William the Younger, Duke of Brunswick
William, called William the Younger, was Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Prince of Lüneburg from 1559 until his death. Until 1569, he ruled together with his brother, Henry of Dannenberg.
Biography
Born into the House of Welf, ruling family of the Principality of Brunswick-Lüneburg, William was the third son of Ernest I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and his wife, Duchess Sophia of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.In 1582, William began suffering from fits of insanity. These fits caused his wife Dorothea to flee him in 1584 for her own safety.
Marriage and issue
On 12 October 1561 he married Princess Dorothea of Denmark, the youngest daughter of Christian III of Denmark and his wife, Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg.William and Dorothea had:
- Sophie of Brunswick-Lüneburg ; married George Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach.
- Ernest II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg Prince of Lüneburg from 1592 to 1611.
- Elisabeth of Brunswick-Lüneburg ; married Frederick, Count of Hohenlohe-Langenburg.
- Christian, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg Prince of Lüneburg from 1611 to 1633.
- Augustus the Elder, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg Prince of Lüneburg from 1633 to 1636.
- Dorothea of Brunswick-Lüneburg ; married Charles I, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld.
- Clara of Brunswick-Lüneburg ; married William, Count of Schwarzburg-Blankenburg.
- Anne Ursula of Brunswick-Lüneburg
- Margaret of Brunswick-Lüneburg ; married John Casimir, Duke of Saxe-Coburg.
- Frederick IV, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg Prince of Lüneburg from 1636 to 1648.
- Marie of Brunswick-Lüneburg
- Magnus of Brunswick-Lüneburg
- George, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg Prince of Calenberg 1635–1641
- John of Brunswick-Lüneburg
- Sybille of Brunswick-Lüneburg ; married Julius Ernest, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg.
Death
William died on 20 August 1592, aged 57. He is interred, along with his wife, in the St. Marien Church in Celle, Lower Saxony, Germany.After his death, his wife, Duchess Dorothea became regent for their underaged son, George, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg.