Franz I (Saxony-Lauenburg)

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Franz I of Saxony-Lauenburg (* 1510 - March 19, 1581 in Buxtehude ) was Duke of Saxony-Lauenburg from the house of the Ascanians . He was the eldest son of Magnus I , Duke of Sachsen-Lauenburg-Ratzeburg and Katharina von Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel .

Life

Even at the beginning of his reign, Franz I noticed that he was not keeping contracts that his father had concluded. Despite imperial orders, he refused to return confiscated goods such as the Petrikirche in Ratzeburg to the Ratzeburg monastery . Until then, the duke was well respected by Emperor Charles V , since he had not joined the Schmalkaldic League in 1546 , but had recruited troops for the emperor. After the death of Ratzeburg bishop Georg von Blumenthal , he tried in vain to have his nine-year-old son Magnus elected bishop, but Christoph von der Schulenburg was elected . Thereupon the duke called the mercenary leader Vollrad von Mansfeld with his troops into the country. Heinrich von Braunschweig tried in vain to stop him. The troops looted the Ratzeburg Cathedral on May 23, 1552 . Mansfeld stayed two months and for a payment of 4,000 thalers he did not burn the cathedral down. The canons borrowed the money from Nikolaus Bardewik , the mayor of Lübeck, and pledged part of the monastery property in return.

In 1554, Bishop Christoph von der Schulenburg resigned and Franz I tried again to have his son Magnus elected as bishop. This time, too, he failed and the cathedral chapter decided in favor of Christoph von Mecklenburg . On September 18, 1558 he occupied the Birgittenkloster Marienwohlde near Mölln, which the sisters had sold to Lübeck. This led to long-standing disputes between Lübeck and Sachsen-Lauenburg.

When Magnus II married the Swedish princess Sofia in 1568, the country was almost bankrupt due to the many feuds. Franz I had to pledge most of his castles and goods. The 100,000 thalers dowry could redeem part of it. On January 15, 1571 he resigned in favor of his son Franz II. But in the winter of 1571 Magnus II occupied Ratzeburg and Franz I signed a contract in Lüneburg that granted Magnus II the duchy. The other sons were to be compensated with money. Magnus promised to pay all debts. But with his brutal approach and refusal to pay the debt, he alienated everyone. Franz II obtained an investigation by the emperor, gathered troops and tried to arrest Magnus in Ratzeburg. But he managed to escape to Dannenberg.

In 1574 Franz I took over the government again and after a number of arguments, Franz II went to the Netherlands for military service. Magnus II could no longer get support to take over the government because of his debts. After the death of Francis I, the brothers took over the government together. In 1588 Franz II was able to obtain an arrest warrant for Magnus II and took over the duchy alone.

progeny

On February 8, 1540, he married Sibylle von Sachsen in Dresden , the daughter of Heinrich von Sachsen and Katharina von Mecklenburg . The following children are known from his marriage:

  • Albrecht (1542–1544)
  • Dorothea (1543–1586)
⚭ 1570 Duke Wolfgang von Braunschweig-Grubenhagen (1531–1595)
  • Magnus II (1543–1603), Duke of Saxony-Lauenburg
⚭ 1568 Princess Sophie of Sweden (1547–1611)
  • Franz II (1547–1619), Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg
⚭ 1. 1574 Princess Margaret of Pomerania (1553–1581)
⚭ 2. 1582 Princess Marie of Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel (1566–1626)
  • Heinrich (1550–1585), Archbishop of Bremen
⚭ 1575 Anna von Broich
⚭ 1581 (closed 1582) Katharine von Spörck
⚭ 1580 Duke Heinrich I of Braunschweig-Dannenberg (1533–1598)
⚭ 1. 1567 Duke Wenceslaus III. Adam of Teschen (1524–1579)
⚭ 2. 1586 Emerich III. Forgach, Chief Count of Trenčín

Illegitimate:

  • Franz Rautenstein († after December 26, 1618)

With Else Rautenstein

  • Catherine of Saxony (1565–1587) ⚭ 1579 Johann Grotjan

Web links

predecessor Office successor
Magnus I. Duke of Saxony-Lauenburg
1543–1581 		Magnus II.
personal data
SURNAME Franz I.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Sachsen-Lauenburg, Franz I. von
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg
DATE OF BIRTH 1510
DATE OF DEATH March 19, 1581
Place of death Buxtehude