Julius Henry, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg
Encyclopedia
Julius Henry of Saxe-Lauenburg (9 April 1586 – 20 November 1665) was duke of Saxe-Lauenburg between 1656 and 1665. Before ascending to the throne he served as Field Marshal
in the imperial army.
, he was a son of Duke Francis II and his second wife Maria
(1566–1626), daughter of Duke Julius of Brunswick and Lunenburg (Wolfenbüttel)
. Julius Henry studied at the Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen
and entered into the service of King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden afterwards. In expectation of becoming appointed Prince-Bishop of Osnabrück he converted to Roman Catholicism already as a young man.
In imperial service Julius Henry commanded a regiment in the Uskok War
against the Republic of Venice
in 1617, later a regiment in Hungary. Julius Henry fought in the Battle of the White Mountain. As chamberlain
of Emperor Ferdinands II
the latter sent him as envoy
to King Christian IV of Denmark and Norway. In 1619 Julius Henry, a certain Count of Altheim, and Charles Gonzaga founded the Order of the Conception
, papally confirmed in 1624.
Already in 1623 the emperor conveyanced the lordship in Schlackenwerth, which he had deprived from the Schlick family disgraced after participating in the insurgency defeated at the White Mountain, to Julius Henry. He prompted the construction of the White Palace (Weißes Schloss / Bílý zámek) next to the old palace of the Schlicks. Julius Henry made the White Palace his domicile.
In 1629 Julius Henry was given supreme command over the imperial troops in Poland and in this function he negotiated a peace with John George I, Elector of Saxony
in 1632, after the latter had refused to join a Lutheran wart coalition under Gustavus Adolphus. Julius Henry was considered a confidant and close friend of Albrecht von Wallenstein
. Thus Julius Henry was suspected to be involved in Wallenstein's assaults against the emperor. After Ferdinand had successfully intigated Wallenstein's murder the latter's friends were arrested including Julius Henry and incarcerated in Vienna.
Julius Henry successfully denied the competence of the imperial juridical commission which inquired against him, insisting on his status of immediate prince of the empire only to be judged by a college of his like. After the Peace of Prague
in 1635 Ferdinand II released Julius Henry from imprisonment. After the accession of Emperor Ferdinand III
in 1637 Julius Henry was again envoyed in several diplomatic missions.
as Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg. When ascending he confirmed the existing privileges of the nobility and the estates of the realm
. In 1658 he forbade his vassal
s to pledge
or else alienate fiefs, thus fighting the integration of manor estates in Saxe-Lauenburg into the monetary economies of the neighbouring city-state
s of Hamburg
and Lübeck. He entered with both city-states into frontier disputes on manor estates which were in the process of evading Saxe-Lauenburgian overlordship into the competence of the city-states.
In 1659 Duke Julius Henry decreed in his general disposition (guide-lines for his government) "to also esteem the woodlands as heart and dwell [of revenues] of the Monarchy of Lower Saxony." The Duchy of Saxe-Lauenburg also used to be called simply Lower Saxony. From 1659 on Julius Henry employed Johannes Kunckel as head of the ducal pharmacy.
In 1663 Julius Henry bought the castle in Hauenstein
(Bohemia
) from the von Schlick family, making it part of the ducal Schlackenwerth domain. He further acquired the lordship of Ploschkowitz
.
Julius Henry died of age in Prague
in 1665 and was buried in Schlackenwerth.
(1) Countess Anna of East Frisia
on 7 March 1617. They had no children.
On 27 February 1628 he married in Theusing
(2) Elisabeth Sophia of Brandenburg (Berlin
, *13 July 1589 – 24 December 1629*, Frankfurt an der Oder), daughter of John George, Elector of Brandenburg
and widow of Reich's Prince Janusz Radziwiłł. Julius Henry and Elisabeth Sophia had one son:
Julius Henry's last wedding took place in Vienna
on 18 August 1632 with (3) Anna Magdalena of Lobkowicz
(*20 July 1606 – 7 September 1668*), daughter of Baron William the Younger Popel von Lobkowitz (Popel z Lobkowicz). Anna Magdalena was the only wife to officiate as Saxon consort, after her husband had ascended the throne on 18 January 1656. They had six children, however, only two survived infancy:
Field Marshal
Field Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
in the imperial army.
Before regency
Born at WolfenbüttelWolfenbüttel
Wolfenbüttel is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany, located on the Oker river about 13 kilometres south of Brunswick. It is the seat of the District of Wolfenbüttel and of the bishop of the Protestant Lutheran State Church of Brunswick...
, he was a son of Duke Francis II and his second wife Maria
Maria of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel was a princess of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel by birth and by marriage Duchess of Saxe-Lauenburg.- Life :...
(1566–1626), daughter of Duke Julius of Brunswick and Lunenburg (Wolfenbüttel)
Julius, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Julius of Brunswick-Lüneburg , Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, was prince of Wolfenbüttel from 1568 until his death....
. Julius Henry studied at the Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen
Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen
Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen is a public university located in the city of Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is one of Germany's oldest universities, internationally noted in medicine, natural sciences and the humanities. In the area of German Studies it has been ranked first among...
and entered into the service of King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden afterwards. In expectation of becoming appointed Prince-Bishop of Osnabrück he converted to Roman Catholicism already as a young man.
In imperial service Julius Henry commanded a regiment in the Uskok War
Uskok War
The Uskok War, also known as War of Gradisca was fought between the Austrian and Spanish on one side and the Venetians, Dutch and English on the other. Based out of Senj The Uskok War, also known as War of Gradisca was fought between the Austrian (Croatian Habsburg soldiers - Uskoci) and Spanish...
against the Republic of Venice
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
in 1617, later a regiment in Hungary. Julius Henry fought in the Battle of the White Mountain. As chamberlain
Chamberlain (office)
A chamberlain is an officer in charge of managing a household. In many countries there are ceremonial posts associated with the household of the sovereign....
of Emperor Ferdinands II
Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand II , a member of the House of Habsburg, was Holy Roman Emperor , King of Bohemia , and King of Hungary . His rule coincided with the Thirty Years' War.- Life :...
the latter sent him as envoy
Envoy (title)
In diplomacy, an Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary is, under the terms of the Congress of Vienna of 1815, a diplomat of the second class, ranking between an Ambassador and a Minister Resident....
to King Christian IV of Denmark and Norway. In 1619 Julius Henry, a certain Count of Altheim, and Charles Gonzaga founded the Order of the Conception
Immaculate Conception
The Immaculate Conception of Mary is a dogma of the Roman Catholic Church, according to which the Virgin Mary was conceived without any stain of original sin. It is one of the four dogmata in Roman Catholic Mariology...
, papally confirmed in 1624.
Already in 1623 the emperor conveyanced the lordship in Schlackenwerth, which he had deprived from the Schlick family disgraced after participating in the insurgency defeated at the White Mountain, to Julius Henry. He prompted the construction of the White Palace (Weißes Schloss / Bílý zámek) next to the old palace of the Schlicks. Julius Henry made the White Palace his domicile.
In 1629 Julius Henry was given supreme command over the imperial troops in Poland and in this function he negotiated a peace with John George I, Elector of Saxony
John George I, Elector of Saxony
John George I was Elector of Saxony from 1611 to 1656.-Biography:Born in Dresden, he was the second son of the Elector Christian I and Sophie of Brandenburg....
in 1632, after the latter had refused to join a Lutheran wart coalition under Gustavus Adolphus. Julius Henry was considered a confidant and close friend of Albrecht von Wallenstein
Albrecht von Wallenstein
Albrecht Wenzel Eusebius von Wallenstein , actually von Waldstein, was a Bohemian soldier and politician, who offered his services, and an army of 30,000 to 100,000 men during the Danish period of the Thirty Years' War , to the Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II...
. Thus Julius Henry was suspected to be involved in Wallenstein's assaults against the emperor. After Ferdinand had successfully intigated Wallenstein's murder the latter's friends were arrested including Julius Henry and incarcerated in Vienna.
Julius Henry successfully denied the competence of the imperial juridical commission which inquired against him, insisting on his status of immediate prince of the empire only to be judged by a college of his like. After the Peace of Prague
Peace of Prague (1635)
The Peace of Prague of 30 May 1635 was a treaty between the Habsburg Emperor Ferdinand II and the Electorate of Saxony representing most of the Protestant states of the Holy Roman Empire...
in 1635 Ferdinand II released Julius Henry from imprisonment. After the accession of Emperor Ferdinand III
Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand III was Holy Roman Emperor from 15 February 1637 until his death, as well as King of Hungary and Croatia, King of Bohemia and Archduke of Austria.-Life:...
in 1637 Julius Henry was again envoyed in several diplomatic missions.
Ruling Saxe-Lauenburg
In 1656 Julius Henry succeeded his elder half-brother AugustusAugustus, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg
Augustus of Saxe-Lauenburg was Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg between 1619 and 1656. He was a son of Duke Francis II and his first wife Margaret of Pomerania-Wolgast , daughter of Philip I, Duke of Pomerania-Wolgast...
as Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg. When ascending he confirmed the existing privileges of the nobility and the estates of the realm
Estates of the realm
The Estates of the realm were the broad social orders of the hierarchically conceived society, recognized in the Middle Ages and Early Modern period in Christian Europe; they are sometimes distinguished as the three estates: the clergy, the nobility, and commoners, and are often referred to by...
. In 1658 he forbade his vassal
Vassal
A vassal or feudatory is a person who has entered into a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. The obligations often included military support and mutual protection, in exchange for certain privileges, usually including the grant of land held...
s to pledge
Pledge (law)
A pledge is a bailment or deposit of personal property to a creditor to secure repayment for some debt or engagement, The term is also used to denote the property which constitutes the security....
or else alienate fiefs, thus fighting the integration of manor estates in Saxe-Lauenburg into the monetary economies of the neighbouring city-state
City-state
A city-state is an independent or autonomous entity whose territory consists of a city which is not administered as a part of another local government.-Historical city-states:...
s of Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
and Lübeck. He entered with both city-states into frontier disputes on manor estates which were in the process of evading Saxe-Lauenburgian overlordship into the competence of the city-states.
In 1659 Duke Julius Henry decreed in his general disposition (guide-lines for his government) "to also esteem the woodlands as heart and dwell [of revenues] of the Monarchy of Lower Saxony." The Duchy of Saxe-Lauenburg also used to be called simply Lower Saxony. From 1659 on Julius Henry employed Johannes Kunckel as head of the ducal pharmacy.
In 1663 Julius Henry bought the castle in Hauenstein
Hauenštejn
Hauenštejn is a medieval castle in the Czech Republic. The castle is private property of Pavel Palacký, a descendant of František Palacký....
(Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
) from the von Schlick family, making it part of the ducal Schlackenwerth domain. He further acquired the lordship of Ploschkowitz
Ploskovice
Ploskovice is a village and municipality in Litoměřice District in the Ústí nad Labem Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 384 ....
.
Julius Henry died of age in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
in 1665 and was buried in Schlackenwerth.
Marriages and issue
Julius Henry married three times: He married in GrabowGrabow (disambiguation)
Grabow is a town in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in north-eastern Germany.Grabow may also refer to other placenames derived from grab, the Slavic word for hornbeam:-Places in Germany:...
(1) Countess Anna of East Frisia
Anne of Ostfriesland
Anne of Ostfriesland was the eldest daughter of Edzard II, Count of East Frisia and his wife, Katarina Vasa, daughter of Gustav I of Sweden.Anne married three times:...
on 7 March 1617. They had no children.
On 27 February 1628 he married in Theusing
Toužim
Toužim is a town in the Czech Republic.-External links:*...
(2) Elisabeth Sophia of Brandenburg (Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, *13 July 1589 – 24 December 1629*, Frankfurt an der Oder), daughter of John George, Elector of Brandenburg
John George, Elector of Brandenburg
John George of Brandenburg was a Prince-elector of the Margraviate of Brandenburg and a Duke of Prussia...
and widow of Reich's Prince Janusz Radziwiłł. Julius Henry and Elisabeth Sophia had one son:
- Francis Erdmann of Saxony, Angria and Westphalia (Lauenburg) (Theusing, *25 February 1629 – 30 July 1666*, SchwarzenbekSchwarzenbekSchwarzenbek is a town in the district of Lauenburg, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is situated approximately 10 km northeast of Geesthacht, and 35 km east of Hamburg...
), duke of Saxe-Lauenburg between 1665 and 1666
Julius Henry's last wedding took place in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
on 18 August 1632 with (3) Anna Magdalena of Lobkowicz
Lobkowicz
The Lobkowicz family is one of the oldest still existing Bohemian noble families dating back to the 14th century...
(*20 July 1606 – 7 September 1668*), daughter of Baron William the Younger Popel von Lobkowitz (Popel z Lobkowicz). Anna Magdalena was the only wife to officiate as Saxon consort, after her husband had ascended the throne on 18 January 1656. They had six children, however, only two survived infancy:
- Julius Henry of Saxony, Angria and Westphalia (1633–1634)
- Francisca of Saxony, Angria and Westphalia (d./b. 1634)
- Maria Benigna Francisca of Saxony, Angria and Westphalia (RatisbonRegensburgRegensburg is a city in Bavaria, Germany, located at the confluence of the Danube and Regen rivers, at the northernmost bend in the Danube. To the east lies the Bavarian Forest. Regensburg is the capital of the Bavarian administrative region Upper Palatinate...
, *10 July 1635 – 1 December 1701*, Vienna); ∞ on 4 June 1651 Ottavio Piccolomini. - Francis William of Saxony, Angria and Westphalia (d./b. 1639)
- Francisca Elisabeth of Saxony, Angria and Westphalia (d./b. 1640)
- Julius Francis of Saxony, Angria and Westphalia (Lauenburg) (PraguePraguePrague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, *16 September 1641 – 30 September 1689*, ReichstadtZákupyZákupy is a town in the Česká Lípa District, Liberec Region of the Czech Republic. The number of inhabitants is 2,642.-History:The earliest preserved document where the city appears is from 1306....
), duke between 1666 and 1689