Principality of Grubenhagen

Principality of Grubenhagen Fürstentum Grubenhagen
State of the Holy Roman Empire
← 1291–1596 →
Coat of arms
Capital	Einbeck, Herzberg from 1486
Government	Principality
Historical era	Middle Ages
- Henry I the Admirable     Duke of Brunswick     Prince of Grubenhagen	1291
- Joined     Lower Saxon Circle	1500
- Line extinct, annexed     by Wolfenbüttel	1596
- Ceded to Principality of Lüneburg	1617

The Principality of Grubenhagen was a subdivision of the Welf Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg in the Holy Roman Empire. It is also known as Brunswick-Grubenhagen. Grubenhagen was located around the southwestern edge of the Harz, and included the towns of Osterode am Harz, Herzberg am Harz, Duderstadt, Einbeck and the eastern exclave of Elbingerode.

Herzberg Castle

Grubenhagen was split off from the Brunswick subdivision of the duchy in 1291; its first ruler was Henry I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. Henry's sons split the small principality further in 1322 as they themselves had numerous heirs; Prince Otto of Grubenhagen, son of Duke Henry II, in view of his small share left for Montferrat, married Queen Joan I of Naples in 1376 and became Prince of Taranto in 1383. The Principality of Grubenhagen was finally reunited in 1526 under the rule of Duke Philip I of Brunswick-Lüneburg.

When in 1596 the Grubenhagen branch became extinct, the territory was disputed by the different lines of the Brunswick-Lüneburg dynasty. Duke Henry Julius of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel occupied Grubenhagen, his son Frederick Ulrich however had to cede it to Prince Christian of Lüneburg by a 1617 ruling of the Imperial Chamber Court (Reichskammergericht) at Speyer. With the Principality of Lüneburg, Grubenhagen was finally inherited by Prince Christian Louis 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.

Coat of Arms of the Calenberg-Grubenhagen Landschaft, photographed on a house in Göttingen

A Calenberg-Grubenhagen Landschaft (administrative division) is still existing today.

Dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg, Princes of Grubenhagen

• Henry I the Admirable 1291-1322
• Henry II, son 1322-1351, jointly with his brothers
  • Ernest I 1322-1361
  • William 1322-1360
  • John I 1322-1325
• Albert I, son of Ernest I 1361-1383, jointly with his brother John II
  • John II 1361-1364
• Eric, son of Albert I 1383-1427
• Henry III, son of Eric 1427-1464, jointly with his brothers Albert II and Ernest II
  • Albert II 1427-1485

Principality divided in 1479.

• Henry IV, son of Henry III 1479-1526
  • Philip I, son of Albert II 1486-1551

Grubenhagen re-united in 1526.

• Ernest III, son of Philip I 1551-1567
• Wolfgang, brother 1567-1595
• Philip II, brother 1595-1596

External links

• Map of Lower Saxony 1789