William (4 July 1535 – 20 August 1592), called William the Younger ('), was Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and

Prince of Lüneburg A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The fem ...

from 1559 until his death. Until 1569 he ruled together with his brother, Henry of Dannenberg. William was the third son of

Ernest I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg Ernest of Brunswick-Lüneburg (; 27 June 1497 – 11 January 1546), also frequently called Ernest the Confessor, was duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and a champion of the Protestant cause during the early years of the Protestant Reformation. He was ...

. On 12 October 1561 he married Dorothea of Denmark (29 June 1546

Kolding Kolding () is a Denmark, Danish seaport city located at the head of Kolding Fjord in the Region of Southern Denmark. It is the seat of Kolding Municipality. It is a transportation, commercial, and manufacturing centre and has numerous industria ...

–6 January 1617 Winsen), daughter of

Christian III of Denmark Christian III (12 August 1503 – 1 January 1559) reigned as King of Denmark from 1534 and King of Norway from 1537 until his death in 1559. During his reign, Christian formed close ties between the church and the crown. He established ...

and

Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg (9 July 1511 – 7 October 1571) was queen consort of Denmark and Norway by marriage to King Christian III of Denmark. She was known to having wielded influence upon the affairs of state in Denmark.Jorgensen, Ellen & S ...

. In 1582, William began suffering from fits of insanity. These fits caused his wife to flee him in 1584 for her own safety. After William's death, his wife became regent for their son George.

Marriage and issue

William and Dorothea had: * Sophie of Brunswick-Lüneburg (30 October 1563 – 1639); married George Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach. * Ernest II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (31 December 1564 – 2 March 1611) Prince of Lüneburg from 1592 to 1611. * Elisabeth of Brunswick-Lüneburg (19 October 1565 – 17 July 1621); married Frederick, Count of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. * Christian, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (19 November 1566 – 8 November 1633) Prince of Lüneburg from 1611 to 1633. *

Augustus the Elder, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg Augustus the Elder, Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (18 November 1568 – 1 October 1636) was the Lutheran Diocese of Ratzeburg, Bishop of Ratzeburg from 1610 to 1636 and the Principality of Lüneburg, Prince of Lünebur ...

(18 November 1568 – 1 October 1636) Prince of Lüneburg from 1633 to 1636. *

Dorothea of Brunswick-Lüneburg Dorothea of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1 January 1570 – 15 August 1649) was a daughter of Duke William "the younger" of Brunswick-Lüneburg and his wife, Dorothea of Denmark. She married Count Palatine Charles I of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld. T ...

(1 January 1570 – 15 August 1649); married Charles I, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld. * Clara of Brunswick-Lüneburg (16 January 1571 – 18 July 1658); married William, Count of Schwarzburg-Blankenburg. * Anne Ursula of Brunswick-Lüneburg (22 March 1572 – 5 February 1601) * Margaret of Brunswick-Lüneburg (6 April 1573 – 7 August 1643); married John Casimir, Duke of Saxe-Coburg. * Frederick IV, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (28 August 1574 – 10 December 1648) Prince of Lüneburg from 1636 to 1648. * Marie of Brunswick-Lüneburg (21 October 1575 – 8 August 1610) * Magnus of Brunswick-Lüneburg (30 August 1577 – 10 February 1632) *

George, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg George, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (17 February 1582, in Celle (German Georg)– 12 April 1641, in Hildesheim), ruled as Prince of Calenberg from 1635. He was a member of the House of Welf, a prominent German noble family. George was part of a ...

(17 February 1582 – 12 April 1641) Prince of Calenberg 1635–1641 * John of Brunswick-Lüneburg (23 June 1583 – 27 November 1628) * Sybille of Brunswick-Lüneburg (3 June 1584 – 5 August 1652); married Julius Ernest, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg.

Ancestors

References

Sources

* * Dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg 1535 births 1592 deaths Middle House of Lüneburg New House of Lüneburg {{Germany-noble-stub