Magnus II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Güstrow
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Magnus II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Güstrow (1441 – 20 November 1503) was duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
from 1477 until his death.
He was the son of Henry IV the Fat
, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, and Dorothea of Hohenzollern, daughter of Elector Frederick I of Brandenburg
. Duke Henry IV had re-united the Mecklenburg
lands under his rule by inheritance of the former Lordships of Werle
and Stargard
in 1436 and 1471 respectively. Near the end of his life, Henry IV devoted more and more time to hedonistic luxury, while Magnus and his brothers Albert and John
took over the most active share in the business of government. John died in 1474, leaving a grieving widow, Sophie of Pomerania-Stettin, daughter of Duke Eric II of Pomerania
, whom Magnus married himself in 1478.
After Henry died in 1477, the Magnus ruled the Duchy jointly with Albert. After Albert died in 1483, Magnus ruled alone, as his younger brother Balthasar
did not care at all about government business. He reigned until his death in 1503, when he was succeeded by his sons Henry V, Eric II and Albert VII
, who at first ruled jointly until in 1520 they split the lands into the duchies of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
and Mecklenburg-Güstrow
.
The duchy's debt had excessively, due to the lavish court life of Magnus's father and he sought to reduce that debt. He curtailed his own royal household in every way, and pledged goods and regalia. He tried to restore the shattered finances by the introduction of extraordinary (from Lower Saxon Beden: goods to be delivered to the manor
by the serfs). This caused tensions between him and the Hanseatic
cities of Rostock
and Wismar
, that tried to achieve a more independent position.
In 1487 a rebellion broke out in Rostock. It is known as the "Rostock Cathedral Feud" . The trigger was the establishment of a collegiate church
(commonly known as Dom) at the Church of St. James . With this, Magnus II wanted to secure the financing of the university and his position of power within the city. On 12 January 1487, the day the church was to be consecrated, Provost Thomas Rode was murdered in the street. Rulers who were present for the consecration, had to flee the city. Magnus had to fear for his life when his company was attacked. His skin was saved by a body guard, who threw himself on top of Magnus in the thick of the melee. The rebellion lasted until 1491. Rebel leader Hans Runge and three other insurgents were executed and the city had to recognize the cathedral chapter and pay a substantial fine and confirm all of the Duke's privileges. The excommunication and interdict, which Magnus and Balthasar had obtained from the Emperor and the Pope
, were then rescinded.
Besides these feuds in his own country, Magnus also had disputes with neighbouring princes and with his vassals, as was usual in those days. There were disputes over inheritances and fiefs and border disputes. Magnus would participate in battles, or mediate between the contending parties. Some other activities for the good of his country, such as the proposed canal connecting the Baltic Sea
with the Elbe
and North Sea
via Lake Schwerin, as well as improving the metal content of the Mecklenburg coins, had to be postponed indefinitely, due to lack of funding.
In 1492, 27 Jews in Sternberg were convicted to death after allegetions that they had desecrated bleeding communion wafers. Magnus confirmed the verdict and the Jews were executed at the stake.
In his domestic life he had the pleasure to see two of his daughters marry respected German princes during his lifetime. His daughter Anna
became the matriarch of the House of Hesse
and Sophie of the Ernestine line of the House of Wettin. After Magnus's death, his youngest daughter, Catherine
achieved fame in her on right and as the mother of the famous Duke Maurice
of Saxony.
Magnus died on 20 November 1503 in Wismar
and was later ceremonially buried in the Doberan Minster
.
Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Mecklenburg-Schwerin was a duchy in northern Germany created in 1348, when Albert II of Mecklenburg and his younger brother John were raised to Dukes of Mecklenburg by King Charles IV...
from 1477 until his death.
He was the son of Henry IV the Fat
Henry IV, Duke of Mecklenburg
Henry IV, Duke of Mecklenburg was from 1422 to 1477 Duke of Mecklenburg.- Life :Henry IV of Mecklenburg, because of his obesity and lavish lifestyle also called the "Henry the Fat", was the son of the Duke John IV of Mecklenburg and Catherine of Saxe-Lauenburg.He inherited Mecklenburg when his...
, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, and Dorothea of Hohenzollern, daughter of Elector Frederick I of Brandenburg
Frederick I, Elector of Brandenburg
Frederick was Burgrave of Nuremberg as Frederick VI and Elector of Brandenburg as Frederick I. He was a son of Burgrave Frederick V of Nuremberg and Elisabeth of Meissen, and was the first member of the House of Hohenzollern to rule the Margraviate of Brandenburg.- Biography :Frederick entered...
. Duke Henry IV had re-united the Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg is a historical region in northern Germany comprising the western and larger part of the federal-state Mecklenburg-Vorpommern...
lands under his rule by inheritance of the former Lordships of Werle
Werle
Werle was a fiefdom, or Herrschaft in German, in the Holy Roman Empire that was founded in 1235. It was created in the partition of territories in Mecklenburg that followed the death of Henry Borwin II of Mecklenburg ....
and Stargard
Stargard
Starogard or Stargard means old fort or old city in the Pomeranian language, and gard is Old Slavic, Old Germanic, Old Baltic, and Old Finnic for castle or fortification...
in 1436 and 1471 respectively. Near the end of his life, Henry IV devoted more and more time to hedonistic luxury, while Magnus and his brothers Albert and John
John VI, Duke of Mecklenburg
John VI, Duke of Mecklenburg was a Duke of Mecklenburg.- Life :John was the second son of the Duke Henry IV, Duke of Mecklenburg of Mecklenburg and his wife, Dorothea daughter of Elector Frederick II of Brandenburg....
took over the most active share in the business of government. John died in 1474, leaving a grieving widow, Sophie of Pomerania-Stettin, daughter of Duke Eric II of Pomerania
Eric II, Duke of Pomerania
Eric II or Erich II, of the House of Pomerania , , was Duke of Pomerania-Wolgast from 1457 to 1474. He was the son of Wartislaw IX of Pomerania-Wolgast and Sophia of Saxe-Lauenburg Eric II or Erich II, of the House of Pomerania (Griffins), (between 1418 and 1425 – 1474), was Duke of...
, whom Magnus married himself in 1478.
After Henry died in 1477, the Magnus ruled the Duchy jointly with Albert. After Albert died in 1483, Magnus ruled alone, as his younger brother Balthasar
Balthasar, Duke of Mecklenburg
Balthasar of Mecklenburg was Duke of Mecklenburg, Coadjutor and administrator of the Diocese of Hildesheim and the Diocese of Schwerin from 1474 to 1479....
did not care at all about government business. He reigned until his death in 1503, when he was succeeded by his sons Henry V, Eric II and Albert VII
Albert VII, Duke of Mecklenburg
Albrecht VII, the Handsome, Duke of Mecklenburg in Gustrow , was a minor ruler in North Germany of the 16th century...
, who at first ruled jointly until in 1520 they split the lands into the duchies of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Mecklenburg-Schwerin was a duchy in northern Germany created in 1348, when Albert II of Mecklenburg and his younger brother John were raised to Dukes of Mecklenburg by King Charles IV...
and Mecklenburg-Güstrow
Mecklenburg-Güstrow
Mecklenburg-Güstrow was a state of the Holy Roman Empire in Northern Germany, that existed on three separate occasions ruled by the House of Mecklenburg at Güstrow.-History:...
.
The duchy's debt had excessively, due to the lavish court life of Magnus's father and he sought to reduce that debt. He curtailed his own royal household in every way, and pledged goods and regalia. He tried to restore the shattered finances by the introduction of extraordinary (from Lower Saxon Beden: goods to be delivered to the manor
Manor
-Land tenure:*Manor, an estate in land of the mediaeval era in England*Manorialism, a system of land tenure and organization of the rural economy and society in parts of medieval Europe based on the manor*Manor house, the principal house of a manor...
by the serfs). This caused tensions between him and the Hanseatic
Hanseatic League
The Hanseatic League was an economic alliance of trading cities and their merchant guilds that dominated trade along the coast of Northern Europe...
cities of Rostock
Rostock
Rostock -Early history:In the 11th century Polabian Slavs founded a settlement at the Warnow river called Roztoc ; the name Rostock is derived from that designation. The Danish king Valdemar I set the town aflame in 1161.Afterwards the place was settled by German traders...
and Wismar
Wismar
Wismar , is a small port and Hanseatic League town in northern Germany on the Baltic Sea, in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern,about 45 km due east of Lübeck, and 30 km due north of Schwerin. Its natural harbour, located in the Bay of Wismar is well-protected by a promontory. The...
, that tried to achieve a more independent position.
In 1487 a rebellion broke out in Rostock. It is known as the "Rostock Cathedral Feud" . The trigger was the establishment of a collegiate church
Collegiate church
In Christianity, a collegiate church is a church where the daily office of worship is maintained by a college of canons; a non-monastic, or "secular" community of clergy, organised as a self-governing corporate body, which may be presided over by a dean or provost...
(commonly known as Dom) at the Church of St. James . With this, Magnus II wanted to secure the financing of the university and his position of power within the city. On 12 January 1487, the day the church was to be consecrated, Provost Thomas Rode was murdered in the street. Rulers who were present for the consecration, had to flee the city. Magnus had to fear for his life when his company was attacked. His skin was saved by a body guard, who threw himself on top of Magnus in the thick of the melee. The rebellion lasted until 1491. Rebel leader Hans Runge and three other insurgents were executed and the city had to recognize the cathedral chapter and pay a substantial fine and confirm all of the Duke's privileges. The excommunication and interdict, which Magnus and Balthasar had obtained from the Emperor and the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
, were then rescinded.
Besides these feuds in his own country, Magnus also had disputes with neighbouring princes and with his vassals, as was usual in those days. There were disputes over inheritances and fiefs and border disputes. Magnus would participate in battles, or mediate between the contending parties. Some other activities for the good of his country, such as the proposed canal connecting the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
with the Elbe
Elbe
The Elbe is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Krkonoše Mountains of the northwestern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia , then Germany and flowing into the North Sea at Cuxhaven, 110 km northwest of Hamburg...
and North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
via Lake Schwerin, as well as improving the metal content of the Mecklenburg coins, had to be postponed indefinitely, due to lack of funding.
In 1492, 27 Jews in Sternberg were convicted to death after allegetions that they had desecrated bleeding communion wafers. Magnus confirmed the verdict and the Jews were executed at the stake.
In his domestic life he had the pleasure to see two of his daughters marry respected German princes during his lifetime. His daughter Anna
Anna of Mecklenburg
Anna of Mecklenburg , was a Duchess consort of Courland. She married the Duke of Courland, Gotthard Kettler, on 11 March 1566 in Königsberg. She was the daughter of Albrecht VII, Duke of Mecklenburg and Anna of Brandenburg. Anna is the first woman in Livonia, whose life story is entirely...
became the matriarch of the House of Hesse
House of Hesse
The House of Hesse is a European royal dynasty from the region of Hesse, originally and still formally the House of Brabant.-History:The origins of the House of Hesse begin with the marriage of Sophie of Thuringia, daughter of Louis IV, Landgrave of Thuringia and Elizabeth of Hungary with Henry...
and Sophie of the Ernestine line of the House of Wettin. After Magnus's death, his youngest daughter, Catherine
Catherine of Mecklenburg
Catherine of Mecklenburg , Duchess of Saxony, was the daughter of the Duke Magnus II of Mecklenburg and Sophie of Pomerania-Stettin. She married on 6 July 1512 in Freiberg Duke Henry the Pious of Saxony...
achieved fame in her on right and as the mother of the famous Duke Maurice
Maurice, Elector of Saxony
Maurice was Duke and later Elector of Saxony. His clever manipulation of alliances and disputes gained the Albertine branch of the Wettin dynasty extensive lands and the electoral dignity....
of Saxony.
Magnus died on 20 November 1503 in Wismar
Wismar
Wismar , is a small port and Hanseatic League town in northern Germany on the Baltic Sea, in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern,about 45 km due east of Lübeck, and 30 km due north of Schwerin. Its natural harbour, located in the Bay of Wismar is well-protected by a promontory. The...
and was later ceremonially buried in the Doberan Minster
Doberan Abbey
Doberan Abbey is a former Cistercian monastery in Bad Doberan, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. The church continues in use as Doberan Minster ....
.
Offspring
Magnus II was married to Sophie of Pomerania-Stettin. With her he had the following children:- Henry V, the peaceableHenry V, Duke of MecklenburgHenry V, Duke of Mecklenburg, nicknamed the Peaceful, was the reigning Duke of Mecklenburg in the region Mecklenburg-Schwerin, son of the Duke Magnus II and Sophia of Pomerania....
, (1479-1552), Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin - Dorothea (born: 21 October 1480; died: 1 September 1537 in Ribnitz), from 24 February 1498 Abbess in the Ribnitz monastery
- Sophie, (born: 18 December 1481; died: 12 July 1503 in Torgau)
- married on 1 March 1500 with Elector John the SteadfastJohn, Elector of SaxonyJohn of Saxony , known as John the Steadfast or John the Constant, was Elector of Saxony from 1525 until 1532...
of Saxony- Eric IIEric II, Duke of MecklenburgEric II, Duke of Mecklenburg was Duke of Mecklenburg and a son of the Duke Magnus II and his wife Sophie of Pomerania-Stettin.Eric ruled Mecklenburg-Schwerin jointly with his brothers, Henry V and Albert VII and his uncle Balthasar since father's death on 27 December 1503. John died on 16 March. ...
, (1483-1508), Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin - AnnaAnna of Mecklenburg-SchwerinAnna, Princess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin was by marriage Landgravine of Hesse.She was a daughter of Duke Magnus II of Mecklenburg , and Sophie of Pomerania-Stettin...
, (1485-1525), Landgravine of Hesse - Catherine of MecklenburgCatherine of MecklenburgCatherine of Mecklenburg , Duchess of Saxony, was the daughter of the Duke Magnus II of Mecklenburg and Sophie of Pomerania-Stettin. She married on 6 July 1512 in Freiberg Duke Henry the Pious of Saxony...
, (1487-1561), Margravine of Meissen - Albert VII, the HandsomeAlbert VII, Duke of MecklenburgAlbrecht VII, the Handsome, Duke of Mecklenburg in Gustrow , was a minor ruler in North Germany of the 16th century...
(1486-1547), Duke of Mecklenburg-Güstrow
- Eric II