Magnus II (Saxony-Lauenburg)

Magnus II of Saxony-Lauenburg (* 1543 ; † 14 May 1603 in Ratzeburg ) was Duke of Saxony-Lauenburg from the house of the Ascanians from 1581 to 1588 .

Life

Magnus was the oldest surviving son of Duke Franz I of Saxony-Lauenburg (1510–1581) from his marriage to Sibylle (1515–1592), daughter of Duke Heinrich of Saxony . His father tried in vain to get the 11-year-old Magnus into the diocese of Ratzeburg by force.

Magnus went to the Swedish court of King Erich XIV. He became engaged to the king's sister and was commander-in-chief of the Swedish troops in the war against Denmark in 1566, but was soon replaced by the king himself. He was involved in the trial of Nils Sture and in 1568 he joined the revolt of King Erich's brothers against him. After the coronation of King John III. Magnus went back to Germany.

In 1571 Magnus' father had resigned the reign in favor of his younger son Franz , whereupon Magnus protested. He raised troops in the Netherlands and advanced towards Lauenburg. At the beginning of October 1574 he captured the capital Ratzeburg and had it plundered. When troops from the Lower Saxony district approached to punish this breach of the peace , Magnus dismissed his troops and fled to Sweden.

He indulged in alcoholism and violence on his estates in Upland. King John III enfeoffed him with the Sonnenburg Ordensburg on the island of Oesel . Magnus immediately had the Danish governor of Arensburg captured and occupied the city of Pärnu . Because of the numerous complaints and also because he treated his wife, the king's sister, brutally, he lost the favor of Sweden. He left Sweden again and his wife and son stayed there.

With his brother continued in constant disputes, this Magnus was jailed in Hamburg in 1588, after Magnus from Reichshofrat as incapable of governing was declared. Magnus lived in captivity in a tower of Ratzeburg Castle for 15 years . He was buried in the castle chapel there.

progeny

Magnus married on July 4, 1568 in Stockholm Sophia (1547–1611), daughter of the Swedish King Gustav I Wasa , with whom he had the following children:

• Son († 1573)
• Gustav (1570–1597), governor of Kalmar

literature

• Otto von Heinemann:  Magnus II . In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 20, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1884, p. 72 f.
• Wolf-Dieter Mohrmann:  Magnus II. In: New German Biography (NDB). Volume 15, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin 1987, ISBN 3-428-00196-6 , p. 668 f. ( Digitized version ).
• Hans Ferdinand Gerhard: Around the Magnusturm (pen drawings from Lauenburg history) , Ratzeburg 1925.

predecessor	Office	successor
Franz I.	Duke of Saxony-Lauenburg 1581–1588	Francis II