Albrecht (Nassau-Weilburg)

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Coin image of Count Albrecht von Nassau ("Count of Nassau, of Saarbrücken and Saar Werden", as he called himself)

Albrecht von Nassau-Weilburg-Ottweiler - also Albrecht von Nassau-Saarbrücken (-Ottweiler) - (born December 26, 1537 in Weilburg ; † November 11, 1593 in Ottweiler ) was a count from the House of Nassau . His rule included the areas around Weilburg, Ottweiler and Lahr in the Black Forest . Like his father Philip III. von Nassau-Weilburg he was a proponent of the Reformation .

Life

Albrecht was the only son of Count Philip III. von Nassau-Weilburg and his second wife Anna von Mansfeld , daughter of Count Albrecht von Mansfeld . His mother died giving birth.

On June 16, 1559 Albrecht married Anna von Nassau-Dillenburg, daughter of Wilhelm the Rich of Nassau-Dillenburg and sister of William of Orange . In the same year, on October 4, 1559, his father Philip III died. Albrecht inherited the Nassau-Weilburg sub-county together with his younger half-brother Philip IV . Initially, Albrecht ruled together with his half-brother Philip IV. The debts that their father had left them limited their ability to act. They only managed to improve the budget situation slowly.

On May 15, 1561, the brothers divided their rule for the first time. Albrecht received Weilburg Castle and Office, Philipp Neuweilnau Castle and Office . Most of the rule and the father's debts remained common, however. Albrecht moved into the new Weilburg Castle , which he had expanded further. In 1571 Albrecht and his brother Philipp shared the rule completely. In addition to the Weilburg office, Albrecht's share also included Gleiberg , Cleen, Wehen and Burgschwalbach . Albrecht and Philipp signed several contracts with the Landgraviate of Hesse in which they gradually divided the joint property of Nassau and Hesse.

In 1567/68 Albrecht met several times with William of Orange . Albrecht supported him in the Dutch War of Independence against Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, Duke of Alba . However, the attack on the Netherlands failed in 1568. Albrecht vouched for the wages that William of Orange owed the mercenaries.

Albrecht was a member of the Wetterau Empire Counts College . In the service of the Count's Association, Albrecht traveled several times to Emperor Maximilian II and to Reichstag . Mostly it was about religious freedom for the Calvinist princes. With the Wetterauer Grafenverein Albrecht entered the Truchsessischen War 1583–1588 on the side of Gebhard I von Waldburg .

With the death of Johann III. From Nassau-Saarbrücken fell in 1574 the counties of Saarbrücken and Saar Werden with Ottweiler and Homburg to Albrecht and Philipp von Nassau-Weilburg. The rulership rights were redistributed between the brothers. Philipp received Saarbrücken and Saar Werden. Albrecht received Ottweiler, the offices of Homburg, Kirchheim and the Saarwerdischen lords of Lahr and Mahlberg in the Black Forest. Albrecht had a new castle built in Ottweiler , which became his headquarters in 1575. As the oldest representative, Albrecht became head of the Walram line of the House of Nassau and took over the guardianship of Johann Ludwig von Nassau-Wiesbaden .

The Saarbrücken inheritance was challenged from various sides. Duke Karl von Lorraine called for the County of Saar Werden. However, Albrecht was able to enforce Nassau law before the Reich Chamber of Commerce. Elector Friedrich III. von der Pfalz also made claims to parts of the inheritance. Albrecht was able to reach an understanding with the elector. Several extensive treaties, in which the exact rights and limits were specified, were concluded. After the death of Friedrich III. In 1576 Albrecht was appointed executor of his will.

In 1579 Albrecht was able to acquire a share in Jugenheim and expand his influence in Rheinhessen .

Albrecht, who hired the respected physician Georg Marius as personal physician for himself and his family in 1591 , died on November 11, 1593 in his Ottweiler castle. His three sons Ludwig , Wilhelm and Johann Casimir divided his rule. However, two of the sons died shortly after their father, so that the surviving son Ludwig held the entire paternal inheritance as early as 1602.

reformation

In his childhood he was raised in the Protestant faith by Kasper Goltwurm at Neuweilnau Castle . It was through Goltwurm that Albrecht met Philipp Melanchthon , with whom he exchanged lively letters.

In 1560, Jakob Charsisius was appointed as Goldwurm's successor and worked as superintendent in Nassau-Weilburg until his death . At the endeavors of Charsisius, Catholic customs such as carnival celebrations and the St. John's bonfire were made punishable throughout the rule . In the areas that Albrecht ruled jointly with Hesse, Lorenz Stephani was appointed superintendent. Lorenz Stephani took over the office of superintendent from Weilburg from 1572 and from 1574 also from Ottweiler.

In Ottweiler, Albrecht and Lorenz Stephani took measures to enforce the Reformation. Catholic priests were removed from office or committed to the new doctrine, monasteries dissolved, church property confiscated, schools established and church patronage acquired.

Construction

Alliance coat of arms Nassau-Dillenburg and Nassau-Weilburg, Weilburg Castle

Albrecht appeared several times as a builder of larger structures. After the first division of the country with his half-brother, he had Weilburg Castle expanded. For this he commissioned the master builder Ludwig Kempf . During this phase the north wing and the so-called Stadtpfeiferturm were built. The alliance coat of arms of Albrecht and Anna von Nassau-Dillenburg is still attached to this tower today. Albrecht also had the zoo laid out in Weilburg at this time .

After the attack in Ottweiler, Albrecht had the castles Ottweiler and Neunkirchen built by the master builder Christmann Strohmeyer and Homburg Castle expanded.

Albrecht probably also initiated the expansion of Gleiberg Castle in the late 16th century after it had completely fallen to the Nassau family.

progeny

The following fourteen children emerged from the marriage of Albrecht and Anna von Nassau-Dillenburg:

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Rolf Heyers: Dr. Georg Marius, called Mayer von Würzburg (1533-1606). (Dental) medical dissertation Würzburg 1957, p. 42 f.
predecessor Office successor
Philip III Count of Nassau-Weilburg
1559–1593 		Ludwig II of Nassau-Weilburg-Ottweiler
Wilhelm of Nassau-Weilburg-Weilburg
Johann Casimir of Nassau-Weilburg-Gleiberg
personal data
SURNAME Albrecht
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Albrecht von Nassau-Ottweiler; Albrecht of Nassau-Weilburg
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Count Nassau-Weilburg and Ottweiler, reformer
DATE OF BIRTH December 26, 1537
PLACE OF BIRTH Weilburg
DATE OF DEATH November 11, 1593
Place of death Ottweiler