Gerhard VII. (Holstein)

Seal of Gerhard VII. From around 1422

Gerhard VII. (* 1404 ; † 24 July 1433 in Emmerich ) was co-count of Holstein and Stormarn and, contrary to the Danish feudal law, pretender of Schleswig. He was the youngest son of Gerhard VI. and his wife Elisabeth von Braunschweig.

Life

Together with his brothers Heinrich and Adolf , he fought on the side of the Hanseatic League against Denmark during the Danish-Holstein-Hanseatic War . As commander of the Hanseatic fleet, he took part in the attempted landing of the Hanseatic League against Flensburg in 1427 and in the naval battle of Copenhagen in 1428 .

Together with his brother Adolf, he took over the county of Holstein and the pledges in the Duchy of Schleswig around 1427 from his brother Heinrich, who had fallen before Flensburg .

On June 2, 1432 he married Agnes von Baden , daughter of Bernhard I. After the hasty marriage in Baden, Duke Gerhard VII quickly traveled back to secure the borders of his country without an official wedding night. The marriage was officially consummated on October 5, 1432. On January 15, 1433 , the young woman fell on the stairs and labor began. Surprisingly, she gave birth to two healthy 7-month-children in winter: Heinrich and Katharina. In order to stop the rumors arising, Gerhard VII declared in Schleswig Cathedral that he was the father, and was supported by his co-regent and brother Adolf VIII .

In February 1433, the severely lung patient traveled to Baden-Baden for a cure , but already in Cologne his condition deteriorated so much that it was decided to turn back. Gerhard VII died on the return journey and was buried in Emmerich .

Adolf VIII refused his widow Agnes the widow's share, as her dowry was never paid, and did not allow her to enter the country because he continued to doubt his brother's paternity. Her brother locked her up in Baden. The twins Heinrich and Katharina died very young under strange circumstances.

literature

• Gerhard III. In: Carl Frederik Bricka (Ed.): Dansk biografisk Lexikon. Tillige omfattende Norge for Tidsrummet 1537-1814. 1st edition. tape 5 : Faaborg – Gersdorff . Gyldendalske Boghandels Forlag, Copenhagen 1891, p. 600 (Danish, runeberg.org ).