Henry IV, Count of Holstein-Rendsburg facts for kids

Henry IV (born 1397, died 1427) was an important ruler in a part of Germany called Holstein and Schleswig. He was a Count of Holstein-Rendsburg and a Duke of Schleswig from 1404 until his death.

Henry IV's Early Life

Henry was the son of Gerhard VI and Catherine Elisabeth of Brunswick-Lüneburg. His family, the House of Schauenburg, ruled the area of Holstein-Rendsburg.

His father, Gerhard VI, died in a battle on August 4, 1404. This happened when he was trying to take over a region called Dithmarschen. Henry was only seven years old when his father passed away.

Because Henry was so young, his mother became his guardian. His uncle, Henry III, took on the role of regent. A regent is someone who rules a country when the king or duke is too young or unable to do so.

The War for Schleswig

Since 1408, Henry III had been fighting a war with Denmark. The main reason for this war was who should control the Duchy of Schleswig. Henry III believed Schleswig was his family's by right. It was like a special inherited land given by a king.

However, the Danish rulers, first Margaret I and then Eric VII, wanted Schleswig for themselves. This disagreement led to many years of fighting.

In 1413, Henry IV became old enough to rule on his own. He and his younger brothers, Adolf VIII and Gerhard VII, continued the war against Denmark.

In 1417, both sides agreed to a ceasefire. This temporary stop to the fighting was arranged with help from the city of Lübeck. But the peace did not last long, and the war started again in 1423.

Seeking Support and Final Battle

On June 28, 1424, in a city called Buda, the Emperor Sigismund made a decision. He ruled that Schleswig should belong to the Danes. However, this decision did not stop the fighting.

Henry IV did not agree with the Emperor's ruling. He asked Pope Martin V to change the decision. But the Pope did not overrule the Emperor.

In 1426, Danish soldiers took control of areas near the cities of Schleswig and Flensburg. Henry IV tried to get help from different groups. He sought support from important trading cities in Saxony, from the Frisian people in Eiderstedt, and even from a group of pirates called the Victual Brothers.

During the Danish-Holstein-Hanseatic war, Henry IV was fighting to defend his lands. He died in battle on May 28, 1427, during a siege of Flensburg. A siege is when an army surrounds a city to try and capture it. He was buried in the St. Lawrence church in Itzehoe.

Henry IV's Legacy

During Henry IV's time as Duke of Schleswig, something important happened for the Frisian people. On June 17, 1426, representatives from different Frisian areas gathered on the island of Föhr. They wrote down their traditional laws in a document called the Siebenhardenbeliebung. This document is the oldest known record of Frisian law.