View source for Principality of Grubenhagen

{{Infobox country
|native_name  = ''Fürstentum Grubenhagen''
|conventional_long_name = Principality of Grubenhagen
|common_name  = Grubenhagen
|era          = Middle Ages
|status       = Principality
|empire       = Holy Roman Empire
|year_start   = 1291
|year_end     = 1596
|event_pre    = 
|date_pre     = 
|event_start  = [[Henry I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg|Henry the Admirable]] Prince of Grubenhagen
|date_start   = 
|event1       = Joined [[Lower Saxon Circle]]
|date_event1  = 1500
|event_end    = Line extinct, annexed by [[Principality of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel|Wolfenbüttel]]
|date_end     = 
|event_post   = Ceded to [[Principality of Lüneburg|Lüneburg]]
|date_post    = 1617
|p1           = Principality of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
|image_p1     = [[File:Blason duché ni Brunswick.svg|20px]]
|s1           = Principality of Lüneburg
|image_s1     = [[File:DEU Fuerstentum Lueneburg COA.svg|20px]]
|image_flag   = 
|image_coat   = Blason duché ni Brunswick.svg
|image_map    = 
|image_map_caption = 
|capital      = [[Einbeck]],<br/>[[Herzberg am Harz|Herzberg]] from 1486
|common_languages  = [[Eastphalian dialect|Eastphalian]]
|footnotes    = 
}}
The '''Principality of Grubenhagen''' was a subdivision of the [[Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg]], ruled by the Grubenhagen line of the [[House of Welf]] from 1291. It is also known as '''Brunswick-Grubenhagen'''. The principality fell to the Brunswick [[Principality of Lüneburg]] in 1617; from 1665 the territory was ruled by the [[Principality of Calenberg|Calenberg]] branch of the Welf dynasty.

==Geography==
[[File:Schloss Herzberg, Herzberg am Harz von Osten 2009.jpg|thumb|left|Herzberg Castle]]
The principality was located on the southwestern edge of the [[Harz]] mountain range in present-day [[South Lower Saxony]]. It included two separate territories, one around the [[German town law|town]] of [[Einbeck]] with [[Grubenhagen Castle (Einbeck)|Grubenhagen Castle]], and another domain around the towns of [[Osterode am Harz|Osterode]] and [[Duderstadt]] (ceded to [[Electorate of Mainz|Mainz]] in 1366) with [[Clausthal-Zellerfeld|Clausthal]], [[Herzberg am Harz|Herzberg]], and [[Herzberg Castle]]. The dominion also comprised the eastern exclave of [[Elbingerode]], today part of [[Saxony-Anhalt]].

==History==
Grubenhagen was split off from the Brunswick [[Principality of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel|Principality of Wolfenbüttel]] in 1291, when the sons of late Duke [[Albert I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg|Albert the Tall]] (1236–1279) finally divided their heritage. Its first ruler was Duke [[Henry I, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen|Henry the Admirable]]. Henry's sons split the small principality further in 1322 as they themselves had numerous heirs; [[Otto, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen|Otto]], son of Duke [[Henry II, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen|Henry II]], in view of his small share left for [[March of Montferrat|Montferrat]], married Queen [[Joan I of Naples]] in 1376 and became [[Principality of Taranto|Prince of Taranto]] in 1383. The ongoing fragmentation weakened the position of the Grubenhagen branch regarding estate distributions involving their Wolfenbüttel, [[Principality of Lüneburg|Lüneburg]] and [[Principality of Calenberg|Calenberg]] cousins.

The  Principality of Grubenhagen was finally reunited in 1526 under the rule of the Brunswick duke [[Philip I, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen|Philip I]]. However, in 1596 the Grubenhagen branch became extinct upon the death of his son [[Philip II, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen|Philip II]]. The territory was disputed by the different lines of the Welf dynasty: Duke [[Henry Julius, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg|Henry Julius]], Prince of Wolfenbüttel, occupied Grubenhagen; his son [[Frederick Ulrich, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg|Frederick Ulrich]], however, had to cede it to Duke [[Christian, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg|Christian]], Prince of Lüneburg according to a 1617 ruling of the [[Imperial Chamber Court]] ''(Reichskammergericht)'' at [[Speyer]].

With the Principality of Lüneburg, the Grubenhagen territory was finally inherited by Duke [[Christian Louis, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg|Christian Louis]], Prince of Calenberg, in 1648. After his death in 1665 Grubenhagen ceased to exist as an independent principality. Formally, it remained a state of the Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution in 1806. 
[[File:Wappen der Calenberg-Grubenhagenschen Landschaft.jpg|thumb|Coat of arms of the Calenberg-Grubenhagen ''Landschaft'', photographed on a house in [[Göttingen]]]]
A Calenberg-Grubenhagen ''Landschaft'' (administrative division) still exists today.

==Princes of Brunswick-Grubenhagen==
{{For|a more complete table|House of Welf #Rulers}} 
* [[Henry I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg|Henry I the Admirable]] (1267–1322) ruled 1291-1322
* [[Henry II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg|Henry II]] (Henry of Greece) (c. 1289–1351), son, ruled 1322-1351 jointly with his brothers
** [[Ernest I, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen|Ernest I]] (c. 1297–1361), co-ruler 1322-1361
** [[William, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen|William I]] (c. 1298–1360), co-ruler 1322-1360
** [[John I, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen|John]] (cleric) (c. 1300–1367), co-ruler 1322-1325
* [[Albert I, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen|Albert I]] (c. 1339–1383), son of Ernest I, ruled 1361-1383, jointly with his brother John II
**John II (c. 1340–1401), cleric, co-ruled 1361-1364<ref>{{NDB|10|478||Johannes|[[Heinrich Rüthing]]|102520992}}</ref>
*Abbot Ernest (c. 1346–c. 1401), claimed co-regency 1383, alimony 1384  
*Frederick (c. 1350–1421), guardian 1383–1398, senior 1402–1421
* [[Eric I, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen|Eric]] (c. 1383–1427), son of Albert I, ruled 1398-1427
* [[Henry III of Brunswick-Grubenhagen|Henry III]], son of Eric 1427-1464, jointly with his brothers [[Albert II, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen|Albert II]] and Ernest II
** [[Albert II, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen|Albert II]] 1427-1485
Principality divided in 1479.
* [[Henry IV, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen|Henry IV]], son of Henry III 1479-1526
** [[Philip I, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen|Philip I]], son of Albert II 1486-1551
Grubenhagen re-united in 1526.
* [[Ernest III, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen|Ernest III]], son of Philip I 1551-1567
* [[Wolfgang, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen|Wolfgang]], brother 1567-1595
* [[Philip II, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen|Philip II]], brother 1595-1596

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.hoeckmann.de/germany/lowersaxony.htm Map of Lower Saxony 1789]

{{Lower Saxon Circle}}

{{coord missing|Lower Saxony}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Grubenhagen, Principality of}}
[[Category:1290s establishments in the Holy Roman Empire]]
[[Category:1291 establishments in Europe]]
[[Category:Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg]]
[[Category:Principalities of the Holy Roman Empire]]
[[Category:Harz]]
[[Category:1596 disestablishments in the Holy Roman Empire]]
[[Category:Former principalities]]