Henry of Saxe-Lauenburg

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Henry of Saxe-Lauenburg
Administrator

Henry of Saxe-Lauenburg (German: Heinrich von Sachsen-Lauenburg; 1 November 1550 – 22 April 1585, Vörde) was a Prince-Archbishop of Bremen (as Henry III), then Prince-Bishop of Osnabrück (as Henry II), then Prince-Bishop of Paderborn (as Henry IV).

Life

Early years

Henry was a member of the

mentor.[2]

While his youth is recorded as wild, he is recalled as a quiet student.[2] During his studies in Cologne Henry came to know and love Anna von Broich (Borch), who lived as foster child with Betzdorf, since her parents, Cologne's Burgomaster Heinrich von Broich and his wife Ursula, had perished in the plague in 1553.[2] In 1565 he received the prebend and in the following year he advanced to canonicate.[2]

In 1524 the

Imperial Chamber Court to this end.[2][3]

In his

Wahlkapitulation) Henry covenanted to accept the privileges of the Estates of the Prince-Archbishopric (Stiftsstände) and the existing laws.[3] Due to his minority he agreed, that Chapter and Estates would rule the Prince-Archbishopric until coming of age, paying him an annual appanage of 500 rixdollars.[5]
For the time being Henry was supposed to work towards his papal confirmation as archbishop.

Administrator of Bremen

Henry de facto assumed regency in 1569, lacking any papal confirmation.[2] He still had to repay debts from his pre-predecessor Prince-Archbishop Christopher the Spendthrift[6] Henry continued George's financial assanation and developed for a better financial control the budgeting for the prince-archiepicopal expenditures.[7] While Pope Pius V remained sceptic as to Henry's faith, Emperor Maximilian II regarded Henry a true Catholic, putting in a good word for Henry.[5] Thus Maximilian granted Henry an imperial liege indult (Lehnsindult) in 1570, investing him with the princely regalia for the prince-archbishopric although he still lacked the papal confirmation.[2]

Therefore, Henry never officially functioned as archbishop, but as princely

episcopal consecration, although he never wanted to be a Catholic bishop. The All Saints' Flood of November 1 and 2, 1570 inflicted terrible hardship in the Bremian Elbe Marshes.[7]

In 1571 Henry started a campaign against

cathedral provost (Dompropst), a function including the presidency of the chapter, while Maximilian demanded – using his privilege of presentation – Georg Rudell.[8] However, the capitular canons then elected Henry's brother Frederick, succeeding the late Ludwig von Varendorf. After Frederick's death Gregory XIII demanded succession for the Catholic Theodor von Galen, and prevailed.[8]

The chapter fulfilled the religious functions as in case of

nunnery between 1601 and 1603, but these three never formed a Catholic opposition within the chapter.[8]

Administrator of Osnabrück

On 23 May 1574 the cathedral chapter

Canon Law
. For Rome the recognition of Henry's election as bishop was not acceptable.

His reign in Osnabrück is overshadowed by numerous

witch burnings.[7] But he also completed the prince-episcopal Fürstenau Castle, started by his predecessor John of Hoya, while the started construction of a residential castle in Osnabrück ended with Henry's sudden death.[7] Henry also ran for the episcopal elections of Münster in 1575, 1577 and 1580, but failed narrowly.[2] The Catholic opposition played no relevant role in Osnabrück.[6]

Marriage

Johann Rode, as he generally promoted the development of his residential town.[7]

Regent of Hadeln

Since 1576, in anticipation of the inheritance of the

Counts of Oldenburg.[7] After his father's death in 1581 Henry inherited Hadeln and used the opportunity to renew its Church Order (Lutheran church constitution), first issued in 1526.[7] The publication of the Estates Laws of Hadeln (Hadler Landrecht, 1583), the compilation of which his father Francis had begun, fell into Henry's regency.[10] His brother Francis II disputed Henry as heir, but could not prevail.[7]

Administrator of Paderborn

In 1577

Nuncio to Cologne, Giovanni Francesco Bonomi, even considered his impeachment.[6]

Arbitration of conflicts

During the warlike conflict between his brother Magnus and his father Francis I and other brothers Francis II, and Maurice, Henry functioned as arbiter.[7] In 1581 – shortly before Francis I's death – Henry, his father, and Rudolph II consulted, unconcerted with Magnus and Maurice, concluding that Francis I made his third son Francis II, whom he considered the ablest, his sole successor, violating the rules of primogeniture in Saxe-Lauenburg.[11] The emperor esteemed his skills and thus charged Henry with arbitrations in lawsuits at the Imperial Chamber Court and the Aulic Council.[7]

Last years

In 1577 he codified the laws of the Bremian

of Lund.[13] In 1581 Henry prompted a new Court Procedures Code for the Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen.[2][14]

Henry had consulted his brother

Counter Reformation
in Paderborn.

His widow inherited several estates, among them Beverstedtermühlen, which she successfully extended into a Vorwerk.[16] However, her brother-in-law Francis II blamed her to have caused Henry's early death.[16] Francis, after quarreling with Maurice, reacquired the Land of Hadeln for Saxe-Lauenburg.

Bremian Landdroste during Henry's reign

The chief executive of the prince-archiepiscopal government was the landdrost. During Henry's reign two landdroste officiated.

  • 1561–1580: Jobst Behr (d. before 27 October 1582)
  • 1580–1583: vacancy
  • 1583–1585: Joist Friese (aka Jobst Frese), since 1580 per pro

Dates and names following Schleif:[17]

Ancestry

References

Notes

  1. ISBN 3-931879-08-9
    .
  2. ^
    ISBN 3-931879-08-9
    .
  3. ^
    ISBN 978-3-9801919-9-9
    .
  4. ISBN 978-3-9801919-9-9
    .
  5. ^
    ISBN 978-3-9801919-9-9
    .
  6. ^
    ISBN 978-3-9801919-9-9
    .
  7. ^
    ISBN 3-931879-08-9
    .
  8. ^
    ISBN 978-3-9801919-9-9
    .
  9. ^ a b Hans Wohltmann, "Heinrich III. Herzog von Sachsen-Lauenburg", in: Neue Deutsche Biographie, Berlin: Duncker & Humblot, 1969, vol. 8, p. 354.
  10. ISBN 978-3-9801919-9-9
    ), (=Schriftenreihe des Landschaftsverbandes der ehem. Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden; vols. 7–9), vol. II: pp. 321-388, here 336.
  11. ISBN 978-3-529-02606-5
  12. ISBN 978-3-9801919-9-9
    .
  13. Vicariate Apostolic of the Northern Missions
    .
  14. ^ Cf. the Hofgerichtsordnung, published by Friedrich Esaias Pufendorf, Friderici Esaiae a Pufendorf Observationes Juris Universi: quibus praecipue res Judicatae Summi Tribunalis Regii et Electoralis continentur (Observationes Juris Universi): 4 vols., Hanover: Helwing, 1770-1782, vol. 3 (1782), appendix 1.
  15. ISBN 978-3-529-02606-5
  16. ^
    ISBN 3-931879-08-9
    .
  17. ^ Karl Schleif, Regierung und Verwaltung des Erzstifts Bremen, Hamburg: no publ., 1972, (=Schriftenreihe des Landschaftsverbandes der ehemaligen Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden; vol. 1), p. 194, also Hamburg, Univ., Diss., 1968.
Henry of Saxe-Lauenburg
Born: 1 November 1550 Died: 22 April 1585
Regnal titles
Religious titles
Vacant
Title last held by
George of Brunswick and Lunenburg
Prince-Archbishop of Bremen

Lutheran Administrator as Henry III
1567–1585 		Vacant
Title next held by
John Adolph of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp
Preceded by Prince-Bishop of Osnabrück
Lutheran Administrator as Henry II
1574–1585 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Prince-Bishop of Paderborn

Lutheran Administrator as Henry IV
1577–1585 		Succeeded by
Regnal titles
Vacant
Title last held by
Magnus of Saxe-Lauenburg 		Regent of the
Land of Hadeln

1576–1585 		Vacant
Title next held by
Imperial Custody
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