Charles Christopher, Duke of Münsterberg
Encyclopedia
Charles Christopher, Duke of Münsterberg (also Charles Christopher of Poděbrady, or ; 22 May 1545, Oleśnica
– 17 March 1569, ibid.) was duke of Münsterberg from1565 until his death. He also held the title of Count of Glatz
.
. His parents were Duke John
of Münsterberg-Oels and his first wife Christina Catherine of Schidlowitz .
In 1558 Charles Christopher undertook a Grand Tour
through Europe and then stayed at the court of Emperor Ferdinand I
. After the death of his father, who had married his second wife Margaret (d. 1580), a daughter of Duke Henry II of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel since 1561, Charles Christopher inherited in February 1565 the duchy of Münsterberg. The Duchy of Oels
was inherited his cousin Charles II
, the Duchy of Bernstadt
was inherited by his brother Henry III
. Like his father and his brothers Charles Christopher supported the Reformation
in his territory. In 1567, Catholic services were suspende in the Peter and Paul cathedral in Münsterberg.
Charles Christopher was not married and died after a short reign only four years ago at the age of 24 years. With his death the rule of the House of Poděbrady in Münsterberg. The duchy fell to the Bohemian Crown
as a vacant fief. The other lines of the Poděbrady family were allowed to use the title of "Duke of Münsterberg" until the Poděbrady family died out in 1647.
Ten years after Charles Christopher's death his cousin Barbara of Bieberstein donated a marble epitaph
to the Castle Church at Oels. It was probable created by Hans Fleiser (also called Gruyter) and shows Duke Charles Christopher clad in armour.
Olesnica
Oleśnica is a town in the Trzebnickie Hills in southwestern Poland with 36,951 inhabitants . It is situated in Lower Silesian Voivodeship...
– 17 March 1569, ibid.) was duke of Münsterberg from1565 until his death. He also held the title of Count of Glatz
Glatz
Glatz can refer to :Places* Glatz, German name of a city in Lower Silesia, since 1945 Kłodzko, Poland* Landkreis Glatz, Prussian/German county 1816–1945, in the Province of Lower Silesia* Grafschaft Glatz, Duchy of Glatz, since 1348People...
.
Life
Charles Christopher, Duke of Münsterberg was a member of the Münsterberg branch of the House of PoděbradyPodiebrad family
The Bohemian Poděbrady family was a noble family in Bohemia, arising from the Lords of Kunštát. After Boček of Kunštát had acquired the Lordship of Poděbrady by marriage, he called himself "Boček of Kunštát and Poděbrady". The best known member of the family was George of Poděbrady, who was...
. His parents were Duke John
John, Duke of Münsterberg-Oels
John of Münsterberg-Oels was Duke of the Münsterberg from 1542 to 1565, Duke of Oels from 1548 to 1565 and Duke of Bernstadt from 1548 to 1565. He also held the title of Count of Glatz.- Life :Johann Berger family was a member of the Münsterberg branch of the noble Poděbrady family...
of Münsterberg-Oels and his first wife Christina Catherine of Schidlowitz .
In 1558 Charles Christopher undertook a Grand Tour
Grand Tour
The Grand Tour was the traditional trip of Europe undertaken by mainly upper-class European young men of means. The custom flourished from about 1660 until the advent of large-scale rail transit in the 1840s, and was associated with a standard itinerary. It served as an educational rite of passage...
through Europe and then stayed at the court of Emperor Ferdinand I
Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand I was Holy Roman Emperor from 1558 and king of Bohemia and Hungary from 1526 until his death. Before his accession, he ruled the Austrian hereditary lands of the Habsburgs in the name of his elder brother, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.The key events during his reign were the contest...
. After the death of his father, who had married his second wife Margaret (d. 1580), a daughter of Duke Henry II of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel since 1561, Charles Christopher inherited in February 1565 the duchy of Münsterberg. The Duchy of Oels
Duchy of Oels
The Duchy of Oels or Duchy of Oleśnica was one of the duchies of Silesia, with the capital in Oleśnica, Poland.Initially part of the Piast Duchy of Wrocław, the Oleśnica area became part of the Duchy of Głogów in 1294, following an armed conflict between Duke Henry III and Henry V the Fat, Duke of...
was inherited his cousin Charles II
Charles II, Duke of Münsterberg-Oels
Charles II of Münsterberg-Oels was Duke of Oels from 1565 to 1617 and Duke of Bernstadt from 1604 to 1617. He also hald the titles of Duke of Münsterberg and Count of Glatz...
, the Duchy of Bernstadt
Duchy of Bernstadt
The Duchy of Bernstadt was a Silesian duchy centred on the city of Bernstadt in Lower Silesia and formed by separation from the Duchy of Oels . It was first ruled by the Silesian Piasts dynasty, until its extinction in 1492. In 1495 it and the Duchy of Oels passed to the Dukes of Münsterberg,...
was inherited by his brother Henry III
Henry III, Duke of Münsterberg-Oels
Henry III of Münsterberg-Oels was Duke of Münsterberg from 1565 to 1574 and Duke of Bernstadt...
. Like his father and his brothers Charles Christopher supported the Reformation
Reformation
- Movements :* Protestant Reformation, an attempt by Martin Luther to reform the Roman Catholic Church that resulted in a schism, and grew into a wider movement...
in his territory. In 1567, Catholic services were suspende in the Peter and Paul cathedral in Münsterberg.
Charles Christopher was not married and died after a short reign only four years ago at the age of 24 years. With his death the rule of the House of Poděbrady in Münsterberg. The duchy fell to the Bohemian Crown
Lands of the Bohemian Crown
The Lands of the Bohemian Crown , also called the Lands of the Crown of Saint Wenceslas or simply the Bohemian Crown or Czech Crown lands , refers to the area connected by feudal relations under the joint rule of the Bohemian kings...
as a vacant fief. The other lines of the Poděbrady family were allowed to use the title of "Duke of Münsterberg" until the Poděbrady family died out in 1647.
Ten years after Charles Christopher's death his cousin Barbara of Bieberstein donated a marble epitaph
Epitaph
An epitaph is a short text honoring a deceased person, strictly speaking that is inscribed on their tombstone or plaque, but also used figuratively. Some are specified by the dead person beforehand, others chosen by those responsible for the burial...
to the Castle Church at Oels. It was probable created by Hans Fleiser (also called Gruyter) and shows Duke Charles Christopher clad in armour.