Otto I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Encyclopedia
Otto I of Brunswick-Lüneburg (about 1204 – 1252) was the first duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
from 1235 until his death. He is called Otto the Child to distinguish him from his uncle, Otto IV, Holy Roman Emperor
.
, Duke of Saxony. He inherited his father's properties in Saxony in 1213. The death of the Prince Palatine
, in 1214, may be said to have opened to him a more splendid succession than what belonged to the very circumscribed patrimony of his father; but as his uncle Henry
hesitated between a desire to aggrandize his own children (daughters) and a sense of what was due to the male representative of his name and family, Otto reaped little advantage from these enlarged prospects.
At last, in 1223, Henry executed a deed, by which he appointed his nephew his successor in all that remained of the allodial domains of the duchies of Saxony and Bavaria, and also in the private fiefs which he held as an individual in other parts of the empire. These states, however, constituted so small a portion of the former wealth of his illustrious house, that we should have thought there was scarcely a pretext for either envy or alarm in the breast of his enemy, yet when the Emperor, Frederick II
, was made acquainted with the intentions of the Count Palatine, he began to intrigue with his daughters. That he might have a pretense for depriving Otto of the succession at his uncle's death, he purchased from Irmgard, the Margravine of Baden and Agnes, the Duchess of Bavaria their claims as the only issue of the Duke of Saxony; and no sooner was the death of Henry announced, than the King of the Romans was dispatched with an imperial force to take possession of the city and territory of Brunswick. But Otto had been regularly acknowledged by the states as their legitimate sovereign and had been received as such by the city and principality. They therefore joined him heartily in repelling this invasion, and the king and his array were compelled to retire, without being able to effect the object which the emperor had in view.
, by which they respectively bound themselves to support each other against all enemies whatsoever. This treaty was in the end most injurious to the states of Brunswick. Otto was made count of Garding
and Thetesbüll by King Valdemar, and participated in the Battle of Mölln of 1225 and the Battle of Bornhöved
of 1227 on the side of Denmark. After the last battle Otto was imprisoned in Rostock
, the capital of Schwerin
, where he was shut up in a fortress.
The Emperor
no sooner heard of Otto's confinement, than he again prepared to attack Brunswick. His son, the Roman king
, was detached with a considerable force to seize upon the city; and that more weight might he given to the expedition, the Duke of Bavaria was prevailed upon to accompany him. But on their approach, they found the gates shut, and the citizens prepared to defend their liberties, while they learnt, at the same time, that the King of Denmark was advancing upon their rear. They were therefore compelled to sound a retreat; and luckily for the captive prince, the emperor had become involved in matters of higher importance, which we shall now briefly notice, and was under the necessity of withdrawing his attention from the conquest of Brunswick.
It happened fortunately for the Duke of Brunswick, that the Count of Schwerin died in 1228, and that on his death-bed he had directed that he should be set at liberty. The Duke of Saxony, who claimed a joint right in his detention, refused at first to comply with the dying request of his friend, but when allowed to take possession of the Castle of Hardsacre and other states, as a security for the payment of his ransom, he was permitted to leave his prison. Otto reached Brunswick in September 1228, and was received by his vassals with every mark of respect and attachment. He renewed and confirmed the various charters granted by his ancestors to the city, and greatly enlarged its privileges; while his uncle, the King of Denmark, bestowed as a boon upon the citizens the liberty of trading in his dominions, without paying customs or any other dues.
On his way from Rostock, Otho had spent some days at the court of the Margrave of Brandenburg, where he had seen and admired the Princess Matilda, the daughter of the margrave, and no sooner were his private affairs arranged, than he sent to demand the hand of this princess in marriage. It was an alliance too flattering for the House of Brandenburg to be rejected. Matters were speedily settled, and the marriage ceremony was performed with great splendor at Lüneburg
.
By 1227, his father's two brothers, Henry V, Count Palatine of the Rhine
, and Otto IV, Holy Roman Emperor
, had died without surviving children, and Otto was the only heir of the properties of his grandfather Henry the Lion. But Otto had to battle for his properties against the ruling Hohenstaufen
family and against local nobles; he managed to strengthen his position through his marriage to Matilda.
, but that he found he could neither raise men nor money sufficient to warrant even a probability of success. This we are inclined to doubt, for had Otho been ambitious, he might have obtained the empire without much difficulty; and supported as he was by England
and Denmark
, it is not likely that he could have been at a loss for an army, or for the means of supporting it.
As a proof that Otto had the full confidence and support of the King of England, we find that the moment he obtained his liberty, he wrote to communicate the same to Henry III
, who was his cousin, and as Henry's answer dated 6 March 1229 has fortunately been preserved by Thomas Rymer
, it becomes a valuable part of these annals, as it puts our conjecture beyond a doubt.
Later Henry send a letter to the Pope, in which he repeats his thanks to Pope Gregory IX
for the zealous part he had taken in procuring the freedom of his dear cousin the Duke of Brunswick, and adds, "that as Christian Princes may approach his Holiness with their petitions, he ventures to supplicate a continuance of his especial favor to his said cousin, which by reason of their near connexion in blood he would esteem as much as if shewn to himself." He implores Gregory to promote Otto's honor whenever it is in his power, and to recommend him to the princes of the empire, as often as he had an opportunity, adding, " that he most firmly believed and trusted in the Lord, that among all the princes of the empire he would be found the one most devoted to the interests of the church; and that as he considered his release from prison owing in a great measure to the influence of the Apostolic See
, he would consequently be the more obsequious to that power.
In 1235, Otto achieved an agreement with the Hohenstaufen Emperor Frederick II
that ended the dispute between the Hohenstaufen House and the House of Welf, to which Otto belonged. This dispute had culminated when Henry the Lion was stripped of his duchies in 1180 by Frederick's grandfather, Frederick Barbarossa. According to this agreement, Otto transferred all of his private property to the Emperor, who immediately returned it to him as a hereditary imperial fief. In this way, Otto reacquired the status of a prince
of the Holy Roman Empire
that Henry the Lion had lost. However, the Duchy of Saxony
, which Henry had held, had since then passed on to Ascanian
dukes, so that the Emperor had to create a new duchy for Otto. This was the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg
, named after the two central cities around which Otto's former properties were located. Otto could substantially increase his territory by supporting King William
, who married his daughter Elizabeth in January of 1252.
at Frankfurt
against the Feast of St. John the Baptist, 1252; he was preparing to leave Brunswick with his father-in-law for the purpose of being present at this assembly when Otto was suddenly taken unwell and expired on 9 June. Otto is buried in Brunswick Cathedral. He is the male-line ancestor of all later members of the House of Welf.
, daughter of Albert II, Margrave of Brandenburg
, around 1228. They had the following known children:
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...
from 1235 until his death. He is called Otto the Child to distinguish him from his uncle, Otto IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Otto IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Otto IV of Brunswick was one of two rival kings of the Holy Roman Empire from 1198 on, sole king from 1208 on, and emperor from 1209 on. The only king of the Welf dynasty, he incurred the wrath of Pope Innocent III and was excommunicated in 1215.-Early life:Otto was the third son of Henry the...
.
Early years
Otto was born around 1204 as the only son of William of Winchester, the youngest son of Henry the LionHenry the Lion
Henry the Lion was a member of the Welf dynasty and Duke of Saxony, as Henry III, from 1142, and Duke of Bavaria, as Henry XII, from 1156, which duchies he held until 1180....
, Duke of Saxony. He inherited his father's properties in Saxony in 1213. The death of the Prince Palatine
Henry VI, Count Palatine of the Rhine
Henry VI "the Younger" of Brunswick, of the House of Welf, was Count Palatine of the Rhine from 1212 to 1214.Henry was born around 1196, the only son of Count Palatine Henry V and Agnes, daughter of Conrad, Count Palatine of the Rhine...
, in 1214, may be said to have opened to him a more splendid succession than what belonged to the very circumscribed patrimony of his father; but as his uncle Henry
Henry V, Count Palatine of the Rhine
Henry was count palatine of the Rhine from 6 August 1195 to 1213.Henry was the eldest son of Duke Henry the Lion, from his marriage to Matilda, eldest daughter of King Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine. He grew up in England and became count palatine of the Rhine through his 1193...
hesitated between a desire to aggrandize his own children (daughters) and a sense of what was due to the male representative of his name and family, Otto reaped little advantage from these enlarged prospects.
At last, in 1223, Henry executed a deed, by which he appointed his nephew his successor in all that remained of the allodial domains of the duchies of Saxony and Bavaria, and also in the private fiefs which he held as an individual in other parts of the empire. These states, however, constituted so small a portion of the former wealth of his illustrious house, that we should have thought there was scarcely a pretext for either envy or alarm in the breast of his enemy, yet when the Emperor, Frederick II
Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick II , was one of the most powerful Holy Roman Emperors of the Middle Ages and head of the House of Hohenstaufen. His political and cultural ambitions, based in Sicily and stretching through Italy to Germany, and even to Jerusalem, were enormous...
, was made acquainted with the intentions of the Count Palatine, he began to intrigue with his daughters. That he might have a pretense for depriving Otto of the succession at his uncle's death, he purchased from Irmgard, the Margravine of Baden and Agnes, the Duchess of Bavaria their claims as the only issue of the Duke of Saxony; and no sooner was the death of Henry announced, than the King of the Romans was dispatched with an imperial force to take possession of the city and territory of Brunswick. But Otto had been regularly acknowledged by the states as their legitimate sovereign and had been received as such by the city and principality. They therefore joined him heartily in repelling this invasion, and the king and his array were compelled to retire, without being able to effect the object which the emperor had in view.
League with Denmark
To be prepared against any future attempt of the same kind, Otto judged it prudent at this time to enter into a treaty with his maternal uncle King Valdemar II of DenmarkValdemar II of Denmark
Valdemar II , called Valdemar the Victorious or Valdemar the Conqueror , was the King of Denmark from 1202 until his death in 1241. The nickname Sejr is a later invention and was not used during the King's own lifetime...
, by which they respectively bound themselves to support each other against all enemies whatsoever. This treaty was in the end most injurious to the states of Brunswick. Otto was made count of Garding
Garding
Garding is a town in the district of Nordfriesland, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It has a population of 2,700 . It is located in the Eiderstedt peninsula, and part of the Amt Eiderstedt....
and Thetesbüll by King Valdemar, and participated in the Battle of Mölln of 1225 and the Battle of Bornhöved
Battle of Bornhöved (1227)
The Battle of Bornhöved took place on 22 July 1227 near Bornhöved in Holstein. Count Adolf IV of Schauenburg and Holstein — leading an army consisting of troops from the cities of Lübeck and Hamburg, about 1000 Dithmarsians and combined troops of Holstein next to various north German nobles —...
of 1227 on the side of Denmark. After the last battle Otto was imprisoned in 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...
, the capital of Schwerin
Schwerin
Schwerin is the capital and second-largest city of the northern German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The population, as of end of 2009, was 95,041.-History:...
, where he was shut up in a fortress.
The Emperor
Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick II , was one of the most powerful Holy Roman Emperors of the Middle Ages and head of the House of Hohenstaufen. His political and cultural ambitions, based in Sicily and stretching through Italy to Germany, and even to Jerusalem, were enormous...
no sooner heard of Otto's confinement, than he again prepared to attack Brunswick. His son, the Roman king
Henry (VII) of Germany
Henry was King of Sicily from 1212, Duke of Swabia from 1216, and King of Germany from 1220. He was the son and co-king of Emperor Frederick II and elder brother of Conrad IV of Germany...
, was detached with a considerable force to seize upon the city; and that more weight might he given to the expedition, the Duke of Bavaria was prevailed upon to accompany him. But on their approach, they found the gates shut, and the citizens prepared to defend their liberties, while they learnt, at the same time, that the King of Denmark was advancing upon their rear. They were therefore compelled to sound a retreat; and luckily for the captive prince, the emperor had become involved in matters of higher importance, which we shall now briefly notice, and was under the necessity of withdrawing his attention from the conquest of Brunswick.
It happened fortunately for the Duke of Brunswick, that the Count of Schwerin died in 1228, and that on his death-bed he had directed that he should be set at liberty. The Duke of Saxony, who claimed a joint right in his detention, refused at first to comply with the dying request of his friend, but when allowed to take possession of the Castle of Hardsacre and other states, as a security for the payment of his ransom, he was permitted to leave his prison. Otto reached Brunswick in September 1228, and was received by his vassals with every mark of respect and attachment. He renewed and confirmed the various charters granted by his ancestors to the city, and greatly enlarged its privileges; while his uncle, the King of Denmark, bestowed as a boon upon the citizens the liberty of trading in his dominions, without paying customs or any other dues.
On his way from Rostock, Otho had spent some days at the court of the Margrave of Brandenburg, where he had seen and admired the Princess Matilda, the daughter of the margrave, and no sooner were his private affairs arranged, than he sent to demand the hand of this princess in marriage. It was an alliance too flattering for the House of Brandenburg to be rejected. Matters were speedily settled, and the marriage ceremony was performed with great splendor at Lüneburg
Lüneburg
Lüneburg is a town in the German state of Lower Saxony. It is located about southeast of fellow Hanseatic city Hamburg. It is part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region, and one of Hamburg's inner suburbs...
.
By 1227, his father's two brothers, Henry V, Count Palatine of the Rhine
Henry V, Count Palatine of the Rhine
Henry was count palatine of the Rhine from 6 August 1195 to 1213.Henry was the eldest son of Duke Henry the Lion, from his marriage to Matilda, eldest daughter of King Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine. He grew up in England and became count palatine of the Rhine through his 1193...
, and Otto IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Otto IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Otto IV of Brunswick was one of two rival kings of the Holy Roman Empire from 1198 on, sole king from 1208 on, and emperor from 1209 on. The only king of the Welf dynasty, he incurred the wrath of Pope Innocent III and was excommunicated in 1215.-Early life:Otto was the third son of Henry the...
, had died without surviving children, and Otto was the only heir of the properties of his grandfather Henry the Lion. But Otto had to battle for his properties against the ruling Hohenstaufen
Hohenstaufen
The House of Hohenstaufen was a dynasty of German kings in the High Middle Ages, lasting from 1138 to 1254. Three of these kings were also crowned Holy Roman Emperor. In 1194 the Hohenstaufens also became Kings of Sicily...
family and against local nobles; he managed to strengthen his position through his marriage to Matilda.
His ambitions
It is alleged by some that the Duke of Brunswick was well-inclined to enter into the views of the PopePope
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...
, but that he found he could neither raise men nor money sufficient to warrant even a probability of success. This we are inclined to doubt, for had Otho been ambitious, he might have obtained the empire without much difficulty; and supported as he was by England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, it is not likely that he could have been at a loss for an army, or for the means of supporting it.
As a proof that Otto had the full confidence and support of the King of England, we find that the moment he obtained his liberty, he wrote to communicate the same to Henry III
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
, who was his cousin, and as Henry's answer dated 6 March 1229 has fortunately been preserved by Thomas Rymer
Thomas Rymer
Thomas Rymer , English historiographer royal, was the younger son of Ralph Rymer, lord of the manor of Brafferton in Yorkshire, described by Clarendon as possessed of a good estate, who was executed for his share in the Presbyterian rising of 1663.-Early life and education:Thomas Rymer was born at...
, it becomes a valuable part of these annals, as it puts our conjecture beyond a doubt.
Later Henry send a letter to the Pope, in which he repeats his thanks to Pope Gregory IX
Pope Gregory IX
Pope Gregory IX, born Ugolino di Conti, was pope from March 19, 1227 to August 22, 1241.The successor of Pope Honorius III , he fully inherited the traditions of Pope Gregory VII and of his uncle Pope Innocent III , and zealously continued their policy of Papal supremacy.-Early life:Ugolino was...
for the zealous part he had taken in procuring the freedom of his dear cousin the Duke of Brunswick, and adds, "that as Christian Princes may approach his Holiness with their petitions, he ventures to supplicate a continuance of his especial favor to his said cousin, which by reason of their near connexion in blood he would esteem as much as if shewn to himself." He implores Gregory to promote Otto's honor whenever it is in his power, and to recommend him to the princes of the empire, as often as he had an opportunity, adding, " that he most firmly believed and trusted in the Lord, that among all the princes of the empire he would be found the one most devoted to the interests of the church; and that as he considered his release from prison owing in a great measure to the influence of the Apostolic See
Apostolic See
In Christianity, an apostolic see is any episcopal see whose foundation is attributed to one or more of the apostles of Jesus.Out of the many such sees, five acquired special importance in Chalcedonian Christianity and became classified as the Pentarchy in Eastern Orthodox Christianity...
, he would consequently be the more obsequious to that power.
In 1235, Otto achieved an agreement with the Hohenstaufen Emperor Frederick II
Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick II , was one of the most powerful Holy Roman Emperors of the Middle Ages and head of the House of Hohenstaufen. His political and cultural ambitions, based in Sicily and stretching through Italy to Germany, and even to Jerusalem, were enormous...
that ended the dispute between the Hohenstaufen House and the House of Welf, to which Otto belonged. This dispute had culminated when Henry the Lion was stripped of his duchies in 1180 by Frederick's grandfather, Frederick Barbarossa. According to this agreement, Otto transferred all of his private property to the Emperor, who immediately returned it to him as a hereditary imperial fief. In this way, Otto reacquired the status of a prince
Prince
Prince is a general term for a ruler, monarch or member of a monarch's or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in the nobility of some European states. The feminine equivalent is a princess...
of the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
that Henry the Lion had lost. However, the Duchy of 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...
, which Henry had held, had since then passed on to Ascanian
Ascanian
The House of Ascania was a dynasty of German rulers. It was also known as the House of Anhalt, after Anhalt, its longest-held possession.The Ascanians are named after Ascania Castle, which is located near and named after Aschersleben...
dukes, so that the Emperor had to create a new duchy for Otto. This was the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg
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...
, named after the two central cities around which Otto's former properties were located. Otto could substantially increase his territory by supporting King William
William, King of the Romans
William II of Holland was a Count of Holland and Zeeland . He was elected as German anti-king in 1247 and remained king until his death....
, who married his daughter Elizabeth in January of 1252.
Later life and death
King William had intimated to the princes of Germany his desire to meet them in a general dietDiet (assembly)
In politics, a diet is a formal deliberative assembly. The term is mainly used historically for the Imperial Diet, the general assembly of the Imperial Estates of the Holy Roman Empire, and for the legislative bodies of certain countries.-Etymology:...
at Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
against the Feast of St. John the Baptist, 1252; he was preparing to leave Brunswick with his father-in-law for the purpose of being present at this assembly when Otto was suddenly taken unwell and expired on 9 June. Otto is buried in Brunswick Cathedral. He is the male-line ancestor of all later members of the House of Welf.
Children
Otto married MatildaMathilde von Brandenburg
Matilda of Brandenburg was a daughter of Albert II, Margrave of Brandenburg, and Matilda of Lusatia. In 1228 she married Duke Otto I of Lüneburg, a son of William of Winchester. She died on 10 June 1261 in Lüneburg...
, daughter of Albert II, Margrave of Brandenburg
Albert II, Margrave of Brandenburg
Albert II, Margrave of Brandenburg was a member of the House of Ascania. He was Margrave of Brandenburg from 1205 until his death in 1220.- Life :...
, around 1228. They had the following known children:
- Elizabeth (died 1266), married William II of Holland
- Helen (died 1273), married Albert I, Duke of SaxonyAlbert I, Duke of SaxonyAlbert I was a Duke of Saxony, Angria, and Westphalia; Lord of Nordalbingia; Count of Anhalt; and Prince-elector and Archmarshal of the Holy Roman Empire...
and Hermann II, Landgrave of ThuringiaHermann II, Landgrave of ThuringiaHermann II was the titular Landgrave of Thuringia and the son of Ludwig IV, Landgrave of Thuringia, and St. Elisabeth of Hungary.... - Adelaide (died 1274), married Henry I, Landgrave of HesseHenry I, Landgrave of HesseHenry I of Hesse "the Child" was the first Landgrave of Hesse. He was the son of Henry II, Duke of Brabant and Sophie of Thuringia.-Life:...
- Matilda (died around 1295), married Henry II, Prince of Anhalt-AscherslebenHenry II, Prince of Anhalt-AscherslebenHenry II, Prince of Anhalt-Aschersleben was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Aschersleben....
- Agnes, married Wizlaw II, Duke of Rügen
- AlbertAlbert I, Duke of Brunswick-LüneburgAlbert the Tall , of the House of Welf, was Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg from 1252 to 1269 and the first ruler of the newly created Principality of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel from 1269 until his death.-Life:...
(died 1279) - JohnJohn of Brunswick, Duke of LüneburgJohn reigned jointly with his brother, Albert, as the second Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg until the partition of the duchy. John was also the first ruler of the newly-created Principality of Lüneburg in 1269.-Life:...
(died 1277) - Otto, Bishop of Hildesheim (died 1279)
- Conrad, Prince-Bishop of Verden (died 1300)