William II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Encyclopedia
William II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (about 1300 – 1369) was the Prince of Lüneburg from 1330 to 1369.
and his wife, Matilda of Bavaria
.
On his father's death, William took over the reins of state jointly with his brother Otto III
. This was against his father's will because Otto II had wanted the state to be divided after his death. The focus of the brothers' reign in the early years was the territorial consolidation of the principality. For example, they succeeded in expanding their estate in the area of Gifhorn
considerably through the acquisition of the village of Fallersleben
and the counties of Papenheim and Wettmarshagen. Another focus of attention was their political support of economically growing towns. For example, Lüneburg
trade flourished as a result of work to make the Ilmenau navigable between Lüneburg and Uelzen
as well as trade agreements between the Lüneburg princes
and the dukes of Saxe-Lauenburg
.
Following the death of his brother, Otto III, William increasingly turned his attention to the question of succession in the state of Lüneburg. Because his brother had lost his only son as a child and he himself had no eligible daughters, he selected his grandson, Albert of Saxe-Wittenberg
, the son of his daughter Elizabeth, as his successor. In fact he had previously asked Emperor Charles IV
for the eventual enfeoffment
of the state to his grandson, but backed away again in the years that followed, because he feared the influence of Albert's uncles, Wenceslas and Rudolf. A further reason may be found in the terms of the Brunswick-Lüneburg investiture agreement of 1235 as well as the succession treaties agreed by William's father with the Brunswick line of the House of Welf, according to which the principality had to be passed to any male heir within the entire Welf house if there were one. In order to satisfy his desire for one of his descendents to inherit the state, he married off his younger daughter, Matilda, to Louis of Brunswick-Lüneburg. Because the latter was heir to the Brunswick region
the divided estate of the ducal house would once again be united under one ruler. Unaware of this, Emperor Charles IV had meanwhile authorised the enfeoffment of Albert of Saxe-Wittenberg and his two uncles and, with that, laid the foundation stone for the Lüneburg War of Succession
that began on William's death. Other problems were added by William's niece, Matilda, the daughter of his brother, Otto III. Her husband, Otto II of Waldeck, made claims against William. The imperial court
awarded Otto 100,000 marks which amounted to about half the principality. In response to William's refusal to pay this, an imperial ban was imposed at first and, after a further vain attempt at mediation, the Emperor pronounced that he should be made an outlaw and tasked the Bishop of Minden to carry this out personally. Whether this actually happened is not known. Facing death, he finally handed rule of the principality to Magnus of Brunswick-Lüneburg
who, after the death of his brother, Louis, had been named as heir to the principality. William died on 23 November 1369 in Lüneburg.
From his 1st marriage to Hedwig of Ravensberg (d after 1387), daughter of Count Otto IV of Ravensberg:
From his 2nd marriage to Mary:
In 1346 he married his third wife, Sophia of Anhalt-Bernburg (d 1362), daughter of Prince Bernhard III of Anhalt-Bernburg
. In 1363 he married his fourth wife, Agnes (1353–1387), daughter of Duke Eric II of Saxe-Lauenburg.
Life
William was born around the year 1300 as the fourth child of Otto the StrictOtto II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Otto II, Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg , also known as Otto the Strict , came from the House of Welf and was Prince of Lüneburg from 1277 to 1330.-Life:...
and his wife, Matilda of Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
.
On his father's death, William took over the reins of state jointly with his brother Otto III
Otto III, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Otto III, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg was Prince of Lüneburg from 1330 to 1352.- Life :Otto was born about 1296 as the second son of Otto the Strict and his wife Matilda of Bavaria, and was introduced to the business of government by his father as early as 1314...
. This was against his father's will because Otto II had wanted the state to be divided after his death. The focus of the brothers' reign in the early years was the territorial consolidation of the principality. For example, they succeeded in expanding their estate in the area of Gifhorn
Gifhorn
Gifhorn is a town and capital of the district Gifhorn in the east of Lower Saxony, Germany. It has a population of about 42,000 and is mainly influenced by the small distance to the industrial and commercially important cities nearby, Brunswick and Wolfsburg...
considerably through the acquisition of the village of Fallersleben
Fallersleben
Fallersleben is a district in the City of Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany, with a population of 11,269 . The village of Fallersleben was first mentioned in 942 under the name of Valareslebo. Fallersleben became a city in 1929, and was incorporated into Wolfsburg in 1972. Before 1972, it belonged...
and the counties of Papenheim and Wettmarshagen. Another focus of attention was their political support of economically growing towns. For example, Lüneburg
Lüneburg
Lüneburg is a town in the German state of Lower Saxony. It is located about southeast of fellow Hanseatic city Hamburg. It is part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region, and one of Hamburg's inner suburbs...
trade flourished as a result of work to make the Ilmenau navigable between Lüneburg and Uelzen
Uelzen
Uelzen is a town in northeast Lower Saxony, Germany, and capital of the county of Uelzen. It is part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region, a Hanseatic town and an independent municipality....
as well as trade agreements between the Lüneburg princes
Principality of Lüneburg
The Principality of Lüneburg was a territorial division of the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg within the Holy Roman Empire, immediately subordinate to the emperor. It existed from 1269 until 1705 and its territory lay within the modern-day state of Lower Saxony in Germany...
and the dukes of Saxe-Lauenburg
Duchy of Saxe-Lauenburg
The Duchy of Saxe-Lauenburg between the 14th and 17th centuries), later also known as the Duchy of Lauenburg, was a reichsfrei duchy that existed 1296–1803 and 1814–1876 in the extreme southeast region of what is now Schleswig-Holstein...
.
Following the death of his brother, Otto III, William increasingly turned his attention to the question of succession in the state of Lüneburg. Because his brother had lost his only son as a child and he himself had no eligible daughters, he selected his grandson, Albert of Saxe-Wittenberg
Albert of Saxe-Wittenberg, Duke of Lüneburg
Albert of Saxe-Wittenberg was born as the son of Otto , a younger son of the prince-elector Rudolph I of Saxe-Wittenberg, and his wife Elisabeth, daughter of Duke William II of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
, the son of his daughter Elizabeth, as his successor. In fact he had previously asked Emperor Charles IV
Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles IV , born Wenceslaus , was the second king of Bohemia from the House of Luxembourg, and the first king of Bohemia to also become Holy Roman Emperor....
for the eventual enfeoffment
Enfeoffment
Under the European feudal system, enfeoffment was the deed by which a person was given land in exchange for a pledge of service. This mechanism was later used to avoid restrictions on the passage of title in land by a system in which a landowner would give land to one person for the use of another...
of the state to his grandson, but backed away again in the years that followed, because he feared the influence of Albert's uncles, Wenceslas and Rudolf. A further reason may be found in the terms of the Brunswick-Lüneburg investiture agreement of 1235 as well as the succession treaties agreed by William's father with the Brunswick line of the House of Welf, according to which the principality had to be passed to any male heir within the entire Welf house if there were one. In order to satisfy his desire for one of his descendents to inherit the state, he married off his younger daughter, Matilda, to Louis of Brunswick-Lüneburg. Because the latter was heir to the Brunswick region
Duchy of Brunswick
Brunswick was a historical state in Germany. Originally the territory of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel in the Holy Roman Empire, it was established as an independent duchy by the Congress of Vienna in 1815...
the divided estate of the ducal house would once again be united under one ruler. Unaware of this, Emperor Charles IV had meanwhile authorised the enfeoffment of Albert of Saxe-Wittenberg and his two uncles and, with that, laid the foundation stone for the Lüneburg War of Succession
Lüneburg War of Succession
The Lüneburg War of Succession was a conflict that broke out in 1370 in north Germany and lasted, with interruptions, for 18 years. The war was over the line of succession to the Principality of Lüneburg...
that began on William's death. Other problems were added by William's niece, Matilda, the daughter of his brother, Otto III. Her husband, Otto II of Waldeck, made claims against William. The imperial court
Imperial Court
An Imperial Court is the noble court of an empire .For example:*The noble court of an Emperor of China, Emperor of Japan, Emperor of Ethiopia, Emperor of Austria, Emperor of India, Emperor of Persia, etc....
awarded Otto 100,000 marks which amounted to about half the principality. In response to William's refusal to pay this, an imperial ban was imposed at first and, after a further vain attempt at mediation, the Emperor pronounced that he should be made an outlaw and tasked the Bishop of Minden to carry this out personally. Whether this actually happened is not known. Facing death, he finally handed rule of the principality to Magnus of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Magnus II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Magnus , called Magnus with the Necklace or Magnus II, was Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, ruling the Brunswick-Lüneburg principalities of Wolfenbüttel and, temporarily, Lüneburg....
who, after the death of his brother, Louis, had been named as heir to the principality. William died on 23 November 1369 in Lüneburg.
Marriages and issue
William had a daughter by each of his four wives.From his 1st marriage to Hedwig of Ravensberg (d after 1387), daughter of Count Otto IV of Ravensberg:
- Elizabeth (d 1384) m Otto, Duke of Saxe-Wittenberg (d 30 March 1350)
-
- m (ca. 1354) Nicholas, Count of Holstein (b 1321; d 1397), son of Gerhard III, Count of Holstein-Rendsburg
From his 2nd marriage to Mary:
- Matilda m Louis of Brunswick-Lüneburg (d 1367)
In 1346 he married his third wife, Sophia of Anhalt-Bernburg (d 1362), daughter of Prince Bernhard III of Anhalt-Bernburg
Anhalt-Bernburg
Anhalt-Bernburg was a principality of the Holy Roman Empire and a duchy of the German Confederation ruled by the House of Ascania with its residence at Bernburg in present-day Saxony-Anhalt...
. In 1363 he married his fourth wife, Agnes (1353–1387), daughter of Duke Eric II of Saxe-Lauenburg.