Ulrich, Duke Of Württemberg
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Duke Ulrich of Württemberg (8 February 14876 November 1550) succeeded his kinsman Eberhard II as Duke of
Württemberg Württemberg ( ; ) is a historical German territory roughly corresponding to the cultural and linguistic region of Swabia. The main town of the region is Stuttgart. Together with Baden and Province of Hohenzollern, Hohenzollern, two other histo ...
in 1498. He was declared of age in 1503. His volatile personality made him infamous, being called the "Swabian
Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is known for his Wives of Henry VIII, six marriages and his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. ...
" by historians.


Early life

Duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of Royal family, royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and above sovereign princes. As royalty or nobi ...
Ulrich was born 8 February 1487 and his mother died in his birth. His father, Henry, Count of Württemberg, was mentally deranged, likely as a result of his three-year imprisonment by Duke Charles the Bold of Burgundy, was banished to Hohenurach Castle in the County of Urach, and his only guardian died when he was nine years of age. Ulrich served the German king, Maximilian I, in the War of the Succession of Landshut in 1504, receiving some additions to Württemberg as a reward; he accompanied Maximilian on his unfinished journey to
Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
in 1508; and he marched with the imperial army into France in 1513. Meanwhile, in Württemberg Ulrich had become very unpopular. His extravagance had led to a large accumulation of debt, and his subjects were irritated by his oppressive methods of raising money. In 1514 an uprising under the name of '' Poor Conrad'' broke out, and was only suppressed after Ulrich had made important concessions to the estates in return for financial aid. The duke's relations with the Swabian League, moreover, were very bad, and trouble soon came from another quarter also. This work in turn cites: *L. F. Heyd, ''Ulrich, Herzog zu Württemberg'' (Tübingen, 1841–1844) *B. Kugler, ''Ulrich, Herzog zu Württemberg'' (Stuttgart, 1865) *H. Ulmann, ''Fünf Jahre württembergischer Geschichte 1515-1519'' (Leipzig, 1867) * Johannes Janssen, ''Geschichte des deutschen Volkes seit dem Ausgang des Mittelalters'' (Freiburg, 1890) Eng. trans. by A. M. Christie and M. A. Mitchell (London, 1900 seq.) *C. F. von Stälin, ''Wirtembergische Geschichte. Bd. iv.'' (Stuttgart, 1873) *J. Wille, ''Philipp der Grossmüthige von Hessen und die Restitution Ulrichs von Wirtemberg'' (Tübingen, 1882) In 1511 Ulrich had married Sabina, a daughter of Albert IV, Duke of Bavaria, and niece of the Emperor Maximilian. The marriage was a very unhappy one, and having formed an affection for the wife of a knight named Hans von Hutten, a kinsman of Ulrich von Hutten, the duke killed Hans in 1515 during an altercation. Hutten's friends now joined the other elements of discontent. Fleeing from her husband, Sabina won the support of the emperor and of her brother William IV, Duke of Bavaria, and Ulrich was twice placed under the imperial ban. After the death of Maximilian in January 1519 the Swabian League interfered in the struggle, and Ulrich was driven from Württemberg, which was afterwards sold by the league to Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.


In exile

Ulrich passed some time in
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,
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and Germany, occupied with brigand exploits and in service under
Francis I of France Francis I (; ; 12 September 1494 – 31 March 1547) was King of France from 1515 until his death in 1547. He was the son of Charles, Count of Angoulême, and Louise of Savoy. He succeeded his first cousin once removed and father-in-law Louis&nbs ...
; but he never lost sight of the possibility of recovering Württemberg and about 1523 he announced his conversion to the reformed faith. His opportunity came with the outbreak of the German Peasants' War. Posing as the friend of the lower orders and signing himself "Ulrich the peasant", his former oppressions were forgotten and his return was anticipated with joy. Collecting men and money, mainly in France and Switzerland, he invaded Württemberg in February 1525, but the Swiss in his service were recalled owing to the defeat of Francis I of France at
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; the peasantry were unable to give him any serious support, and in a few weeks he was again a fugitive. During his exile Ulrich had formed a friendship with
Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse (13 November 1504 – 31 March 1567), nicknamed (), was a German nobleman and champion of the Protestant Reformation, notable for being one of the most important of the early Protestant rulers in Germany. He was ...
; and his restoration, undertaken by Philip, is an event of some importance in the political history of the Reformation. In 1526 Philip had declared he was anxious to restore the exiled duke, and about the same time Francis I and Zwingli had intimated their willingness to assist in a general attack upon the Habsburgs. Many difficulties, however, barred the way, and it was 1534 before Philip was prepared to strike.


Restoration

In January of that year Francis I had definitely promised assistance; the Swabian League had just been dissolved; and, after a manifesto had been issued by Ulrich and Philip justifying the proposed undertaking, Württemberg was invaded in April 1534. Charles V and his brother, King Ferdinand I, could send but little assistance to their lieutenants, and on the 13 May the troops of the Habsburgs were completely defeated at the Battle of Lauffen. In a few weeks Ulrich was restored, and in June 1534 a treaty was negotiated at Kaaden by which he was recognized as duke by Ferdinand, but was to hold Württemberg under Austrian
suzerainty A suzerain (, from Old French "above" + "supreme, chief") is a person, state (polity)">state or polity who has supremacy and dominant influence over the foreign policy">polity.html" ;"title="state (polity)">state or polity">state (polity)">st ...
. After some hesitation Ulrich yielded to the solicitations of Philip, and signed the treaty in February 1535. The duke now lost no time in pressing on the teaching of the reformed doctrines of Luther and Zwingli. Many convents and monasteries were destroyed, and extensive seizures of church property formed a welcome addition to his impoverished exchequer (this act was precisely simultaneous with the similar Dissolution of the Monasteries undertaken by King
Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is known for his Wives of Henry VIII, six marriages and his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. ...
of England). Taxation, however, was so heavy that he soon lost his temporary popularity. In April 1536 he joined the Schmalkaldic League, though he did not assent to some of the schemes of Philip of Hesse for attacking Charles V. In 1546 his troops fought against the Emperor during the
Schmalkaldic War The Schmalkaldic War (; July 1546May 1547) was fought within the territories of the Holy Roman Empire between the allied forces of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor and Maurice, Duke of Saxony against the Lutheran Schmalkaldic League, with the forc ...
, but with disastrous results for Württemberg. The duchy was quickly overrun, and the duke compelled to agree to the Treaty of Heilbronn in January 1547. By this treaty Charles, ignoring the desire of Ferdinand to depose Ulrich again, allowed him to retain his duchy, but stipulated that he should pay a large sum of money, surrender certain fortresses, and appear as a suppliant before the Emperor at Ulm. Having submitted under compulsion to the Augsburg Interim in May 1548, Ulrich died on 6 November 1550 at
Tübingen Tübingen (; ) is a traditional college town, university city in central Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated south of the state capital, Stuttgart, and developed on both sides of the Neckar and Ammer (Neckar), Ammer rivers. about one in ...
, where he was buried. He left a son, Christopher (1515–1568), who succeeded him.


Ancestors


References


Sources

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External links


Duke Ulrichs victory over the Palatinate in 1504
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ulrich, Duke of Wurttemberg 1487 births 1550 deaths 15th-century dukes of Württemberg 16th-century dukes of Württemberg People from Haut-Rhin Converts to Lutheranism from Roman Catholicism Medieval child monarchs