George II of Münsterberg-Oels (also: ''George II of Poděbrady''; german: Georg II. (Münsterberg-Oels), cz, Jiří II z Minstrberka; 30 April 1512 in

Oleśnica Oleśnica (pronounced ; german: Oels; szl, Ôleśnica) is a town in Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland, within the Wrocław metropolitan area. It is the administrative seat of Oleśnica County and also of the rural district of ...

– 13 January 1553 in Oleśnica) was a

Duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are rank ...

of Münsterberg 1536–1542 and Duke of Oels. He also held the title of a

Count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

of Glatz.

Life

George II was a member of the Münsterberg branch of the Bohemina noble Poděbrady family. He was the twelfth and youngest child of Duke

Charles I Charles I may refer to: Kings and emperors * Charlemagne (742–814), numbered Charles I in the lists of Holy Roman Emperors and French kings * Charles I of Anjou (1226–1285), also king of Albania, Jerusalem, Naples and Sicily * Charles I of ...

of Münsterberg-Oels and Anna of Sagan, (1480/83-1541), daughter of Duke John II "the Mad" of Żagań. George was married with Elizabeth Kostka of Postupitz ( cz, Eliška Kostková z Postupic). After his father's death in 1536, George II initially ruled Münsterberg-Oels jointly with his brothers Joachim,

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Secon ...

and Henry II. In a joint deed dated 25 June 1535, they awarded the city of Srebrna Góra, which belonged to Münsterberg (Ziębice, Minstrberk), the status of free mining town. Unlike their father, Joachim and his brothers followed the

Lutheran Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Cathol ...

doctrine. In 1537, they expelled the Catholic priests from Münsterberg and appointed an evangelical vicar. In 1542, Henry and his brothers pledged the heavily indebted Duchy of Münsterberg to their uncle Duke Frederick II of Legnica. John continued to rule the Duchy of Oels and Henry II ruled until 1548 the

Duchy of Bernstadt The Duchy of Bernstadt (german: Herzogtum Bernstadt, pl, Księstwo bierutowskie, cz, Bernštatské knížectví) was a Silesian duchy centred on the city of Bernstadt (present-day Bierutów) in Lower Silesia (now in Poland) and formed by separ ...

( pl, Bierutów). Joachim, the oldest of the brothers became Bishop of Brandenburg. George and his brothers continued to use the title of Duke of Münsterberg. George probably lived with his brother John at the castle in Oels (Oleśnica, Olešnice). He died without an heir at the age of 41 years in Oels. He was buried in the Evangelical castle church (today the Catholic parish church of St. John). In 1554, a

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history The history of Europe is traditionally divided into four time periods: prehistoric Europe (prior to about 800 BC), classical antiquity (800 BC to AD ...

epitaph, created by the court sculptor Johann Oslew from

Würzburg Würzburg (; Main-Franconian: ) is a city in the region of Franconia in the north of the German state of Bavaria. Würzburg is the administrative seat of the ''Regierungsbezirk'' Lower Franconia. It spans the banks of the Main River. Würzburg ...

(now Germany), was erected on his grave. It is a sandstone bas-relief, showing George in full armour, standing on a lion.

References and sources

* Hugo Weczerka: ''Handbuch der historischen Stätten: Schlesien'', Stuttgart, 1977, , pp. 322 and 506 and genealogical tables on pp. 602–603 * ''Dehio-Handbuch der Kunstdenkmäler in Polen: Schlesien'', Munich, Berlin, 2005, , p. 687.

External links

Footnotes

Podiebrad family 16th-century German people Dukes of Münsterberg 1512 births 1553 deaths People from Oleśnica {{Germany-noble-stub