Henry IV (Mecklenburg)

Henry the Fat

Heinrich IV., Duke of Mecklenburg (1417 - March 9, 1477 ) was Duke of Mecklenburg from 1422 to 1477 .

Life

Heinrich IV zu Mecklenburg , also known as Heinrich the Fat because of his lavish lifestyle and the corresponding obesity , was born as the son of Duke Johann IV zu Mecklenburg and Katharina von Sachsen-Lauenburg .

After the death of his father and Albrecht V , he ruled under the reign of his mother Katharina until 1436, together with his brother Johann V († 1442).

In May 1432 he married Dorothea , the daughter of Elector Friedrich I of Brandenburg .

With the death of Wilhelm , Prince of Werle in 1436, with which the Werle line died out in the male line , the principality fell to the Duchy of Mecklenburg. After Ulrich II of Mecklenburg [-Stargard] died in 1471, Mecklenburg was reunited under one ruler.

Through Heinrich's mediation, the War of the Stettin Succession between the Pomeranian dukes and the Brandenburg elector ended at the end of May 1472 .

At the end of his life he gave more and more to his sons Albrecht VI. , John VI. , and Magnus II the affairs of state. After the death of Heinrich and the death of his two older brothers Johann (1474) and Albrecht (1483), the latter took over the sole successor. Magnus' younger brother Balthasar, who was still alive, hardly cared about government affairs.

After his death, Heinrich was buried in Doberan .

children

• Albrecht VI. (1438–1483), Duke of Mecklenburg
• Johann VI. (1439–1474), Duke of Mecklenburg
• Magnus II (1441–1503), Duke of Mecklenburg
• Catherine (1442–1451 / 52)
• Anna (1447–1464)
• Elisabeth (1449–1506), abbess in the Poor Clare monastery in Ribnitz
• Balthasar (1451–1507) Duke of Mecklenburg, coadjutor in the Schwerin diocese until 1479

Web links

• Family tree of the House of Mecklenburg

predecessor	Office	successor
Albrecht V.	Duke of Mecklenburg co-regents: Johann V. and Johann VI. 1422-1477	Magnus II. , Co-regents: Balthasar and Albrecht VI.