Wilhelm I (Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel)

William the Victorious

Wilhelm , the Victorious , Duke of Braunschweig and Lüneburg (* 1392 ; † July 25, 1482 ) from the family of Guelphs was Prince of Lüneburg from 1416 to 1428 , from 1428 to 1432 and from 1473 to 1482, Prince of Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel , from 1432 to 1473 Prince of Calenberg and from 1463 to 1473 Prince of Göttingen .

Life

After the death of his father Heinrich in 1416, Wilhelm and his brother Heinrich the Peaceful took over the government of the Principality of Lüneburg. In 1428 the brothers and their uncle Bernhard, who ruled Wolfenbüttel, redistributed the Guelph property, in which the brothers Wilhelm and Heinrich were awarded the principality of Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel, which was expanded to include the land between Deister and Leine , which later became the Principality of Calenberg Bernhard received the Principality of Lüneburg. After a common period of rule, they divided the area again in 1432. While Heinrich received the Wolfenbüttler Land, Wilhelm was resigned to the newly formed Principality of Calenberg. The rule that Wilhelm had received at that time still had no name. It consisted of the rights formerly belonging to the Principality of Lüneburg between Deister and Leine and the former County of Wölpe , the Reign of Hallermund and the Reigns of Homburg and Everstein . Since the Guelph princes all carried the title Duke of Braunschweig and Lüneburg and the areas they ruled were part of the duchy of Braunschweig-Lüneburg, the countries they ruled were named after the most important castle or city. Wilhelm often lived at Calenberg Castle and had the territory administered from here. This is probably why the name of the Principality of Calenberg came about during this time. Shortly afterwards, in 1442 or finally in 1463, Wilhelm succeeded in taking control of the Principality of Göttingen. In 1473 Wilhelm inherited the Principality of Wolfenbüttel from his sonless brother, but passed control of Calenberg to his sons Wilhelm the Elder. J. and Friedrich, called "the restless" or "Turbulentus", from.

progeny

Wilhelm was married to Cäcilie von Brandenburg , daughter of Friedrich I von Brandenburg , in his first marriage from 1423 , and his second marriage from 1466 to Mathilde von Schauenburg. She was the widow of Bernhard II of Braunschweig-Lüneburg († February 9, 1464). There are two sons from the first marriage:

• Friedrich (1424–1495)
• Wilhelm (1425–1503)

literature

• Christa Geckler: The Celle dukes - life and work 1371–1705. Georg Ströher, Celle 1986, ISBN 3-921744-05-8
• Paul Zimmermann :  Wilhelm the Elder . In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 42, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1897, pp. 733-738.

predecessor	Office	successor
Henry the Meek	Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg Prince of Lüneburg 1416–1428	Bernhard I.
Bernhard I.	Duke of Braunschweig and Lüneburg, Prince of Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel 1428–1432 and 1473–1482	Wilhelm II.
---	Duke of Braunschweig and Lüneburg Prince of Calenberg 1432–1473	Wilhelm II and Friedrich
Otto II.	Duke of Braunschweig and Lüneburg Prince of Göttingen 1463–1473	Wilhelm II and Friedrich