Ernest I of Brunswick-Grubenhagen (; – 9 March 1361) was Prince of Brunswick-Grubenhagen.

Life

He was the son of Henry I, the Admirable and his wife Agnes, née Countess of Meissen. Henry the Admirable founded the Principality of Grubenhagen in 1291, after the Guelph princes had divided their inheritance. Ernest originally intended to follow a spiritual career, but after his father's death, he and his brothers

Henry II Henry II may refer to: Kings * Saint Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor (972–1024), crowned King of Germany in 1002, of Italy in 1004 and Emperor in 1014 *Henry II of England (1133–89), reigned from 1154 *Henry II of Jerusalem and Cyprus (1271–1 ...

and

William William is a masculine given name of Germanic languages, Germanic origin. It became popular in England after the Norman Conquest, Norman conquest in 1066,All Things William"Meaning & Origin of the Name"/ref> and remained so throughout the Middle ...

jointly ruled the principality. Grubenhagen was rather smaller than the other Guelph principalities. Because Henry the Admirable had many children (eight sons and eight daughters), it was difficult to supply all the descendants in style. His eldest son

could therefore not take the undivided sovereignty over the principality. In 1324, Henry concluded an extensive pact with his brothers Ernest and William under which the territory should be governed jointly, but shortly afterwards the principality was divided. Ernest received the area around Einbeck, Grubenhagen Castle and Osterode. The towns of Duderstadt, Osterode and Einbeck were ruled jointly. In 1359 he made his son Albert I co-regent. His older brother Henry died 1351 and his sons lingered abroad and died without issue, so after the death of his childless younger brother William in 1360, Ernest ruled the entire principality of Grubenhagen. After his death, on 9 March 1361, he was succeeded by his son Albert I.

Marriage and issue

Ernst married in 1322 Adelheid (or Agnes) of Everstein-Polle (died after 1373), daughter of Count Henry II of Eberstein. The marriage produced six children. * Otto (or Otho) (born 1337, died young) * Albert I (born: c. 1339; died 1383) : married in 1372 Agnes of Brunswick (d. 1410), daughter of Duke Magnus II of Brunswick. * Agnes (born: c. 1342; died 1394) : married in 1362 Count Ulrich of Hohnstein * Ernest II (born: c. 1346; died 1400/02), abbot of

Corvey The Princely Abbey of Corvey ( or ) is a former Benedictine abbey and ecclesiastical principality now in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It was one of the half-dozen self-ruling '' princely abbeys'' of the Holy Roman Empire from the Late Middl ...

(1369–1371) * Frederick (born: c. 1350; died 1421) : married Adelheid of Anhalt * Anna (born: c. 1360; died 1437), Abbess in Osterode

Life

Marriage and issue

References

Further reading