Francis III (Waldeck)

Francis III (* June 27, 1553 at Cloppenburg Castle ; † March 12, 1597 ) was Count von Waldeck zu Landau.

Life

He was the son of Count Johann I and his mother Anna von Lippe. So he belonged to the Waldeck family . His older brother was Philip VI. Both studied at the University of Marburg until 1569 . After his brother's death in 1579, Franz took over the reign of Waldeck zu Landau. He has promoted the church and school system. From 1582 he was married to Walpurg von Pless.

After Count Günther von Waldeck-Wildungen's death , he became the widow's guardian for his children. In 1586 he and the Countess enlarged the town schools in Mengeringhausen and in Niedernwildungen . A year later, the various lines of Waldeck jointly set up a mint in Niedernwildungen. The first silver coin was minted that same year. Groschen and double thalers followed later. In 1589, a Counts Waldeck coin order was issued. Francis III personally took part in the Reichstag of 1594 in Regensburg and signed the Reichstag farewell as guardian for his cousins. He tried to find an independent line towards the Landgrave of Hesse . Because Franz III. had no offspring he appointed the sons of Josias I Christian and Wolrad as heirs. He was buried in the town church of Mengeringhausen. An iron plate in the choir commemorates him and an epitaph in the nave .

literature

• Adolph Theodor Ludwig Varnhagen: Basis of the Waldeck country and regent history . Vol. 2 Arolsen, 1853, pp. 180-185