Eric IV, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg
Erich IV of Saxe- Lauenburg (* 1354, † 1411 ) was from 1368 to 1411 Duke of Saxe- Lauenburg. He was the son of Duke Eric II of Saxe -Lauenburg and Agnes of Holstein.
Life and work
By his marriage with Sophia of Brunswick- Lüneburg in 1373, he renewed relations with this house, which were heavily impacted by the unsuccessful campaign of his brother Wilhelm of Brunswick- Lüneburg against Eric's father in 1362 to William's death in 1369.
A contract with Lübeck on June 14, 1390 allowed the construction of Stecknitzkanals from 1392, the same association in Lauenburg with Mölln and Lübeck and so provided a continuous service between the Hanseatic cities of Lüneburg, Hamburg and Lübeck. In its opening on July 22, 1398 the Stecknitz asked the first man-made waterway in Northern Europe dar.
The relations Erich to the Hanseatic cities, particularly of Lübeck, but was greatly marred by the death of his cousin Erich III on 25 May 1401. Erich saw himself as the heir to the estates of his cousin, who died without issue. Erich III. but the castle and town of Bergedorf, the Vierlande and had the customs station on Eyslinger Elbfähre for 16,262 ½ Mark at Lübeck pledged so Lübeck claimed the inheritance for themselves. Erich took the Bergedorf Castle by surprise and put the Lübeck governor before the door. As the city stood without financial reserves through the construction of Stecknitzkanals and thus was able to recruit a sufficient number of mercenaries to Lübeck resulted in the situation. On July 13, 1401 Erich IV and Lübeck's delegates signed a contract, in the mountain village and the lands were awarded to north of the Elbe Erich, which is also claimed by Erich, was delivered by Albrecht V pledged Mölln but finally at Lübeck.
But Erich did not want to completely give up the rights to Mölln. When he thought 1409 Lübeck weakened by civil strife, he marched at the head of an army in Mölln and occupied it. But he had misjudged the situation. Lübeck was the city though spare, but not give up. So it was with an army of 10,000 men in the duchy of Lauenburg, Eric's master possession, and ravaged it, thereby moving Erich to withdraw from Mölln. But when this was unsuccessful, the superior Lübeck army but turned against Mölln. Erich then burned down the town and fled. On January 14, 1410 when he secured Lübeck again contracted the possession Mölln to.
A year later, in 1411, Erich IV died and was succeeded by his son Erich V.
Marriages and descendants
Erich married on April 8, 1373 Sophia of Brunswick- Lüneburg ( 1358-1416 ), a daughter of Magnus II from the connection emerged. :
- Erich V. († 1436 ), Duke of Saxe- Lauenburg
- John IV († 1414), Duke of Saxe- Lauenburg, co-regent with Erich V.
- Albrecht ( † 1421 ), canon of Hildesheim
- Magnus († 1452 ), Bishop of Hildesheim and Kammin
- Bernhard II († 1463 ), Duke of Saxe- Lauenburg
- Otto ( † before 1431)
- Agnes ( † before 1415), married to Count Albrecht II von Holstein ( † 1403 )
- Agnes († 1435 ), married to Duke Wartislaw VIII of Pomerania ( 1373-1415 )
- Catherine of Saxe-Lauenburg ( † about 1448 ), married first with Prince Johann VII of Werle († 1414), married with 2 Duke John IV of Mecklenburg († 1422 )
- Sophie ( † 1462 ), married to Duke Wartislaw IX. of Pomerania ( † 1457 )