Christian, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg

Christian the Elder, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Noble family House of Welf
Father William of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Mother Dorothea of Denmark
Born 9 November 1566
Died 8 November 1633 (aged 66)

Christian the Elder, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, (1566–1633) was Prince of Lüneburg and Administrator of the Prince-Bishopric of Minden.

Life

Christian was born on 9 November 1566, the second son of Duke William of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Dorothea of Denmark, was elected in 1597 as Coadjutor of the Prince-Bishopric of Minden and took office as the bishop himself in 1599. After the death of his elder brother, Ernest II (1611), he took over the rule of the Principality of Lüneburg and acquired the Principality of Grubenhagen in 1617, which was merged.

Christian was born on 9 November 1566, the second son of Duke William of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Dorothea of Denmark, was elected in 1597 as Coadjutor of the Prince-Bishopric of Minden and took office as the bishop himself in 1599. After the death of his elder brother, Ernest II (1611), he took over the rule of the Principality of Lüneburg and acquired the Principality of Grubenhagen in 1617, which was merged. When the Thirty Years' War broke out he joined, with Duke Frederick of Holstein, the side of the Emperor, became colonel of the Lower Saxon Circle troops (Kreistruppen) and sought with great skill to keep the scene of the war as far from the bishopric territory as possible; despite that in 1623 the imperial forces under Tilly occupied the land. When Lower Saxon noblemen then prepared to defend themselves, Christian resigned his post of circle colonel. Not until 1629, when the Edict of Restitution was passed, did he join the Protestant faith.

He died on 8 November 1633.

Ancestors

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Christian, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Cadet branch of the House of Este
Born: 9 November 1566 Died: 8 November 1633
German nobility
Religious titles
Preceded by
Anthony of Schauenburg
Administrator of the
Prince-Bishopric of Minden

1599–1625
Vacant
Title next held by
Francis of Wartenberg
German nobility
Preceded by
Ernest II
Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Prince of Lüneburg

1611–1633
Succeeded by
Augustus
Preceded by
Frederick Ulrich
Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Prince of Grubenhagen

1617
Grubenhagen merged into Lüneburg