diets of the Holy Roman EmpireReichstag (Holy Roman Empire)The Imperial Diet was the Diet, or general assembly, of the Imperial Estates of the Holy Roman Empire.During the period of the Empire, which lasted formally until 1806, the Diet was not a parliament in today's sense; instead, it was an assembly of the various estates of the realm...
or the Lower Saxon CircleLower Saxon CircleThe 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...
or other conventions, to which the prince-bishopric will be invited, and - together with the chapter - he will defray all expenses thereof, as well as those incurred by visits and lawsuits in the Imperial Chamber Court. - Upon the chapter's request Ulrik will offend all unlawful attacks on chapter estates.
- Ulrik will take his effort to provide the chapter with confirmations of its freedoms and privileges by the emperor, as used to be case until Emperor Charles V, however, since then no longer.
- Ulrik will not restrict the cathedral chapter in regard of fulfilling its treatises with the ducal Mecklenburgian House of Nikloting as to electing members of that house for future positions.
- Ulrik will in no way and by nobody provide himself with a suspension of these commitments.
The chapter had dropped (1) to demand its enfeoffment with Uelitz and Wichmannsdorf, (2) to oblige Ulrik to run brickworks in order to repair the Schwerin Cathedral
Schwerin Cathedral
Schwerin Cathedral, as old as the city itself, dedicated to the Virgin Mary and Saint John, was built following the move of the seat of the Bishopric of the Abodrites, established by Henry the Lion, to Schwerin from Mecklenburg in the late 12th century. At first a timber construction served the...
, and (3) to absolve the civil servants of the prince-bishopric from obeying the administrator in case of his breach of the election capitulation.
The years before ascending as administrator
1599 Ulrik returned home again, served again as equerry and escorted the King on his well-known expedition to the North CapeNorth Cape, Norway
North Cape is a cape on the island of Magerøya in Northern Norway, in the municipality of Nordkapp. Its 307 m high, steep cliff is often referred to as the northernmost point of Europe, located at , 2102.3 km from the North Pole. However, the neighbouring point Knivskjellodden is actually...
. On a stay in Bergen he socialised with Mette Høg, the notorious wife of the Seignory
Seignory
In English law, Seignory or seigniory , the lordship remaining to a grantor after the grant of an estate in fee simple....
Jakob Trolle. In 1601 Ulrik stayed with Christian at Bohus (Båhus) Fortress
Bohus Fortress
Bohus Fortress lies along the old Norwegian - Swedish border in Kungälv, Bohuslän, Sweden, north east from Hisingen where the Göta river splits into two branches...
and 1602 with him in Knærød (Knäred)
Knäred
Knäred is a locality situated in Laholm Municipality, Halland County, Sweden with 1,129 inhabitants in 2005. The Treaty of Knäred was signed there in 1613, when the province of Halland was still part of Denmark.- References :...
.
In the same year he escorted his sister Hedwig of Denmark
Hedwig of Denmark
Princess Hedwig of Denmark was the youngest daughter of King Frederick II of Denmark and Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, and Electress of Saxony from 1602 to 1611 as the wife of Christian II....
with a horsemen squadron on her way to her wedding with Christian II, Elector of Saxony in Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
. In question of Ulrik's claims to a rule in Holstein and Schleswig Christian concluded with the Rigsraadet in 1602 to enfeoff Ulrik for 15 years with the manor and estates of the Bishop of Schleswig in Svavsted (Schwabstedt)
Schwabstedt
Schwabstedt is a municipality in the district of Northern Frisia , in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.-History:In 1268 Bishop Bunde of Schleswig sold his castle Gottorp to Eric II, Duke of Schleswig and moved his residence to Schwabstedt....
. Ulrik was greatly discontent and tried to get their mother Sophie to affect Christian in his favour.
As Administrator Ulrich II of Schwerin
When Ulrik's grandfather Administrator Ulrich I died on 14 March 1603 without a male heir a letter was sent to Ulrik the next day requesting his accession as administrator. The commander-in-chief of the prince-bishopric Wedige von Leisten took the prince-episcopal castles, fortresses and armoury into custody and sealed the private rooms of the deceased administrator. Representatives of the inhabitants were convened to render their homageHomage (medieval)
Homage in the Middle Ages was the ceremony in which a feudal tenant or vassal pledged reverence and submission to his feudal lord, receiving in exchange the symbolic title to his new position . It was a symbolic acknowledgment to the lord that the vassal was, literally, his man . The oath known as...
to the chapter.
On 27 March the chapter, gathered in Bützow, addressed Ulrik to take up the administration, and the next day Provost Joachim von Bassewitz travelled to Ulrich I's daughter the Danish Queen dowager Sophie, who then stayed in Güstrow
Güstrow
Güstrow is a town in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany the capital of the district of Güstrow. It has a population of 30,500 and is the seventh largest town in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Since 2006 Güstrow has the official suffix Barlachstadt.-Geography:The town of Güstrow is located...
, to orally negotiate the affairs of the prince-bishopric, the funeral of Ulrich I and to forward the chapter's letter to her son Ulrik (29 March). In addition, the provost demanded to return the inventory list of all estates of the prince-bishopric and the chapter, which Ulrich I had earlier taken to his residence in Bützow. Sophie replied on 30 March that her son Ulrik had informed her that he is on his way from Denmark and would arrive within a few days.
On 30 March Ulrik himself wrote from Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
to Charles I, Duke of Mecklenburg
Charles I, Duke of Mecklenburg
Charles I, Duke of Mecklenburg[-Güstrow] , was the reigning Duke of Mecklenburg in the Mecklenburg-Güstrow part of the country....
-Güstrow, Ulrich I's successor as duke, that he had received the news and would arrive about 6 April in order to attend the funeral of his grandfather scheduled for 14 April.
After representatives of the inhabitants of the prince-bishopric rendered him homage Ulrik assumed the title Ulrich of God's grace, heir of Norway, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein, Stormarn and the Ditmarshes, Administrator of the Prince-Bishopric of Schwerin, Count of Oldenburg and Delmenhorst. From then on he mostly resided in the prince-episcopal residence in Bützow. However, he further pursued to gain an decent appanage from Denmark. So in 1610 - with the help of his mother - he received the Schleswig episcopal Svavsted manor and estates for life and additionally a sum of money.
Ulrich II's rule is fundamentally different from that of his grandfather. While the grandfather as the reigning Duke of Mecklenburg regarded the small prince-bishopric of Schwerin as an appendix, which he liked to incorporate or convert into a permanent appanage for princes of Mecklenburg, his grandson had no other territory than this and therefore eagerly looked after preserving as much independence as possible.
From the beginning Ulrich II, therefore, sought to emancipate his prince-bishopric from its powerful neighbour Mecklenburg. Ulrich II established his own court in Bützow castle and appointed government for the prince-bishopric separate from that of the Duchy of Mecklenburg-Güstrow. Either in 1603 but definitely before 1605 he appointed Dr. Erasmus Reutze as chancellor, who had been a ducal councillor of his grandfather since 1597. Most likely in 1605 Ulrich II joined Emperor Rudolph II's service in order to participate in the Long War
Long War (Ottoman wars)
The Long War took place from 1591 or 1593 to 1604 or 1606 and was one of the numerous military conflicts between the Habsburg Monarchy and the Ottoman Empire that developed after the Battle of Mohács.- History :The major participants of this war were the Habsburg Monarchy ,...
against the Ottoman Turks
Ottoman Turks
The Ottoman Turks were the Turkish-speaking population of the Ottoman Empire who formed the base of the state's military and ruling classes. Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks is scarce, but they take their Turkish name, Osmanlı , from the house of Osman I The Ottoman...
. Before returning to Bützow Ulrich II stayed some time with his sister Anne, Queen consort of Scotland
Anne of Denmark
Anne of Denmark was queen consort of Scotland, England, and Ireland as the wife of King James VI and I.The second daughter of King Frederick II of Denmark, Anne married James in 1589 at the age of fourteen and bore him three children who survived infancy, including the future Charles I...
and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1605/1606, where he had gained so much recognition that he had been decorated with the Order of the Garter
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
, and his brother-in-law Elector Christian II had appointed him steward
Steward (office)
A steward is an official who is appointed by the legal ruling monarch to represent him or her in a country, and may have a mandate to govern it in his or her name; in the latter case, it roughly corresponds with the position of governor or deputy...
in 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...
in 1607.
In 1612 Ulrich II embarked with Christian in the Danish fleet during the Kalmar War
Kalmar War
The Kalmar War was a war between Denmark–Norway and Sweden. Though Denmark soon gained the upper hand, she was unable to defeat Sweden entirely...
. In December 1616 Ulrich II attended the enfeoffment of his paternal nephew, Frederick of Holstein-Gottorp
Frederick III, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp
Frederick III of Holstein-Gottorp was a Duke of Holstein-Gottorp.He was the elder son of Duke Johann Adolf of Holstein-Gottorp and Augusta of Denmark. His mother was a daughter of King Frederick II of Denmark....
, as Duke of Schleswig (ducal share) in Kolding
Kolding
Kolding is a Danish seaport located at the head of Kolding Fjord in Region of Southern Denmark . It is the site of the council Kolding Municipality. It is a transportation, commercial, and manufacturing centre, and has numerous industrial companies, principally geared towards shipbuilding...
.
In 1617, after Reutze's death, Ulrich II appointed Chancellor Dr. Heinrich Stallmeister, formerly burgomaster
Burgomaster
Burgomaster is the English form of various terms in or derived from Germanic languages for the chief magistrate or chairman of the executive council of a sub-national level of administration...
of Rostock, who still held the office under Administrator Ulrich III
Ulrik of Denmark (1611–1633)
Prince Ulrik of Denmark, was a son of King Christian IV of Denmark and his consort Queen Anne Catherine of Brandenburg...
until their expulsion by Wallenstein in 1628. The chancellor was assisted by the councillors Otto von Grunenberg and Dr. Theodor Bussius. Ulrich II established a supreme court for the prince-bishopric circumventing the prior usual appeal at the court of justice of Mecklenburg.
Ulrich II kept the other officials and only appointed new men - usually indigenous people - for eventual vacancies. The treasurer of the prince-bishopric was Rent-Master Daniel Troie, later under the Swedes he officiated as custodian of the estates of Zibühl and Gallentin (near Bad Kleinen
Bad Kleinen
Bad Kleinen is a municipality in the Nordwestmecklenburg district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is located on the north bank of the Schweriner See.-Geography:...
). Ulrich II's privy secretary was Peter Hennichow (as of 1620).
It is uncertain when Ulrich II married Catherine Hahn
Von Hahn
von Hahn is the name of the German-Baltic-Russian noble family with the coat of arms: Striding red rooster on the silver shield.-Origin:...
-Hinrichshagen (bef. 1598– after 1631), eldest daughter of Otto II Hahn-Hinrichshagen and Brigitte von Trotha von Krosigk und Wettin. While Lisch considers their marriage proven, Schildt doubts that they ever had been officially wedded. It is also uncertain if Ulrik ever received the 30,000 rixdollar
Rixdollar
Rixdollar is the English term for silver coinage used throughout the European continent .The same term was also used of currency in Cape Colony and Ceylon. However, the Rixdollar only existed as a coin in Ceylon. Unissued remainder banknotes for the Cape of Good Hope denominated in Rixdollars...
s, whose payment Christian IV had ratified, as a dower
Dower
Dower or morning gift was a provision accorded by law to a wife for her support in the event that she should survive her husband...
for Hahn. Undoubted is, that Christian had committed himself to the payment, since the respective ratified writ, proving that, played a role in a lawsuit in 1628.
Ulrich II further endowed Hahn with the manor and estates of Zibühl (a part of today's Dreetz in Mecklenburg
Dreetz, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Dreetz is a municipality in the Rostock district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany....
) as her allodial dower, which he had bought for 17,000 rixdollar
Rixdollar
Rixdollar is the English term for silver coinage used throughout the European continent .The same term was also used of currency in Cape Colony and Ceylon. However, the Rixdollar only existed as a coin in Ceylon. Unissued remainder banknotes for the Cape of Good Hope denominated in Rixdollars...
s in 1621, charging up 5,000 rixdollar against her monetary dower of 30,000 rixdollar. After a rebuild and furnishing, including the fixture of her and his coat-of-arms on the outside, Hahn had moved in.
On 27 March 1624 Ulrich II suddenly died on his estate in Rühn
Rühn
Rühn is a municipality in the Rostock district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany....
. His mother Sophie, his sisters Elisabeth, Duchess dowager of Wolfenbüttel and Augusta, Duchess dowager of ducal Holstein and Schleswig
Augusta of Denmark
Princess Augusta of Denmark was the third daughter of King Frederick II of Denmark and Sophia of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, and Duchess of Holstein-Gottorp as the wife of Duke John Adolf...
, as well as his nephews Ulrik, the future administrator Ulrich III
Ulrik of Denmark (1611–1633)
Prince Ulrik of Denmark, was a son of King Christian IV of Denmark and his consort Queen Anne Catherine of Brandenburg...
, and Christian
Christian, Prince Elect of Denmark
Christian was the Prince Elect of Denmark between 1610 and his death.-Early life:He was born in Copenhagen Castle as a son of King Christian IV of Denmark and Queen-Consort Anne Catherine . He was the couple's oldest living son, an older brother Frederick having died in 1599, less than a year old...
, and Adolf Frederick I, Duke of Mecklenburg including all their entourages attended Ulrich II's funeral in the Collegiate Church of Ss. Mary, John and Elisabeth of Hungary in Bützow on 27 March 1624.
Sophie and Ulrich III challenged Ulrich II's widow's dower and claimed it for himself. Therefore they de facto dispossessed Hahn including her chattels. She later married Nicolaus Herman von Nidrum.
On 16 December 1628, after Wallenstein gained the reign in Mecklenburg and the prince-bishopric, Hahn sued Ulrich III in the Ducal Court and Land Tribunal of Mecklenburg. Due to the changing fortunes of war the tribunal never rendered a verdict. Christian IV organised the exhumation of Ulrich II's mortal remains, which were then translated to Roskilde Cathedral
Roskilde Cathedral
Roskilde Cathedral , in the city of Roskilde on the island of Zealand in eastern Denmark, is a cathedral of the Lutheran Church of Denmark. The first Gothic cathedral to be built of brick, it encouraged the spread of the Brick Gothic style throughout Northern Europe...
in 1642.
Characterisation of Ulrik
We know little on Ulrich II's character. In his youth Ulrik was praised in particular for his knowledge and education, and he seems to have had some literary interests. He was much interested in the works and person of the Danish mathematician Christoffer DybvadChristoffer Dybvad
Christoffer Dybvad was a Danish mathematician. He was born in Copenhagen, the son of Professor Jørgen DybvadHe adapted Simon Stevin's De Thiende into Danish....
. His inclination to science, he had manifested by continued study of arithmetic and geometry, collecting geometrical instruments and globes from the Netherlands.
Ulrik seems, however, to have had the desire to amuse himself and was blamed to drink, but certainly not too much so that this governance would suffer. His acting shows him strong willed and persistent, and the many deficiencies in the prince-bishopric did not escape his eyes. A great service he rendered by reorganising the entirely dissipated cathedral chapter, even though he could not fully revive this outdated institution. At least temporarily he shook the canons in their sluggish inaction. He and his appointed government members wanted to create administrative order to the general benefit of his subjects.
Ancestry
External links
- Julius Albert Fridericia, "Ulrik, 1578–1624, Hertug", in: Dansk biografisk leksikonDansk biografisk leksikonDansk biografisk leksikon is a Danish biographical dictionary that has been published in three editions...
, vol. XVIII: Ubbe - Wimpffen, pp. 73seqq. - Georg Christian Friedrich Lisch, "Katharine Hahn, Gemahlin des Herzogs Ulrich, Prinzen von Dänemark, Administrators des Bisthums Schwerin", in: Jahrbücher des Vereins für Mecklenburgische Geschichte und Altertumskunde, Verein für Mecklenburgische Geschichte und Altertumskunde (ed.), vol. 23 (1858), pp. 33–40
- Franz Schildt, "Das Bisthum Schwerin in der evangelischen Zeit", in: Jahrbücher des Vereins für Mecklenburgische Geschichte und Altertumskunde, Verein für Mecklenburgische Geschichte und Altertumskunde (ed.), vol. 49 (1884), pp. 145–279, here pp. 163–177