View source for Magnus I, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name =Magnus I
| title = Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg 
| image =MagnusISaLauenb.JPG 
| image_size = 200px
| caption = Magnus I (ca. 1520)
| succession = [[Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg]]
| reign = 1507–1543
| predecessor =[[John V, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg]] 
| regent = 
| successor =[[Francis I, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg]] 
| spouse =[[Catherine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, Duchess of Saxe-Lauenburg|Catherine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel]]
| issue = [[Francis I, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg]]<br />[[Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg|Dorothea, Queen of Denmark]]<br />[[Catherine of Saxe-Lauenburg|Catherine, Queen of Sweden]]<br />[[Clara of Saxe-Lauenburg|Clara, Duchess of Brunswick-Giffhorn]]<br />Sophia, Countess of [[Duchy of Oldenburg|Oldenburg-Delmenhorst]]<br />Ursula, Duchess of [[Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin|Mecklenburg-Schwerin]] 
| issue-link =Magnus I, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg#Family and children
| issue-pipe = 
| full name = 
| house = [[House of Ascania|Ascania]]
| father =[[John V, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg]]
| mother =[[Dorothea of Brandenburg, Duchess of Saxe-Lauenburg|Dorothea of Brandenburg]]  
| birth_date = 1 January 1470
| birth_place =[[Ratzeburg]] 
| death_date = {{death date and age|1543|8|1|1470|1|1|df=y}}
| death_place =Ratzeburg 
| burial_date =
| burial_place =Ratzeburg 
| religion = [[Roman Catholic]] until 1531, thereafter [[Lutheran]]
}}

'''Magnus I of Saxe-Lauenburg''' (1 January 1470 – 1 August 1543) was a Duke of [[Saxe-Lauenburg]] from the [[House of Ascania]].

==Life==
Magnus was born in [[Ratzeburg]], the second son of [[John V, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg]] and [[Dorothea of Brandenburg, Duchess of Saxe-Lauenburg|Dorothea of Brandenburg]], daughter of [[Frederick II, Elector of Brandenburg]].

In 1481 John V redeemed Saxe-Lauenburg's [[exclave]] [[Land of Hadeln]], which had been pawned to [[Hamburg]] as security for a credit of 3,000 [[Rhenish guilder]]s since 1407.<ref name="Boeselager 1995 331">Elke Freifrau von Boeselager, "Das Land Hadeln bis zum Beginn der frühen Neuzeit", in: [[#References and external links|see references]] for bibliographical details, vol. II 'Mittelalter (einschl. Kunstgeschichte)' (1995): pp. 321–388, here p. 331. {{ISBN|978-3-9801919-8-2}}.</ref> John V then made his son and heir apparent, Magnus, vicegerent of Hadeln, and finally regent as of 1498.<ref name="Boeselager 1995 332">Elke Freifrau von Boeselager, "Das Land Hadeln bis zum Beginn der frühen Neuzeit", in: [[#References and external links|see references]] for bibliographical details, vol. II 'Mittelalter (einschl. Kunstgeschichte)' (1995): pp. 321–388, here p. 332. {{ISBN|978-3-9801919-8-2}}.</ref>

==Vicegerent and regent of the Land of Hadeln==
In 1484 Magnus, who aimed at increasing his local revenues, had reached out to conquer the rich neighbouring [[Land Wursten|Land of Wursten]], a de facto autonomous region of free [[Frisians|Frisian]] peasants in a [[North Sea]] marsh at the [[Weser]] estuary, but he failed<ref name="Krause 1881 184">Karl Ernst Hermann Krause, "Johann III., Erzbischof von Bremen", in: [[#References and external links|see references]] for bibliographical details, vol. 14, pp. 183–185, here p. 184.</ref><ref name="Schütz 1995 266">Michael Schütz, "Die Konsolidierung des Erzstiftes unter Johann Rode", in: [[#References and external links|see references]] for bibliographical details, vol. II: pp. 263–278, here p. 266. {{ISBN|978-3-9801919-8-2}}.</ref> Magnus tried to justify his violent act with the pretence that Wursten used to be Saxon before the imperial deposition of Duke [[Henry the Lion]] and the carve-up of his [[Duchy of Saxony]] in 1180, which only brought Magnus' [[House of Ascania|Ascanian]] dynasty to take the belittled dukedom.<ref name="Schulze 1974 480">Heinz-Joachim Schulze, "Johann III. Rode", in: [[#References and external links|see references]] for bibliographical details, vol. 10, pp. 480seq., here p. 480.</ref> The [[archbishopric of Bremen|Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen]], claiming Wursten for itself, was alarmed.

After becoming Regent Magnus planned a new conquest of Wursten.<ref name="Krause 1881 184"/> On 24 November 1498 Magnus allied with his father and [[Henry IV, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg]] to conquer Wursten.<ref name="Schütz 1995 266"/> Henry IV obliged to send 3,000 [[lansquenet]]s, who should gain their payment by ravaging and plundering the free peasants of Wursten, once successfully subjected.<ref name="Boeselager 1995 332"/> Bremen's Prince-Archbishop [[Johann Rode von Wale|Johann Rode]] had prepared for this, he and Hamburg's three burgomasters (upcoming, presiding, and outgoing), Johannes Huge, Hermen Langenbeck and Henning Buring had concluded a defensive alliance on 16 November.<ref name="Schütz 1995 266"/> Hamburg feared for its exclave [[Cuxhaven|Ritzebüttel]], its military outpost at the Outer Elbe to defend the free access to Hamburg via Elbe, thus the city became the driving force in preparing everything for Magnus' eventual attack.<ref name="Schütz 1995 266"/>

Rode appealed at the [[Citizen|burghers]] of Bremen, Hamburg and [[Stade]], which considered the areas downstream the rivers [[Elbe]] and Weser their own front yard existential for their free maritime trade connections, so the three cities supported Rode, who further won the [[Ditmarsh|Ditmarsians]], free peasants under Bremen's loose overlordship.<ref name="Boeselager 1995 332"/> On 1 May Rode gathered representatives of the Land of Wursten, of the cities of Hamburg and Bremen and they concluded a defensive alliance in favour of Wursten in case of another invasion by [[John V, Count of Oldenburg|John XIV]] of [[County of Oldenburg|Oldenburg]], who had conquered westerly neighbouring [[Butjadingen]] in April with the help of the [[Black Guard (1488–1500)|Black Guard]].<ref name="Schütz 1995 266"/>

Wursten was thus threatened by Oldenburg from the west and by Magnus from the east. In order to avoid war on two fronts Rode tried to ease the relation with Magnus, but in vain.<ref name="Schütz 1995 266"/> On 1 August Rode, Bremen's cathedral chapter, more prelates from the prince-archbishopric, as well as the cities of Bremen, [[Buxtehude]], Hamburg, and Stade concluded a war alliance to supply 1,300 warriors and equipment to defend Wursten and / or invade Hadeln, while all members of Bremian ministerialis and nobility abstained.<ref name="Schütz 1995 266"/> Many a member of ministerialis and nobility rather sided with Magnus.<ref name="Schütz 1995 267">Michael Schütz, "Die Konsolidierung des Erzstiftes unter Johann Rode", in: [[#References and external links|see references]] for bibliographical details, vol. II: pp. 263–278, here p. 267. {{ISBN|978-3-9801919-8-2}}.</ref> Finally on 9 September 1499 Rode waged [[feud]] against John V and Magnus.<ref name="Schütz 1995 267"/> The allied forces easily conquered the Land of Hadeln, defeating Magnus and even driving him out of Hadeln.<ref name="Krause 1881 184"/><ref name="Schulze 1974 480"/>

By 20 November 1499 Magnus hired the so-called ''Great'' or ''[[Black Guard (1488–1500)|Black Guard]]'' of ruthless and violent Dutch and East Frisian mercenaries, commanded by [[Thomas Slentz]], prior operating in Oldenburg.<ref name="Krause 1881 184"/><ref name="Schütz 1995 267"/> Their invasion into the prince-archbishopric was repelled at Bremen, however, upstream they succeeded to cross the Weser in the neighbouring [[Prince-Bishopric of Verden]] near [[Verden/Aller|Verden city]] by the end of November, ravaging the prince-bishopric, especially looting and robbing the monasteries, heading northeastwards towards [[Principality of Lüneburg|Lüneburg-Celle]].<ref>Karl Ernst Hermann Krause, "Johann III., Erzbischof von Bremen", in: [[#References and external links|see references]] for bibliographical details, vol. 14, pp. 183–185, here p. 185seq.</ref><ref>Michael Schütz, "Die Konsolidierung des Erzstiftes unter Johann Rode", in: [[#References and external links|see references]] for bibliographical details, vol. II: pp. 263–278, here pp. 267seq.</ref> Having crossed the latter's border the Guard turned westwards into the Bremian prince-archbishopric, by-passing the fortified Buxtehude and Stade, leaving behind a wake of devastation on the countryside and in the monasteries ({{Interlanguage link multi|Altkloster|nds|3=Ooldklooster}}, Neukloster, both localities of today's Buxtehude, [[Himmelpforten Convent]]).<ref name="Schütz 1995 268">Michael Schütz, "Die Konsolidierung des Erzstiftes unter Johann Rode", in: [[#References and external links|see references]] for bibliographical details, vol. II: pp. 263–278, here p. 268. {{ISBN|978-3-9801919-8-2}}.</ref>

Since prince-archiepiscopal forces secured [[Bremervörde|Vörde]] the Guard circumvented them southerly, not sparing ''[[Zeven]]'' {{Interlanguage link multi|Zeven Convent|de|3=Kloster Zeven|lt=''Nunnery''}}.<ref name="Schütz 1995 268"/> Finally on Christmas Eve arriving downstream the Weser in [[Bremerhaven|Lehe]] the ''Black Guard'' tried to invade Wursten, however, the free peasants there repelled their attack near [[Bremerhaven|Weddewarden]] on 26 December.<ref name="Schütz 1995 268"/><ref name="Krause 1881 185">Karl Ernst Hermann Krause, "Johann III., Erzbischof von Bremen", in: [[#References and external links|see references]] for bibliographical details, vol. 14, pp. 183–185, here p. 185.</ref> So the Guard turned northeastwards, looting [[Neuenwalde Nunnery]] underways, into Hadeln, recapturing it for Magnus in early 1500. For the Hadelers, however, this invasion meant no less man slaughter, looting and incendiary than for the rural population in the prince-archbishopric.<ref name="Boeselager 1995 334seq">Elke Freifrau von Boeselager, "Das Land Hadeln bis zum Beginn der frühen Neuzeit", in: [[#References and external links|see references]] for bibliographical details, vol. II: pp. 321–388, here pp. 334seq. {{ISBN|978-3-9801919-8-2}}.</ref>

By early December Rode turned for help to Duke Henry IV ''the Elder'', who was actually allied with Magnus.<ref name="Schleif 1972 20">Karl Schleif, ''Regierung und Verwaltung des Erzstifts Bremen'', Hamburg: no publ., 1972, (=Schriftenreihe des Landschaftsverbandes der ehemaligen Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden; vol. 1), p. 20, also Hamburg, Univ., Diss., 1968.</ref> In return Rode had to offer appointing Henry's 12-year-old son [[Christopher of Brunswick-Lüneburg|Christopher]] as his [[coadjutor]], a position usually (as ''coadiutor cum iure succedendi''), and in this case indeed, entailing the succession to the respective see.<ref name="Schleif 1972 20"/> This exactly accomplished Henry's own expansionist ambitions, so he changed sides, dropped the alliance with Magnus and John V in order to militarily support the prince-archbishopric.<ref name="Schütz 1995 268"/>

Henry IV ''the Elder'' and his troops were now hunting the ''Black Guard''. Magnus, unable to pay the mercenaries so that they turned even the more oppressive for Hadeln's population, was like [[the Sorcerer's Apprentice]], who could not get rid of "the spirits that he called". By mid-January 1500 King [[John, King of Denmark|John of Denmark]] finally hired the Guard and guaranteed for its safe conduct to his [[Holstein]].<ref name="Krause 1881 185"/> King John employed the ''Black Guard'' in order to subject Ditmarsh. It were the Ditmarsians then, who destroyed the ''Black Guard'' utterly in the [[Battle of Hemmingstedt]] on 17 February 1500 and thus King John's dream of subjecting them.

Magnus conflict with Bremen was solved through the mediation of [[Eric I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg|Eric I, Duke of Brunswick-Calenberg]] and Henry IV with the latter's son Coadjutor Christopher ([[Prince-bishop|Prince-Archbishop]] of Bremen as of 1511). So Rode and Magnus had concluded peace on 20 January 1500.<ref name="Schütz 1995 268"/> Hadeln was restored to Magnus, while the Wursteners rendered homage to Rode on 18 August, who in return had confirmed their autonomy, thus in fact little had changed as compared with the [[status quo ante bellum|status quo ante]].<ref name="Schütz 1995 269">Michael Schütz, "Die Konsolidierung des Erzstiftes unter Johann Rode", in: [[#References and external links|see references]] for bibliographical details, vol. II: pp. 263–278, here p. 269. {{ISBN|978-3-9801919-8-2}}.</ref>

==Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg proper==
During the declining years of his father he governed the country and succeeded his father as the regnant Duke in 1507. The first years of his governing has been filled by various conflicts with the Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen and its [[suffragan]] [[Prince-Bishopric of Ratzeburg]]. Through his marriage with [[Catherine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, Duchess of Saxe-Lauenburg|Catherine]] in 1509 Magnus further intensified his ties with her father Henry IV, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, his deserted former war ally.

Magnus was the first Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg, who adopted a compliant position as to the dispute on the electoral privilege between Saxe-Lauenburg and [[Electorate of Saxony|Saxe-Wittenberg]]. He refrained from showing on his coat-of-arms on a [[Sable (heraldry)|sable]] and [[Argent (heraldry)|argent]] background the electoral swords ({{langx|de|link=no|Kurschwerter}}) in [[Gules (heraldry)|gules]]. The electoral swords indicated the office as Imperial Arch-Marshal (Erzmarschall, Archimarescallus), pertaining to the privilege as [[prince-elector]], besides the much more important right to elect the new emperor after the decease of the former.

[[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor]], enfeoffed Magnus with the ''Duchy of Saxony, [[Angria]] and Westphalia'' (so its official name, but colloquially Saxe-Lauenburg) and the pertaining [[regalia]] at the [[Reichstag (Holy Roman Empire)|imperial diet]] in [[Augsburg]] on 12 November 1530. The imperial writ of feoffment emphasises, that Magnus had requested to be also enfeoffed with the Saxon electoral privilege, however, further explaining that this could not happen at that time "due to moving reasons". For [[Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor]], had already enfeoffed the [[House of Wettin]] with the [[Electorate of Saxony]] on 1 August 1425.

In 1531 Magnus introduced the [[Protestant Reformation|Reformation]] in his duchy and became [[Lutheran]], as did most of his subjects. Magnus died and was buried in [[Ratzeburg]].

==Family and children==
He was married on 17–20 November 1509 with [[Catherine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, Duchess of Saxe-Lauenburg|Catherine]] (1488 – 29 July 1563) in [[Wolfenbüttel]], daughter of Duke [[Henry IV, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg]], and they had six children:
* [[Francis I, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg]] (1510 – 19 March 1581)
* [[Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg|Dorothea]] (9 July 1511 – 7 October 1571), married on 29 October 1525 to King [[Christian III of Denmark]]
* [[Catherine of Saxe-Lauenburg|Catherine]] (24 September 1513 – 23 September 1535), married on 24 September 1531 to King [[Gustav I of Sweden]]
* [[Clara of Saxe-Lauenburg|Clara]] (13 December 1518 – 27 March 1576), married on 29 September 1547 to [[Francis, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg]], Prince of Gifhorn
* Sophia (1521 – 13 May 1571), married on 1 January 1537 to [[Anthony I, Count of Oldenburg]]-Delmenhorst
* Ursula (ca. 1523 – 31 December 1577, [[Minden]]), married on 14 May 1551 to [[Henry V, Duke of Mecklenburg|Henry V, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin]]

==Ancestry==
{{ahnentafel
|collapsed=yes |align=center
|boxstyle_1=background-color: #fcc;
|boxstyle_2=background-color: #fb9;
|boxstyle_3=background-color: #ffc;
|boxstyle_4=background-color: #bfc;
|1= 1. '''Magnus I, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg'''
|2= 2. [[John V, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg]]
|3= 3. [[Dorothea of Brandenburg (1446-1519)|Dorothea of Brandenburg]]
|4= 4. [[Bernard II, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg]]
|5= 5. [[Adelheid of Pomerania-Stolp]]
|6= 6. [[Frederick II, Elector of Brandenburg]] 
|7= 7. [[Catherine of Saxony, Electress of Brandenburg|Catherine of Saxony]] 
|8= 8. [[Eric IV, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg]]
|9= 9. [[Sophia of Brunswick-Lüneburg]]
|10= 10. [[Bogislaw VIII, Duke of Pomerania-Stolp]] 
|11= 11. [[Sophia of Holstein-Rendsburg]]
|12= 12. [[Frederick I, Elector of Brandenburg]]
|13= 13. [[Elisabeth of Bavaria, Electress of Brandenburg|Elisabeth of Bavaria]] 
|14= 14. [[Frederick I, Elector of Saxony]]
|15= 15. [[Catherine of Brunswick-Lüneburg]]
}}

==External links==
{{Commonscat-inline|Magnus I, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg}}

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References and external links==
* Elke Freifrau von Boeselager, "Das Land Hadeln bis zum Beginn der frühen Neuzeit", in: ''Geschichte des Landes zwischen Elbe und Weser'': 3 vols., Hans-Eckhard Dannenberg und Heinz-Joachim Schulze (eds.), Stade: Landschaftsverband der ehem. Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden, 1995 and 2008, vol. I 'Vor- und Frühgeschichte' (1995), vol. II 'Mittelalter (einschl. Kunstgeschichte)' (1995), vol. III 'Neuzeit (2008)', (=Schriftenreihe des Landschaftsverbandes der ehem. Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden; vols. 7–9), ISBN (vol. I) {{ISBN|978-3-9801919-7-5}}, (vol. II) {{ISBN|978-3-9801919-8-2}}, (vol. III) {{ISBN|978-3-9801919-9-9}}, vol. II: pp.&nbsp;321–388. 
* {{De-ADB|20|72||Magnus I. Herzog von Sachsen-Lauenburg|Otto von Heinemann|ADB:Magnus I. (Herzog von Sachsen-Lauenburg)}}
* {{de-ADB|14|183|185|Johann III. (Erzbischof von Bremen)|Karl Ernst Hermann Krause|ADB:Johann III. (Erzbischof von Bremen)}}
* Karl Schleif, ''Regierung und Verwaltung des Erzstifts Bremen'', Hamburg: no publ., 1972, (=Schriftenreihe des Landschaftsverbandes der ehemaligen Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden; vol. 1), zugl.: Hamburg, Univ., Diss., 1968. 
* Michael Schütz, "Die Konsolidierung des Erzstiftes unter Johann Rode", in: ''Geschichte des Landes zwischen Elbe und Weser'': 3 vols., Hans-Eckhard Dannenberg and Heinz-Joachim Schulze (eds.), Stade: Landschaftsverband der ehem. Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden, 1995 and 2008, vol. I 'Vor- und Frühgeschichte' (1995), vol. II 'Mittelalter (einschl. Kunstgeschichte)' (1995), vol. III 'Neuzeit (2008)', (=Schriftenreihe des Landschaftsverbandes der ehem. Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden; vols. 7–9), ISBN (vol. I) {{ISBN|978-3-9801919-7-5}}, (vol. II) {{ISBN|978-3-9801919-8-2}}, (vol. III) {{ISBN|978-3-9801919-9-9}}, vol. II: pp.&nbsp;263–278.

{{s-start}}
{{s-hou|[[House of Ascania]]|1 January|1470|1 August|1543| }}
{{s-reg}}
{{s-bef|rows=1|before=[[John V, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg|John V]]}}
{{s-ttl|rows=1|title=[[List of rulers of Saxony#Dukes of Saxe-Lauenburg (1401–1876)|Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg]]|years=1507–1543}}
{{s-aft|rows=1|after=[[Francis I, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg|Francis I]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Magnus I, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg}}
[[Category:1470 births|Saxe-Lauenburg, Magnus 01 of]]
[[Category:People from Ratzeburg]]
[[Category:1543 deaths|Saxe-Lauenburg, Magnus 01 of]]
[[Category:House of Ascania|Magnus 01]]
[[Category:Dukes of Saxe-Lauenburg|Magnus 01]]
[[Category:Converts to Lutheranism from Roman Catholicism|Magnus 01]]