Henry I, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen

For other people of the same name, see Henry of Brunswick-Lüneburg.

Henry I the Admirable
Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Prince of Grubenhagen
Reign	1291–1322
Predecessor	none
Successor	Henry II
Spouse(s)	Agnes of Meissen
Noble family	Welf
Father	Albert I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Mother	Adelheid of Montferrat
Born	August 1267
Died	7 September 1322(1322-09-07) Salzderhelden (today part of Einbeck)

Henry I (August 1267 – 7 September 1322), Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, called the Admirable (German: Heinrich der Wunderliche, Latin: Henricus Mirabilis), a member of the House of Welf, was the first ruler of the Principality of Grubenhagen from 1291 until his death.

Life

He was the eldest son of the Brunswick duke Albert the Tall and his second wife Adelaide, daughter of Margrave Boniface II of Montferrat. His father had ruled the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg jointly with his brother John, until both divided their territory in 1269. Albert went on to rule the Principality of Wolfenbüttel until his death in 1279.

Henry first ruled the Brunswick principality of Wolfenbüttel jointly with his younger brothers Albert II the Fat and William. In 1291 they again divided the territory; Henry received the part that came to be known as Principality of Grubenhagen. It included the cities of Einbeck, half of Hamelin, Clausthal, Amelungsborn, Duderstadt, Herzberg, and Osterode. Henry quarreled with his brother Albert, who had received the Principality of Göttingen, over the remaining belittled areas around Brunswick and Wolfenbüttel, but Albert prevailed, and Henry retreated to Grubenhagen. He took Einbeck as his residence.

In 1320, Henry was appointed Count Palatine of Saxony by the emperor. He died in 1322, and his three surviving sons who had not joined the Church divided his territory among each other.

Family

Henry married Agnes, daughter of Albert the Degenerate, Margrave of Meissen, in 1282. They had 16 children:

• Elizabeth (born c. 1282), married Frederick, Count of Beichlingen
• Otto (born c. 1283, died in or before 1309)
• Albert (born c. 1284, died after 1341), joined the Teutonic Order
• Adelaide (1285–1320), married King Henry I of Bohemia
• Facie (daughter; born c. 1286, died before or in 1312)
• Agnes, Abbess of Osterode (born c. 1287, died between 1332 and 1336)
• Henry (born c. 1289, died before or in 1351)
• Frederick (c. 1291 – c. 1323)
• Adelheid of Brunswick (c. 1293 – 17 August 1324), married Andronikos III Palaiologos, Roman Emperor
• Conrad (c. 1294 – c. 1320)
• Mechtild (c. 1295 – between 24 October 1333 and 14 March 1344), married John II of Werle
• Ernest (c. 1297 – 11 March 1361)
• William (c. 1298–1360)
• Richardis, Abbess of Osterode (born c. 1300, died between 1332 and 1336)
• Margaret (born c. 1300, died in or after 1312)
• John, (born before 1322, died 23 May 1367), provost at Einbeck

Ancestry

Family of Henry I, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen

16. Henry the Lion               8. William of Winchester, Lord of Lüneburg                       17. Matilda of England               4. Otto I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg                             18. Valdemar I of Denmark               9. Helena of Denmark                       19. Sophia of Minsk               2. Albert I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg                                   20. Otto I, Margrave of Brandenburg               10. Albert II, Margrave of Brandenburg                       21. Ada of Holland               5. Matilda of Brandenburg                             22. Conrad II, Margrave of Lusatia               11. Matilda of Lusatia                       23. Elisabeth of Greater Poland               1. Henry I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg                                         24. Boniface I, Marquess of Montferrat               12. William VI, Marquess of Montferrat                       25. Helena del Bosco               6. Boniface II, Marquess of Montferrat                             26. Bonifacio di Clavesana, Count of Cortemiglia               13. Berta di Clavesana                       3. Adelheid of Montferrat                                   28. Thomas I, Count of Savoy               14. Amadeus IV, Count of Savoy                       29. Margaret of Geneva               7. Margaret of Savoy                             30. Hugh III, Duke of Burgundy               15. Marguerite of Burgundy                       31. Beatrice of Albon

References

• Braunschweigisches Biographisches Lexikon, Appelhans 2006, ISBN 3-937664-46-7
• At the House of Welf site

Henry I, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen House of Welf Cadet branch of the House of Este Born: August 1267 Died: 7 September 1322
German nobility
Preceded by Albert I	Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg Princes of Wolfenbüttel joint reign with Albert II and William I 1277–1291	Succeeded by William I
Principality of Grubenhagen disentangled from the Principality of Wolfenbüttel	Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg Prince of Grubenhagen 1291–1322	Succeeded by Ernest I and Henry II