Henry of Stolberg facts for kids

Count Henry of Stolberg (born January 2, 1509 – died November 12, 1572) was a German nobleman. He lived at Stolberg Castle in a town called Stolberg. Henry was part of the powerful House of Stolberg family. He lived during a time when Europe was going through big changes, especially with new ideas about religion.

Henry's Early Life and Family

Henry was born at Stolberg Castle in Stolberg. He was the fourth son of Count Bodo VIII and his wife, Countess Anna of Eppstein-Königstein. His older sister was Juliana of Stolberg. She is famous because she was an ancestor of the House of Orange-Nassau, which is a very important royal family in the Netherlands. Henry was named after his uncle, Count Henry the Younger of Stolberg. His uncle's body was brought back to Stolberg the day after Henry was born.

Education and Studies

When Henry was young, he spent several years being educated at the court of his grandfather, Count Eberhard of Eppstein. A "court" was like a big household where nobles lived and worked. One of Henry's teachers was a famous scholar named Dr. Johann Caesarius from Cologne. Scholars like him were called "humanists" because they studied human culture, history, and philosophy.

In November 1525, Henry went to study at the University of Leipzig. This was a big step for him, as universities were very important places for learning. His advisor there was a man named Tilemann Plathner. Henry's father also helped him get important jobs as a "dean" in the church. A dean is a high-ranking official in a church or cathedral. Henry became a dean in Cologne and later in Mainz. In 1538, another dean position became open in Halberstadt, so Henry moved there. He even started setting up a home for himself in a nearby town called Dardesheim.

A Changing World: Religion and Career

In 1542, Henry was appointed as a cathedral dean in Cologne. This happened after the previous dean, Frederick of Beichlingen, passed away. When Henry returned to Cologne, he found out that the new archbishop, Hermann of Wied, had decided to follow a new Christian faith called Protestantism.

At this time, there were big changes happening in Christianity across Europe. Many people were moving away from the traditional Catholic Church and becoming Protestants. Henry also decided to convert to Protestantism. He and Archbishop Hermann of Wied worked together to spread these new religious ideas. However, the Pope, who was the leader of the Catholic Church, did not agree with their actions. Because of this, both Henry and the archbishop were removed from their church positions.

Family Life

On November 3, 1556, Henry got married in a town called Quedlinburg. His wife was Elisabeth, who was the daughter of Count Hector I of Gleichen. Elisabeth passed away in 1578.

Henry and Elisabeth had four children together:

• Bodo (1559–1583): He inherited some of the family lands, including Stolberg-Wernigerode.
• George Louis (1562–1618): He inherited other family lands, including Stolberg-Ortenburg.
• Anna (1565–1601): She became an "abbess" in Quedlinburg. An abbess is the head of a community of nuns. She was known as Anna III.
• Christopher (1567–1638): After his older brother Bodo died, Christopher inherited Stolberg-Wernigerode.

Henry of Stolberg passed away on November 12, 1572, at Stolberg Castle, the same place where he was born.