Frederick II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg

Frederick II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Spouse(s)	Magdalene of Brandenburg
Noble family	House of Guelph
Father	Bernard I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Mother	Margaret of Saxony
Born	1418
Died	19 March 1478(1478-03-19) Celle

Frederick II (German: Friedrich II.), also known as Frederick the Pious (German: der Fromme) (1418–1478) was the Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Prince of Lüneburg from 1434 to 1457 and from 1472 to 1478.

Life

After the death of his father Bernard, Frederick ruled the Principality of Lüneburg jointly with his brother Otto. The highlights of their rule were a major expansion of Celle Castle and numerous reforms to improve the legal position of farmers vis-à-vis their landlords. After his brother died in 1446, Frederick ruled the principality on his own. In 1452 he had a monastery built on the Heylig Kreuz ("Holy Cross") and brought Franciscan monks to Celle. In 1457 he passed the government of the principality to his son, Bernard, and entered the monastery, but in 1471, after the death of his second son Otto V, he left monastic life again and held the reins of power for his 3-year old first grandchild Henry. Frederick was interred in the church of the Franciscan monastery that he had founded in Celle.

Descendants

In 1437 Frederick II married Magdalene (1412–1454), daughter of Frederick I, Elector of Brandenburg, and had three children by her:

1. Bernhard II (died 1464) married Mathilda of Holstein-Schauenburg (died 1468)
2. Otto the Victorious (1439–1471) married Anna of Nassau-Dillenburg (1441–1514)
3. Margaret (1442–1512) married Henry, Duke of Mecklenburg-Stargard (died 1466)

Ancestors

Family of Frederick II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg

16. Albert the Fat, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg               8. Magnus the Pious, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg                       17. Rixa of Werle               4. Magnus II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg                             18. Henry I, Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal               9. Sophie of Brandenburg-Stendal                       19. Agnes of Bavaria               2. Bernard I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg                                   20. Bernhard II, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg               10. Bernhard III, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg                       21. Helene of Rügen               5. Catherine of Anhalt-Bernburg                             22. Rudolf I, Duke of Saxe-Wittenberg               11. Agnes of Saxony                       23. Jutta of Brandenburg               1. Frederick II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg                                         24. Albert II, Duke of Saxony               12. Rudolf I, Duke of Saxe-Wittenberg                       25. Agnes of Habsburg               6. Wenceslas I, Duke of Saxe-Wittenberg                             26. Ulrich of Lindow-Ruppin               13. Agnes of Lindow-Ruppin                       27. Adelheid of Schladen               3. Margaret of Saxony                                   28. Jacopo II da Carrara               14. Francesco I da Carrara                       29. Constanza da Polenta               7. Cecilia of Carrara                             30. Pataro di Buzzacarini               15. Fina di Buzzacarini

References

• Geckler, Christa (1986). Die Celler Herzöge: Leben und Wirken 1371–1705. Celle: Georg Ströher. ISBN 3-921744-05-8. OCLC 255990175.

External links

• The Welfs

Frederick II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg House of Welf Cadet branch of the House of Este Born: 1418 Died: 19 March 1478
German nobility
Preceded by Bernard I	Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg Princes of Lüneburg until 1446 joint reign with brother Otto IV 1434–1457	Succeeded by Bernard II
Preceded by Otto V the Victorious	Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg Prince of Lüneburg 1472–1478	Succeeded by Henry the Middle