Frederick II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg

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Frederick II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Friedrichderfromme.jpg
Born1418
Died(1478-03-19)19 March 1478
Celle
Noble family House of Guelph
Spouse(s) Magdalene of Brandenburg
Father Bernard I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
MotherMargaret of Saxony

Frederick II (German : Friedrich II.), also known as Frederick the Pious (German : der Fromme) (1418–1478) was the Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Prince of Lüneburg from 1434 to 1457 and from 1471 to 1478.

German language West Germanic language

German is a West Germanic language that is mainly spoken in Central Europe. It is the most widely spoken and official or co-official language in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, South Tyrol (Italy), the German-speaking Community of Belgium, and Liechtenstein. It is also one of the three official languages of Luxembourg and a co-official language in the Opole Voivodeship in Poland. The languages which are most similar to German are the other members of the West Germanic language branch: Afrikaans, Dutch, English, the Frisian languages, Low German/Low Saxon, Luxembourgish, and Yiddish. There are also strong similarities in vocabulary with Danish, Norwegian and Swedish, although those belong to the North Germanic group. German is the second most widely spoken Germanic language, after English.

Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg Duchy in Holy Roman Emprie 1235-1269; title of "Duke of Brunswick-Luneburg" used by rulers of all successor states

The Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg, or more properly the Duchy of Brunswick and Lüneburg, was a historical duchy that existed from the late Middle Ages to the Early Modern era within the Holy Roman Empire. The duchy was located in what is now northwestern Germany. Its name came from the two largest cities in the territory: Brunswick and 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. The principality was named after its first capital, Lüneburg, which was ruled jointly by all Brunswick-Lüneburg lines until 1637. From 1378, the seat of the principality was in Celle. It lost its independence in 1705 when it was annexed by the Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg, but retained its vote in the Reichstag as Brunswick-Celle.

Contents

Life

After the death of his father Bernard, Frederick ruled the Principality of Lüneburg jointly with his brother Otto. The highlights of their rule were a major expansion of Celle Castle and numerous reforms to improve the legal position of farmers vis-à-vis their landlords. After his brother died in 1446, Frederick ruled the principality on his own. In 1452 he had a monastery built on the Heylig Kreuz ("Holy Cross") and brought Franciscan friars to Celle. In 1457 he passed the government of the principality to his son, Bernard, and entered the monastery, but in 1471, after the death of his second son Otto V, he left monastic life again and held the reins of power for his 3-year old first grandchild Henry. Frederick was interred in the church of the Franciscan monastery that he had founded in Celle.

Bernard I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, Prince of Lüneburg, Wolfenbüttel, and again Lüneburg

Bernard, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, ruled over several principalities of Brunswick-Lüneburg. In the genealogy of the House of Welf, he is considered the first member of the Second House of Lüneburg.

Otto IV, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg

Otto IV, also known as Otto Crookleg or Otto the Lame Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, was Prince of Lüneburg from 1434 to 1446.

Celle Castle château

Celle Castle or, less commonly, Celle Palace, in the German town of Celle in Lower Saxony was one of the residences of the House of Brunswick-Lüneburg. This quadrangular building is the largest castle in the southern Lüneburg Heath region.

Descendants

In 1437 Frederick II married Magdalene (1412–1454), daughter of Frederick I, Elector of Brandenburg, and had three children by her:[ clarification needed ]

Magdalene of Brandenburg was a princess of Brandenburg by birth and by marriage Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg.

Frederick I, Elector of Brandenburg 1371 – 1440, Burgrave of Nuremberg as Frederick VI and Elector of Brandenburg as Frederick I

Frederick was the last Burgrave of Nuremberg from 1397 to 1427, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach from 1398, Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach from 1420, and Elector of Brandenburg from 1415 until his death. He became the first member of the House of Hohenzollern to rule the Margraviate of Brandenburg.

  1. Bernhard II (died 1464) married Mathilda of Holstein-Schauenburg (died 1468)
  2. Otto the Victorious (1439–1471) married Anna of Nassau-Dillenburg (1441–1514)
  3. Gottfried (1441-1465) never married
  4. Margaret (1442–1512) married Henry, Duke of Mecklenburg-Stargard (died 1466)

Ancestors

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References

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Frederick II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Cadet branch of the House of Este
Born: 1418 Died: 19 March 1478
German nobility
Preceded by
Bernard I
Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Princes of Lüneburg
until 1446 joint reign with brother Otto IV

1434–1457
Succeeded by
Bernard II
Preceded by
Otto V the Victorious
Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Prince of Lüneburg

1471–1478
Succeeded by
Henry the Middle