Magnus the Pious, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
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Magnus called the Pious (Latin Pius), was duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
.
The son of Albert the Fat, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
, Magnus was still a minor when his father died in 1318; he and his brother Ernest
were put under the guardianship of their elder brother Otto
, who continued as sole ruler even after his brothers came of age. After marrying Sophie, a niece of Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor
, Magnus was appointed margrave of Landsberg and count palatine of Saxony by the Emperor in 1333. Magnus took residence at Sangerhausen
. When Otto died in 1344, Magnus and Ernest jointly took over government of the state; but already on 17 April 1345, they agreed to divide the territory. Magnus received the Principality of Wolfenbüttel.
In 1346, a border war between Wolfenbüttel and the Archbishop of Magdeburg broke out. In exchange for help in this conflict, Magnus sold the Margraviate of Landsberg to Frederick II, Margrave of Meißen. But the Archbishop conquered Schöningen
in 1347, and Magnus had to cede Hötensleben
and some other possessions to the Archbishop. Financially ruined by the war, Magnus could not stop the cities in the state from acquiring more and more rights; especially the City of Brunswick was becoming more powerful.
In 1348, the Emperor gave Landsberg and the Palatinate of Saxony to Bernard, Prince of Anhalt. The ensuing conflict over these territories between Magnus and Bernard ended amicably with a marriage between Magnus' son Magnus and Catherine, daughter of Valdemar, Prince of Anhalt.
Magnus attempted to secure the Principality of Lüneburg
for his son Louis, so that it could be reunited with Wolfenbüttel. The prince of Lüneburg, William II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
, a member of the same house to which Magnus belonged, the House of Welf, did not have sons; however, he had already promised the principality to a son of his daughter, a relative of the Duke of Saxony
, before he agreed to Magnus' plan. Louis then married William's daughter Matilda. A lengthy conflict broke out that culminated in the Lüneburg Succession War, which was resolved only in 1388.
In 1367, Magnus joined Dietrich, Archbishop of Magdeburg, Albert, Bishop of Halberstadt, Valdemar, Prince of Anhalt, and others in a campaign against Gerhard of Berg, Bishop of Hildesheim; they were defeated by Hildesheim in a battle near Farmsen and Dinklar on 3 September. Magnus was taken prisoner, and had to buy his freedom. He died in Summer of 1369.
Brunswick-Lüneburg
The Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg , or more properly Duchy of Brunswick and Lüneburg, was an historical ducal state from the late Middle Ages until the late Early Modern era within the North-Western domains of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, in what is now northern Germany...
.
The son of Albert the Fat, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Albert the Fat, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Albert , called the Fat , was duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg.The second son of Albert the Tall, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, Albert was a boy when his father died in 1279. He was first under guardianship of his uncle, Conrad, Prince-Bishop of Verden, and then of his elder brother, Henry I, Duke of...
, Magnus was still a minor when his father died in 1318; he and his brother Ernest
Ernest I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Ernest of Brunswick-Lüneburg , also frequently called Ernest the Confessor, was duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and a champion of the protestant cause during the early years of the Protestant Reformation...
were put under the guardianship of their elder brother Otto
Otto the Mild, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Otto , Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, called the Mild, ruled over the Brunswick part of the duchy.Otto was the eldest son of Albert II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. Otto and his brothers succeeded on their father's death in 1318; he served as his brothers' guardian while they were not of age...
, who continued as sole ruler even after his brothers came of age. After marrying Sophie, a niece of Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor
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....
, Magnus was appointed margrave of Landsberg and count palatine of Saxony by the Emperor in 1333. Magnus took residence at Sangerhausen
Sangerhausen
Sangerhausen is a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, capital of the district of Mansfeld-Südharz, without being part of it.It is situated southeast of the Harz, approx. 35 km east of Nordhausen, and 50 km west of Halle...
. When Otto died in 1344, Magnus and Ernest jointly took over government of the state; but already on 17 April 1345, they agreed to divide the territory. Magnus received the Principality of Wolfenbüttel.
In 1346, a border war between Wolfenbüttel and the Archbishop of Magdeburg broke out. In exchange for help in this conflict, Magnus sold the Margraviate of Landsberg to Frederick II, Margrave of Meißen. But the Archbishop conquered Schöningen
Schöningen
Schöningen is a town of about 13,000 inhabitants in the district of Helmstedt, Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located near the border with Saxony-Anhalt, on the southeastern rim of the Elm hill range...
in 1347, and Magnus had to cede Hötensleben
Hötensleben
Hötensleben is a municipality in the Börde district in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.-History:The first documented evidence of Hötensleben goes back to 983 AD, when the abbey as a part of the city under the name Holeinaslofu or Hokinasluvu was mentioned...
and some other possessions to the Archbishop. Financially ruined by the war, Magnus could not stop the cities in the state from acquiring more and more rights; especially the City of Brunswick was becoming more powerful.
In 1348, the Emperor gave Landsberg and the Palatinate of Saxony to Bernard, Prince of Anhalt. The ensuing conflict over these territories between Magnus and Bernard ended amicably with a marriage between Magnus' son Magnus and Catherine, daughter of Valdemar, Prince of Anhalt.
Magnus attempted to secure the Principality of Lüneburg
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...
for his son Louis, so that it could be reunited with Wolfenbüttel. The prince of Lüneburg, William II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
William II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
William II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg was the Prince of Lüneburg from 1330 to 1369.- Life :William was born around the year 1300 as the fourth child of Otto the Strict and his wife, Matilda of Bavaria....
, a member of the same house to which Magnus belonged, the House of Welf, did not have sons; however, he had already promised the principality to a son of his daughter, a relative of the Duke of Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
, before he agreed to Magnus' plan. Louis then married William's daughter Matilda. A lengthy conflict broke out that culminated in the Lüneburg Succession War, which was resolved only in 1388.
In 1367, Magnus joined Dietrich, Archbishop of Magdeburg, Albert, Bishop of Halberstadt, Valdemar, Prince of Anhalt, and others in a campaign against Gerhard of Berg, Bishop of Hildesheim; they were defeated by Hildesheim in a battle near Farmsen and Dinklar on 3 September. Magnus was taken prisoner, and had to buy his freedom. He died in Summer of 1369.
Family
Around 1327, Magnus married Sophie (died 1356), daughter of Henry I, Margrave of Brandenburg. They had the following children that reached adulthood:- Magnus (died 1373)
- Louis (died 1367)
- Albert, Prince-Archbishop of BremenAlbert of Brunswick and Lunenburg-WolfenbüttelDuke Albert of Brunswick and Lunenburg, Wolfenbüttel line was as Albert II Prince-Archbishop of Bremen in the years 1361–1395.-Before ascending to the See of Bremen:...
(died 1395) - Henry, Provost of HalberstadtHalberstadtHalberstadt is a town in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt and the capital of the district of Harz. It is located on the German Half-Timbered House Road and the Magdeburg–Thale railway....
Cathedral - Ernest
- Matilda, married Bernard III, Prince of Anhalt
- Helen, married Otto, Count of Hoya
- Agnes, married Eric, Count of Hoya