Albert of Saxe-Wittenberg, Duke of Lüneburg
Encyclopedia
Albert of Saxe-Wittenberg was born as the son of Otto (d. 30 March 1350), a younger son of the prince-elector Rudolph I of Saxe-Wittenberg, and his wife Elisabeth, daughter of Duke William II of Brunswick-Lüneburg. In 1370 he succeeded his (maternal) grandfather as the Duke or Prince of Lüneburg
.
William II of Brunswick-Lüneburg named his grandson Albert as his heir in Lüneburg because neither he or his brother had male heirs. In fact William II 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 I
and Rudolph II. 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 Otto the Strict with Brunswick-Lüneburg's Wolfenbüttel 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.
After the death of William II and the succession of the Wolfenbüttel Magnus II
, the Lüneburg War of Succession
broke out between Saxe-Wittenberg and Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. Albert was backed by his uncle the Prince-Elector Wenceslas of Saxony (Saxe-Wittenberg). On 25 July 1373, Duke Magnus was killed in a battle near Leveste on the Deister
(part of modern-day Gehrden
). After this an arrangement was agreed between Prince-Elector Wenceslas and Albert, on the one hand and the widow of Magnus II and her sons on the other. It was agreed that the land would belong, undivided, to the two Ascanian
s from Saxe-Wittenberg and, after their deaths, would be transferred to the sons of the fallen duke, Magnus II. And that it should continue to alternate after the deaths of the Welfs, i.e. the succession would pass to the Ascanians again. In order that this plan could also be reinforced by family ties, in 1374 Albert of Saxe-Lüneburg married the widow of Magnus II, Catharina and chose Celle
as his home, which he made a residence in 1378. The two still underage sons of Magnus also married into the House of Ascania in 1386. He would rule the Principality of Lüneburg jointly with his uncle Wenceslas until his death on 28 June 1385.
Albert married Catherina, daughter of Bernhard III, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg
, widow of Magnus II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. The marriage was on 10 November 1373 in Hanover
and 11 May 1374 in Celle. They had one daughter:
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...
.
William II of Brunswick-Lüneburg named his grandson Albert as his heir in Lüneburg because neither he or his brother had male heirs. In fact William II 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 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 I
Wenceslas I, Duke of Saxe-Wittenberg
Wenceslas I, Duke of Saxe-Wittenberg from the House of Ascania ruled from 1370 to 1388 and was a prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire as well as Prince of Lüneburg. He was the son of Rudolf I and his 3rd wife, Agnes of Lindow.- Life :In 1370 Wenceslas succeeded his brother Rudolf II...
and Rudolph II. 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 Otto the Strict with Brunswick-Lüneburg's Wolfenbüttel 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.
After the death of William II and the succession of the Wolfenbüttel Magnus II
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....
, 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...
broke out between Saxe-Wittenberg and Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. Albert was backed by his uncle the Prince-Elector Wenceslas of Saxony (Saxe-Wittenberg). On 25 July 1373, Duke Magnus was killed in a battle near Leveste on the Deister
Deister
The Deister is a chain of hills in the German state of Lower Saxony, about 15 mi southwest of the city of Hanover. It runs in a north-westerly direction from Springe in the south to Rodenberg in the north. The next the chain of hills that attaches in the south is called Small Deister...
(part of modern-day Gehrden
Gehrden
Gehrden is a town in the district of Hanover, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. southwest of Hanover.- References :...
). After this an arrangement was agreed between Prince-Elector Wenceslas and Albert, on the one hand and the widow of Magnus II and her sons on the other. It was agreed that the land would belong, undivided, to the two Ascanian
Ascanian
The House of Ascania was a dynasty of German rulers. It was also known as the House of Anhalt, after Anhalt, its longest-held possession.The Ascanians are named after Ascania Castle, which is located near and named after Aschersleben...
s from Saxe-Wittenberg and, after their deaths, would be transferred to the sons of the fallen duke, Magnus II. And that it should continue to alternate after the deaths of the Welfs, i.e. the succession would pass to the Ascanians again. In order that this plan could also be reinforced by family ties, in 1374 Albert of Saxe-Lüneburg married the widow of Magnus II, Catharina and chose Celle
Celle
Celle is a town and capital of the district of Celle, in Lower Saxony, Germany. The town is situated on the banks of the River Aller, a tributary of the Weser and has a population of about 71,000...
as his home, which he made a residence in 1378. The two still underage sons of Magnus also married into the House of Ascania in 1386. He would rule the Principality of Lüneburg jointly with his uncle Wenceslas until his death on 28 June 1385.
Family
Albert married Catherina, daughter of Bernhard III, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg
Bernhard III, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg
Bernhard III, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Bernburg....
, widow of Magnus II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. The marriage was on 10 November 1373 in Hanover
Hanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
and 11 May 1374 in Celle. They had one daughter:
- Helene of Saxe-Wittenberg (1385-?).
Ancestry
Sources
- Lorenz Friedrich Beck: Herrschaft und Territorium der Herzöge von Sachsen-Wittenberg (1212-1422). Potsdam 2000. ISBN 3-932981-63-4
- Heinrich Kühne: Die Ascanier. Drei Kastanien Verlag 1999, ISBN 3-933028-14-0
- Georg Hirschfeld: Geschichte der Sächsisch-Askanischen Kurfürsten. Julius Sittenfeld, Berlin 1884