Eric II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg

German duke
The basics

Quick Facts

IntroGerman duke
PlacesGermany
wasNoble Aristocrat
Work fieldRoyals
Gender
Male
Birth10 August 1528, Dassel, Northeim, Lower Saxony, Germany
Death17 November 1584Pavia, Province of Pavia, Lombardy, Italy (aged 56 years)
Family
Mother:Elisabeth of Brandenburg, Duchess of Brunswick-Calenberg-Göttingen
Father:Eric I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Spouse:Dorothea of Lorraine Sidonie of Saxony
The details

Biography

Wilhelm (4 July 1535 – 20 August 1592), called William the Younger (German: Wilhelm der Jüngere), was Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Prince of Lüneburg from 1559 until his death. Until 1569 he ruled together with his brother, Henry of Dannenberg.

He was the son of Ernest I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. On 12 October 1561 he married Dorothea of Denmark (29 June 1546 Kolding–6 January 1617 Winsen), daughter of Christian III of Denmark and Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg.

In 1582, William began suffering from fits of insanity. These fits caused his wife to flee him in 1584 for her own safety.

After his death, his wife became regent for their son George.

Children that reached adulthood

  • Sophie of Brunswick-Lüneburg (30 October 1563 – 1639); married George Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach.
  • Ernest II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (31 December 1564 – 2 March 1611); Prince of Lüneburg from 1592–1611.
  • Elisabeth of Brunswick-Lüneburg (19 October 1565 – 17 July 1621); married Frederick, Count of Hohenlohe-Langenburg.
  • Christian, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (19 November 1566 – 8 November 1633); Prince of Lüneburg from 1611–1633.
  • Augustus I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (18 November 1568 – 1 October 1636); Prince of Lüneburg from 1633–1636.
  • Dorothea of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1 January 1570 – 15 August 1649); married Charles I, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld.
  • Clara of Brunswick-Lüneburg (16 January 1571 – 18 July 1658); married William, Count of Schwarzburg-Blankenburg.
  • Anne Ursula of Brunswick-Lüneburg (22 March 1572 – 5 February 1601)
  • Margaret of Brunswick-Lüneburg (6 April 1573 – 7 August 1643); married John Casimir, Duke of Saxe-Coburg.
  • Frederick IV, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (28 August 1574 – 10 December 1648); Prince of Lüneburg from 1636–1648.
  • Marie of Brunswick-Lüneburg (21 October 1575 – 8 August 1610)
  • Magnus of Brunswick-Lüneburg (30 August 1577 – 10 February 1632)
  • George, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (17 February 1582 – 12 April 1641); Prince of Calenberg 1635–1641
  • John of Brunswick-Lüneburg (23 June 1583 – 27 November 1628)
  • Sybille of Brunswick-Lüneburg (3 June 1584 – 5 August 1652); married Julius Ernest, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg.

Ancestors

Ancestors of William the Younger, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
16. Frederick II of Brunswick-Lüneburg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
8. Otto V, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
17. Magdalene of Brandenburg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4. Henry I of Lüneburg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
18. John IV, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
9. Anna of Nassau-Dillenburg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
19. Maria of Loon-Heinsberg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2. Ernest I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
20. Frederick II, Elector of Saxony
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
10. Ernest, Elector of Saxony
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
21. Margaret of Austria
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
5. Margarete of Saxony
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
22. Albert III, Duke of Bavaria
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
11. Elisabeth of Bavaria
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
23. Anna of Brunswick-Grubenhagen
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1.William the Younger, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
24. Henry IV, Duke of Mecklenburg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
12. Magnus II, Duke of Mecklenburg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
25. Dorothea of Brandenburg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
6. Henry V, Duke of Mecklenburg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
26. Eric II, Duke of Pomerania
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
13. Sophia of Pomerania
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
27. Sophia of Pomerania-Stolp
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3. Sophia of Mecklenburg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
28. Albert III Achilles, Elector of Brandenburg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
14. John Cicero, Elector of Brandenburg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
29. Margaret of Baden
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
7. Ursula of Brandenburg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
30. William III, Duke of Luxemburg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
15. Margaret of Thuringia
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
31. Anne, Duchess of Luxembourg
 
 
 
 
 
 
William the Younger, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
House of Welf
Born: 4 July 1535 Died: 20 August 1592
German nobility
Preceded by
Ernest I
Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Prince of Lüneburg

1559–1592
Succeeded by
Ernest II
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