Frederick IV of Liegnitz
Frederick IV of Liegnitz ( Czech Fridrich IV Lehnický, Polish Fryderyk IV legnicki; * April 20, 1552, † March 27, 1596 ) was from 1571 until his death Duke of Liegnitz. In the period from 1571 to 1576 and from 1580 to 1581 he ruled jointly with his elder brother Heinrich XI.
Origin and family
Frederick IV was the third son of Duke Frederick III of Legnica. and his wife Catherine, a daughter of Duke Henry V of Mecklenburg -Schwerin. He was named after his brother Frederick, who died in 1551 in infancy.
On January 20, 1587 Frederick IV married Maria Sidonia (* May 10, 1572; † October 3, 1587 ), a daughter of the Duke Wenceslas III. Adam von Teschen. They had daughter Mary Catherine, who was born on September 17, 1587 and died three days later.
After Maria Sidonia's death in 1587 married Frederick IV on November 23, 1589 in second marriage Dorothea ( born October 16, 1569 Kolding, † July 5, 1593 in Legnica ), a daughter of Duke Johann of Schleswig -Holstein -Sonderburg. They had two sons, both of whom died on the day of birth (25 May 1592).
On October 24, 1594 Frederick IV married his third wife Anna of Württemberg ( 1561-1616 ), a daughter of the Duke Christoph of Württemberg and widow of Duke Johann Georg. The marriage remained childless.
Life
After his father's death in 1570 it came IV and his older brother Heinrich XI between Frederick. to a protracted dispute over the inherited possessions. 1571 they entered into a settlement under which their countries remain undivided and should be governed jointly by the brothers. Because of the costly court life of his brother and the associated debt, Frederick was forced to ask the High Chancellor of Bohemia Vratislav of Pernštejna for help in February 1576. It was then by Maximilien II a Royal Commission used the Heinrich XI. withdraw the Principality and his brother Friedrich was transferred IV. You have certain decree dated March 13, 1576 Frederick IV for the sole ruler of Legnica, and on 17 April of this year he stepped up to the government. At the same time he had to commit to supply his brother Henry, who was assigned as a residence Haynau. Maximilian II successor Rudolf II in his capacity as King of Bohemia negotiate the Liegnitzer brother armed and newly revoked on October 5, 1580 the decree of 17 April 1576th This was Friedrich IV and his brother Heinrich XI. again common regent of the Duchy of Legnica. Since the elderly Heinrich XI. his office in Legnica chose Frederick IV was forced to withdraw after Haynau.
Just one year later, the situation changed when Henry XI. arrested for refusal of homage in Prague and caught him turn his duchy was withdrawn. Frederick IV was now again the sole ruler of Liegnitz, but had to for the maintenance of Henry XI. To pay family, who was imprisoned in Wroclaw. Since 1583, Friedrich in his Duchy of Calvinism was still widespread, IV turned to his uncle George II of Brieg for advice on how he could ensure the legal basis for the Peace of Augsburg in the religious disputes.
Frederick's brother Heinrich XI. , Who had fled in 1585 from the Wroclaw to Krakow prison, died there in 1588, but left no male descendants. Since Frederick IV died without an heir, inherited the Duchy of Legnica in 1596 the Duke Joachim Friedrich Brieger, under which the two duchies were reunited.