Albert III, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg
Encyclopedia
Albert III of Saxe-Lauenburg (1281 – 1308) was a son of John I, Duke of Saxony
and Ingeborg Birgersdotter of Småland (*ca. 1253–30 June 1302*, in Mölln
), a daughter or grandchild of Birger jarl
. He ruled Saxony
jointly with his uncle Albert II
and his brothers Eric I and John II, first fostered by Albert II, until coming of age. In 1296 Albert III, his brothers and their uncle divided Saxony into Saxe-Wittenberg
, ruled by Albert II, and Saxe-Lauenburg, jointly ruled by the brothers between 1296 and 1303 and thereafter partitioned among them. Albert III then ruled the branch duchy of Saxe-Ratzeburg until his death.
The definite partitioning of Saxony into Saxe-Lauenburg, jointly ruled by Albert III and his brothers and Saxe-Wittenberg, ruled by their uncle Albert II, took place before 20 September 1296, when the Vierlande, Sadelbande (Land of Lauenburg), the Land of Ratzeburg, the Land of Darzing (later Amt Neuhaus
), and the Land of Hadeln are mentioned as the separate territory of the brothers. Albert II received Saxe-Wittenberg around the eponymous city and Belzig
.
Albert III and his brothers at first jointly ruled Saxe-Lauenburg, before they partitioned it into three parts, while the exclave Land of Hadeln remained a trilateral condominium. Albert III then held Saxe-Ratzeburg
, however, he already deceased in 1308. His brother Eric I inherited part of his share, while Albert's widow Margaret of Brandenburg-Salzwedel retained the other part, which also fell to Eric I on her death. However, his other brother then claimed a part for him, so in 1321 Eric passed Bergedorf
(including Vierlande) on to John II, whose share thus became known since as Saxe-Bergedorf-Mölln and Eric's as Saxe-Ratzeburg-Lauenburg.
, becoming one of the Saxon consorts, and they had the following two children:
John I, Duke of Saxony
Duke John I of Saxony was the elder son of Duke Albert I of Saxony and his third wife Helen of Brunswick and Lunenburg, a daughter of Otto the Child...
and Ingeborg Birgersdotter of Småland (*ca. 1253–30 June 1302*, in Mölln
Molln
Molln is a municipality in the district of Kirchdorf an der Krems in Upper Austria, Austria.-References:...
), a daughter or grandchild of Birger jarl
Birger jarl
, or Birger Magnusson, was a Swedish statesman, Jarl of Sweden and a member of the House of Bjelbo, who played a pivotal role in the consolidation of Sweden. Birger also led the Second Swedish Crusade, which established Swedish rule in Finland. Additionally, he is traditionally attributed to have...
. He ruled Saxony
Duchy of Saxony
The medieval Duchy of Saxony was a late Early Middle Ages "Carolingian stem duchy" covering the greater part of Northern Germany. It covered the area of the modern German states of Bremen, Hamburg, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Saxony-Anhalt and most of Schleswig-Holstein...
jointly with his uncle Albert II
Albert II, Duke of Saxony
Albert II of Saxony was a son of Duke Albert I of Saxony and his third wife Helen of Brunswick and Lunenburg, a daughter of Otto the Child. He supported Rudolph I of Germany at his election as Roman king and became his son-in-law...
and his brothers Eric I and John II, first fostered by Albert II, until coming of age. In 1296 Albert III, his brothers and their uncle divided Saxony into Saxe-Wittenberg
Saxe-Wittenberg
The Duchy of Saxe-Wittenberg was a medieval duchy of the Holy Roman Empire centered at Wittenberg, which emerged after the dissolution of the stem duchy of Saxony. As the precursor of the Saxon Electorate, the Ascanian Wittenberg dukes prevailed in obtaining the Saxon electoral dignity.-Ascanian...
, ruled by Albert II, and Saxe-Lauenburg, jointly ruled by the brothers between 1296 and 1303 and thereafter partitioned among them. Albert III then ruled the branch duchy of Saxe-Ratzeburg until his death.
Life
Albert III's father John I resigned from dukedom in 1282 in favour of his three minor sons Albert III, Eric I, and John II. However, their uncle Albert II first fostered them. Albert III and his brothers came to age and joint the government. The last document, mentioning the brothers and their uncle Albert II as Saxon fellow dukes dates back to 1295.The definite partitioning of Saxony into Saxe-Lauenburg, jointly ruled by Albert III and his brothers and Saxe-Wittenberg, ruled by their uncle Albert II, took place before 20 September 1296, when the Vierlande, Sadelbande (Land of Lauenburg), the Land of Ratzeburg, the Land of Darzing (later Amt Neuhaus
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...
), and the Land of Hadeln are mentioned as the separate territory of the brothers. Albert II received Saxe-Wittenberg around the eponymous city and Belzig
Belzig
Bad Belzig, also known as Belzig, is a historic town in Brandenburg, Germany located about southwest of Berlin. It is the capital of the Potsdam-Mittelmark district.-Geography:...
.
Albert III and his brothers at first jointly ruled Saxe-Lauenburg, before they partitioned it into three parts, while the exclave Land of Hadeln remained a trilateral condominium. Albert III then held Saxe-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:...
, however, he already deceased in 1308. His brother Eric I inherited part of his share, while Albert's widow Margaret of Brandenburg-Salzwedel retained the other part, which also fell to Eric I on her death. However, his other brother then claimed a part for him, so in 1321 Eric passed Bergedorf
Bergedorf (quarter)
Bergedorf is a quarter in the homonymous borough of the Free and Hanseatic city of Hamburg in northern Germany. In 2006, the population was 41,019.-History:The quarter was first mentioned in 1162...
(including Vierlande) on to John II, whose share thus became known since as Saxe-Bergedorf-Mölln and Eric's as Saxe-Ratzeburg-Lauenburg.
Marriage and issue
In 1302 Albert III married Margaret of Brandenburg-SalzwedelMargaret of Brandenburg
Margaret of Brandenburg-Salzwedel was a Polish queen consort as the spouse of king Przemysł II of Poland and later a Saxon duchess consort as spouse of Albert III of Saxe-Ratzeburg...
, becoming one of the Saxon consorts, and they had the following two children:
- Albert (Albrecht) of Saxony, Angria and Westphalia (*?–1344*), married Sophia of ZiegenhainSchwalmstadtSchwalmstadt is the largest town in the Schwalm-Eder district, in northern Hesse, Germany. It was established only in 1970 with the amalgamation of the towns of Treysa and Ziegenhain together with some outlying villages to form the town of Schwalmstadt.-Location:Schwalmstadt lies in the Schwalm...
- Eric of Saxony, Angria and Westphalia (*?–1338*)