Noble family House of Guelph Name Ernest Duke | Died March 9, 1361 | |
Spouse(s) Adelheid of Everstein-Polle Father Henry I, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen Mother Countess Agnes of Meissen Children Albert I, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen, Frederick I, Duke of Brunswick-Osterode Parents Henry I, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen, Agnes of Meissen Grandchildren Otto II, Duke of Brunswick-Osterode, Eric I, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen Grandparents Albert II, Margrave of Meissen, Margaret of Sicily, Albert I, Duke of Brunswick-Luneburg Great-grandparents Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor | ||
Ernest I of Brunswick-Grubenhagen (German: Ernst I., Fürst von Braunschweig-Grubenhagen ; c. 1297 – 9 March 1361) was Prince of Brunswick-Grubenhagen.
Contents
Life
He was the son of Henry I, the Admirable and his wife Agnes, née Countess of Meissen. Henry the Admirable founded the Principality of Grubenhagen in 1291, after the Guelph princes had divided their inheritance. Ernest originally intended to follow a spiritual career, but after his father's death, he and his brothers Henry II and William jointly ruled the principality.
Grubenhagen was rather smaller than the other Guelph principalities. Because Henry the Admirable had many children (eight sons and eight daughters), it was difficult to supply all the descendants in style. His eldest son Henry II could therefore not take the undivided sovereignty over the principality. In 1324, Henry concluded an extensive pact with his brothers Ernest and William under which the territory should be governed jointly, but shortly afterwards the principality was divided. Ernest received the area around Einbeck, Grubenhagen Castle and Osterode. The towns of Duderstadt, Osterode and Einbeck were ruled jointly. In 1359 he made his son Albert I co-regent. His older brother Henry died 1351 and his sons lingered broad and died without issue, so after the death of his childless younger brother William in 1360, Ernest ruled the entire principality of Grubenhagen. After his death, on 9 March 1361, he was succeeded by his son Albert I.
Marriage and issue
Ernst married in June 1335 Adelheid of Everstein-Polle (died after 29 September 1373), daughter of Count Henry II of Eberstein. The marriage produced nine children.