William the Victorious, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg

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William (German Wilhelm; c. 1392 – 1482), called the Victorious, was duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. He is counted either as William III or William IV.

William was the eldest son of Henry the Mild, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. He inherited Lüneburg-Celle in 1416 and swapped it with his uncle Bernard I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, for Wolfenbüttel in 1428. In 1432, while on a campaign, William was deposed by his brother Henry. He retained only the western part of Wolfenbüttel (to the west of the River Leine and separated from the rest by the Bishopric of Hildesheim), which was to become known as Calenberg. After Henry died without son in 1473, William had control of both parts of Wolfenbüttel again.

[edit] Family

William married Cecilia (died 1449), daughter of Frederick I, Elector of Brandenburg, in 1423. They had the following children:

• Frederick (ca. 1424–1495)
• William (ca. 1425–1503)

He married Matilda, daughter of Otto II, Count of Holstein-Schauenburg-Pinneburg, in 1466. They had no children that reached adulthood.

[edit] References

• Zedlers Universal-Lexicon, vol. 56, p. 581-584

Preceded by Henry III	Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg, Prince of Lüneburg 1416–1428	Succeeded by Bernard I
Preceded by Bernard I	Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg, Prince of Wolfenbüttel 1428–1432	Succeeded by Henry the Peaceful
Preceded by to Wolfenbüttel	Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg, Prince of Calenberg 1432–1473	Succeeded by to Wolfenbüttel
Preceded by Otto the One-Eyed	Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg, Prince of Göttingen 1450–1473	Succeeded by William IV
Preceded by Henry the Peaceful	Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg, Prince of Wolfenbüttel 1473–1482	Succeeded by Frederick the Turbulent and William IV