John II, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg
Encyclopedia
John II of Saxe-Lauenburg (ca. 1275 – 22 April 1322) was the eldest son of John I of Saxony
and Ingeborg Birgersdotter of Småland (*ca. 1253–30 June 1302*, Mölln
), a daughter or grandchild of Birger jarl
. He ruled Saxony
jointly with his uncle Albert II
and his brothers Albert III and Eric I, first fostered by Albert II, until coming of age. In 1296 John II, 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. John II then ruled the branch duchy of Saxe-Mölln, later extended to become Saxe-Bergedorf-Mölln. In 1314 he officiated as Saxon Prince-elector
in an election of a German king.
The definite partitioning of Saxony into Saxe-Lauenburg, jointly ruled by John II 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
.
John II 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. John II then held Mölln, parts of the Sachsenwald
(Saxon Wood) and the Land of Ratzeburg west of the river Stecknitz
. In 1321 he further gained Bergedorf
(Vierlande) - with its castle - from his brother Eric I, who had earlier inherited the share of the Albert III already deceased in 1308. John II's branch duchy thus became known as Saxe-Bergedorf-Mölln.
Being the eldest brother John II officiated successfully as Saxon prince-elector, a privilege disputed between the duchies of Saxe-Lauenburg and Saxe-Wittenberg. In 1314 John II participated in the election of the German king and antiking, the Wittelsbachian Louis IV the Bavarian
and his Habsburgian cousin Frederick III, the Fair.
Louis received five of the seven votes, to wit that of Duke John II, rivallingly claiming the Saxon prince-electoral power, Archbishop-Elector Baldwin of Trier, the legitimate King-Elector John of Bohemia
, Archbishop-Elector Peter
of Mainz, and Prince-Elector Waldemar of Brandenburg.
Frederick the Fair received in the same election four of the seven votes, with the deposed King-Elector Henry of Bohemia, illegitimately assuming electoral power, Archbishop-Elector Henry II of Cologne, Louis's brother Prince-Elector Rudolph I
of the Electoral Palatinate, and Duke Rudolph I of Saxe-Wittenberg, John's cousin rivallingly claiming the Saxon prince-electoral power. However, Louis prevailed as German king.
, making her one of the Duchess of Saxe-Lauenburg. John and Elisabeth had the following son:
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*, 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 Albert III and Eric I, first fostered by Albert II, until coming of age. In 1296 John II, 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. John II then ruled the branch duchy of Saxe-Mölln, later extended to become Saxe-Bergedorf-Mölln. In 1314 he officiated as Saxon Prince-elector
Prince-elector
The Prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire were the members of the electoral college of the Holy Roman Empire, having the function of electing the Roman king or, from the middle of the 16th century onwards, directly the Holy Roman Emperor.The heir-apparent to a prince-elector was known as an...
in an election of a German king.
Life
John was of weak health and had gone blind in young years, therefore he was considered inferior among his brothers. John II'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 fostered them. John II 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 John II 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:...
.
John II 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. John II then held Mölln, parts of the Sachsenwald
Sachsenwald
The Sachsenwald is a forest near Hamburg, Germany. It is an unincorporated area in the Amt Hohe Elbgeest. It derives its name, which is in , from being located in the former Duchy of Saxe-Lauenburg, earlier also called Lower Saxony, now mostly covered by the District Herzogtum Lauenburg . The...
(Saxon Wood) and the Land of Ratzeburg west of the river Stecknitz
Stecknitz
Stecknitz is a river of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.-See also:*List of rivers of Schleswig-Holstein...
. In 1321 he further gained 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...
(Vierlande) - with its castle - from his brother Eric I, who had earlier inherited the share of the Albert III already deceased in 1308. John II's branch duchy thus became known as Saxe-Bergedorf-Mölln.
Being the eldest brother John II officiated successfully as Saxon prince-elector, a privilege disputed between the duchies of Saxe-Lauenburg and Saxe-Wittenberg. In 1314 John II participated in the election of the German king and antiking, the Wittelsbachian Louis IV the Bavarian
Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Louis IV , called the Bavarian, of the house of Wittelsbach, was the King of Germany from 1314, the King of Italy from 1327 and the Holy Roman Emperor from 1328....
and his Habsburgian cousin Frederick III, the Fair.
Louis received five of the seven votes, to wit that of Duke John II, rivallingly claiming the Saxon prince-electoral power, Archbishop-Elector Baldwin of Trier, the legitimate King-Elector John of Bohemia
Kingdom of Bohemia
The Kingdom of Bohemia was a country located in the region of Bohemia in Central Europe, most of whose territory is currently located in the modern-day Czech Republic. The King was Elector of Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution in 1806, whereupon it became part of the Austrian Empire, and...
, Archbishop-Elector Peter
Peter of Aspelt
Peter Aspelt was Archbishop of Mainz from 1306 to 1320, and an influential political figure of the period. He brought the archbishopric to its peak of power....
of Mainz, and Prince-Elector Waldemar of Brandenburg.
Frederick the Fair received in the same election four of the seven votes, with the deposed King-Elector Henry of Bohemia, illegitimately assuming electoral power, Archbishop-Elector Henry II of Cologne, Louis's brother Prince-Elector Rudolph I
Rudolf I, Duke of Bavaria
Rudolf I of Bavaria , a member of the Wittelsbach dynasty, was Duke of Bavaria and Count Palatine of the Rhine...
of the Electoral Palatinate, and Duke Rudolph I of Saxe-Wittenberg, John's cousin rivallingly claiming the Saxon prince-electoral power. However, Louis prevailed as German king.
Marriage and issue
Ca. 1315 John II married Elisabeth of Holstein-Rendsburg (*ca. 1300–1340*), sister of Count Gerard III the GreatGerhard III
Gerhard III of Holstein . Sometimes called “Gerhard the Great”. In Denmark also known as “Count Gert” or “den kullede greve” . A German prince who was the ruler of most part of Denmark during the Interregnum 1332–1340.His father was Henry I of Schauenburg and Holstein-Rendsburg...
, making her one of the Duchess of Saxe-Lauenburg. John and Elisabeth had the following son:
- Albert IV, Duke of Saxe-LauenburgAlbert IV, Duke of Saxe-LauenburgAlbert IV of Saxe-Lauenburg was the eldest son of John II of Saxe-Lauenburg and Countess Elisabeth of Schauenburg and Holstein-Rendsburg , sister of Gerard III the Great...
(*1315-1343/1344*).