Henry the Mild, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Henry the Mild |
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|---|---|
| Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg | |
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| Spouse(s) | Sophie of Pomerania Margaret of Hesse |
| Issue | |
| William Catherine Henry |
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| Noble family | House of Guelph |
| Father | Magnus II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg |
| Mother | Catherine of Anhalt-Bernburg |
| Born | after 1358 |
| Died | 14 October 1416 |
Henry of Brunswick-Lüneburg, also known as Henry the Mild, was an important duke in a part of Germany long ago. He was born after 1358 and passed away on October 14, 1416. He was a Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg.
Henry ruled the Principality of Lüneburg with his brother, Bernard I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, from 1388 to 1409. He also ruled the Principality of Wolfenbüttel from 1400 to 1409. After 1409, he ruled Lüneburg by himself until he died.
Contents
Henry's Early Life and Family Connections
Henry was the fourth son of Magnus with the Necklace, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. His family, the House of Guelph, was very powerful. Being a duke meant he was a ruler of a large area of land.
Seeking Justice for His Brother
In 1400, Henry's brother, Frederick I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, was chosen to be the King of the Romans. Sadly, Frederick was murdered. Henry worked hard to find those responsible for his brother's death.
Henry suspected the Archbishopric of Mainz might have been involved. The Archbishopric was a powerful church territory. To show his anger, Henry attacked the Eichsfeld region, which belonged to the Archbishop. Eventually, in 1405, peace was made between Henry's lands and the Archbishopric.
A Surprise Kidnapping
In 1404, Henry faced a difficult situation. He was captured by Bernard VI, Count of Lippe. Bernard was a count from another region. Henry had to pay a large sum of money to be set free.
Later, Henry got help from King Rupert. With this support, Henry was able to get revenge on Count Bernard for the kidnapping.
Defending Schleswig
Henry's sister was married to Gerhard, Count of Schleswig. When Count Gerhard died, Queen Margaret I of Denmark tried to take control of Schleswig. Schleswig was an important region.
Henry joined forces with Holstein, another powerful area. Together, they successfully defended Schleswig from Queen Margaret's attempts to take it over. This showed Henry's strength and his commitment to his family and allies.
Henry's Family Life
Henry was married twice and had children who continued his family line.
First Marriage to Sophie
In 1388, Henry married Sophie. She was the daughter of Wartislaw VI, Duke of Pomerania. Sophie passed away in 1406.
They had two children:
- William (born around 1392, died 1482)
- Catherine (born 1395, died 1442). Catherine later married Frederick I, Elector of Saxony.
Second Marriage to Margaret
In 1409, Henry married Margaret. She was the daughter of Hermann II, Landgrave of Hesse. Margaret lived until 1446.
They had one known child:
- Henry (born around 1411, died 1473)
