Henry I, Landgrave Of Hesse
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Henry I of Hesse "the Child" ( German: ''Heinrich das Kind'') (24 June 1244 – 21 December 1308) was the first Landgrave of
Hesse Hesse or Hessen ( ), officially the State of Hesse (), is a States of Germany, state in Germany. Its capital city is Wiesbaden, and the largest urban area is Frankfurt, which is also the country's principal financial centre. Two other major hist ...
. He was the son of
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 ...
, Duke of Brabant and Sophie of Thuringia.


Life

In 1247, as Heinrich Raspe,
Landgrave of Thuringia Thuringia is a historical and political region of Central Germany. Kings of Thuringia *500?–507 Bisinus *507–529 Baderich *507–525 Berthachar *507–532 Herminafried :''Conquered by the Franks.'' Frankish dukes of Thur ...
, died without issue, conflict arose about the future of Thuringia and Hesse. The succession was disputed between Heinrich Raspe's nephew and his niece:
Sophie Sophie is a feminine given name, another version of Sophia, from the Greek word for "wisdom". People with the name Born in the Middle Ages * Sophie, Countess of Bar (c. 1004 or 1018–1093), sovereign Countess of Bar and lady of Mousson * Soph ...
was the daughter of Heinrich Raspe's brother Ludwig IV and claimed the territories on behalf of her son Henry, while
Henry the Illustrious Henry III, called Henry the Illustrious (''Heinrich der Erlauchte'') (c. 1215 – 15 February 1288) from the House of Wettin was List of Margraves of Meissen, Margrave of Meissen and last March of Lusatia, Margrave of Lusatia (as Henry IV) from ...
, margrave of Meissen, was the son of Heinrich Raspe's sister Jutta. Another competitor were the Archbishops of Mainz, who could claim Hesse was a fiefdom of the archbishop and now, after the extinction of the Ludowingians, demanded its return to them. Sophia, supported by the Hessian nobility, succeeded in retaining Hesse against her cousin, who in 1264 accepted the division of the Ludowingian inheritance: Henry of Meissen received Thuringia, while Sophia's son Heinrich would inherit
Hesse Hesse or Hessen ( ), officially the State of Hesse (), is a States of Germany, state in Germany. Its capital city is Wiesbaden, and the largest urban area is Frankfurt, which is also the country's principal financial centre. Two other major hist ...
. In the following year, the Archbishop Werner II von Eppenstein acceded to this outcome in the Treaty of Langsdorf, accepting Henry as his liege-man and Landgrave of Hesse. At this time, the landgraviate of Hesse consisted of the region between Wolfhagen, Zierenberg,
Eschwege Eschwege (), the district seat of the Werra-Meißner-Kreis, is a town in northeastern Hesse, Germany. In 1971, the town hosted the eleventh ''Hessentag'' state festival. Geography Location The town lies on a broad plain tract of the river Wer ...
, Alsfeld, Grünberg, Frankenberg and
Biedenkopf Biedenkopf () is a spa town in western Hesse, Germany with a population of 13,491 (2020). Geography Location The town of Biedenkopf lies in the west of Marburg-Biedenkopf district. Ringed by mountains reaching up to above sea level – the ...
. In the same year, Henry acquired a part of the county of Gleiberg with
Gießen Giessen, spelled in German (), is a town in the German state () of Hesse, capital of both the district of Giessen and the administrative region of Giessen. The population is approximately 90,000, with roughly 37,000 university students. Th ...
from the Counts palatine of
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 ...
. The landgraviate was centred on the towns of
Kassel Kassel (; in Germany, spelled Cassel until 1926) is a city on the Fulda River in North Hesse, northern Hesse, in Central Germany (geography), central Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Regierungsbezirk Kassel (region), Kassel and the d ...
, where Henry took up his residence since 1277, and
Marburg Marburg (; ) is a college town, university town in the States of Germany, German federal state () of Hesse, capital of the Marburg-Biedenkopf Districts of Germany, district (). The town area spreads along the valley of the river Lahn and has ...
, where his grandmother Saint Elisabeth was buried and where Henry built the Castle Marburg.


Struggle for possession of Naumburg

Henry again got into conflict with his liege-lord, the Archbishop, about the possession of
Naumburg Naumburg () is a town in (and the administrative capital of) the district Burgenlandkreis, in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, Central Germany (cultural area), Central Germany. It has a population of around 33,000. The Naumburg Cathedral became a UNES ...
. On behalf of the Archbishop, Henry was outlawed in 1274 by King Rudolf I of Habsburg, but after Henry had supported Rudolph in the war against Otakar II of Bohemia and had helped to conquer
Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
1276, Rudolph reinstated Henry. In 1290 Henry defeated the Archbishop in the battle of
Fritzlar Fritzlar () is a small town (pop. 15,000) in the Schwalm-Eder-Kreis, Schwalm-Eder district in northern Hesse, Germany, north of Frankfurt, with a storied history. The town has a medieval center ringed by a wall with numerous watch towers. high ...
and could henceforth maintain his territory. Though Henry never relinquished his own claim on Brabant, he supported his nephew John of Brabant against
Guelders The Duchy of Guelders (; ; ) is a historical duchy, previously county, of the Holy Roman Empire, located in the Low Countries. Geography The duchy was named after the town of Geldern (''Gelder'') in present-day Germany. Though the present pr ...
and
Luxembourg Luxembourg, officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, is a landlocked country in Western Europe. It is bordered by Belgium to the west and north, Germany to the east, and France on the south. Its capital and most populous city, Luxembour ...
in the Limburg succession war.


Elevation to prince of the realm

On 12 May 1292, Henry was made a ''Reichsfürst'' (prince of the realm) by King Adolf of Nassau, freeing Hesse of the supremacy of the Archbishop of Mainz. Henry was bestowed with
Eschwege Eschwege (), the district seat of the Werra-Meißner-Kreis, is a town in northeastern Hesse, Germany. In 1971, the town hosted the eleventh ''Hessentag'' state festival. Geography Location The town lies on a broad plain tract of the river Wer ...
and the Boyneburg (with Sontra), strengthening his position in Hesse. By skillful diplomacy he gained the cities of Sooden-Allendorf, Kaufungen,
Witzenhausen Witzenhausen () is a small town in the Werra-Meißner-Kreis in northeastern Hesse, Germany. It was granted town rights in 1225, and until 1974 was a district seat. The University of Kassel maintains a satellite campus in Witzenhausen, which offer ...
,
Immenhausen Immenhausen () is a town in the district of Kassel, in Hesse, Germany. It is located 12 km north of Kassel on the German Timber-Frame Road. The town has 7,098 inhabitants as of July 2020, including the northern village of Mariendorf and east ...
,
Grebenstein Grebenstein (; ) is a town in the district of Kassel, in Hesse, Germany. It is located 16 km northwest of Kassel on the German Timber-Frame Road. In 1762 it was the scene of a skirmish between British and French troops during the Seven Year ...
, Wanfried, Staufenberg, Trendelburg and Reinhardswald. In 1263 Henry had married Adelheid of Brunswick, daughter of Duke Otto of Brunswick, who bore him four daughters and the sons Henry ("the Younger") and Otto. After Adelheid's death in 1274, Henry had married Mechthild, daughter of
Dietrich VI, Count of Cleves Dietrich () is an ancient German name meaning "ruler of the people", but also "keeper of the keys" or "lockpick" (either the tool or the profession). Given name * Dietrich, Count of Oldenburg (c. 1398–1440) * Thierry of Alsace (; 1099–1168 ...
, who bore him another four daughters and the sons John and Louis.


Uncertainty over succession

In 1292 internal conflict arose about the question of Henry's successor. Mechthild of Cleves demanded on her sons receiving a share of the heritage, while Henry and Otto, Henry's sons by his first wife, insisted on excluding their half-brothers from the inheritance. This led to civil war lasting throughout the rest of Henry's lifetime. Henry died in
Marburg Marburg (; ) is a college town, university town in the States of Germany, German federal state () of Hesse, capital of the Marburg-Biedenkopf Districts of Germany, district (). The town area spreads along the valley of the river Lahn and has ...
during the conflict, and was buried there in St. Elisabeth's Church, which became the gravesite of the succeeding Landgraves for several more centuries. After his death, the inheritance was divided between Otto, who received Upper Hesse (''Oberhessen'') around Marburg, and John, who received Lower Hesse (''Niederhessen''), centred on Kassel. John's younger brother Ludwig had entered the clergy and became bishop of Münster in 1310.


Children

First marriage (1263) to Adelheid, daughter of Otto I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1244–1274) #Sophia (1264–after 12 August 1331), married 1276 to Otto I, Count of Waldeck. # Henry the Younger (1265–23 August 1298), married in 1290 to Agnes of Bavaria, Margravine of Brandenburg-Stendal. #Matilda (1267–after 1332), married to: ##1283 Count Gottfried of Ziegenhain; ##after 11 October 1309 Philipp III of Falkenstein-Münzenberg. #Adelheid (1268–7 December 1315), married 1284 to Count Bertold VII of Henneberg-Schleusingen. #Elisabeth (1269/70–19 February 1293), married c. 1287 to Count Johann of Sayn (bg). #an unnamed son (c. 1270–c. 1274). # Otto (c. 1272–17 January 1328). Second marriage (1276) to Mechthild of Cleves, # John (died 1311,
Kassel Kassel (; in Germany, spelled Cassel until 1926) is a city on the Fulda River in North Hesse, northern Hesse, in Central Germany (geography), central Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Regierungsbezirk Kassel (region), Kassel and the d ...
). #Elisabeth (c. 1276–after 6 July 1306), married to ##1290 Duke William of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel; ##1294 Gerhard of Eppstein. #Agnes (c. 1277–1335), married to Burgrave John I of Nuremberg. #Louis (1282/83–18 August 1357), Bishop of
Münster Münster (; ) is an independent city#Germany, independent city (''Kreisfreie Stadt'') in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also a ...
in 1310–57. #Elisabeth (died after 30 October 1308), married in 1299 to Count Albert II of Gorizia. #Katharina (died 1322), married to Count Otto IV of Orlamünde. #Jutta (died 13 October 1317), married 1311 to Duke Otto of Braunschweig-Göttingen.


Ancestry


References


Sources

* *


External links


Wikisource: ''Allgemeine Deutsch Biographie'' "Heinrich I. (Landgraf von Hessen)" (in German)
, - {{DEFAULTSORT:Henry I, Landgrave of Hesse 1244 births 1308 deaths House of Hesse Landgraves of Hesse Burials at St. Elizabeth's Church, Marburg