George Rudolf of Liegnitz
Georg Rudolf von Liegnitz (born 22 Januarjul / February 1 1595greg in Ohlau, .. .. † 14 Januarjul / January 24 1653greg in Breslau) was 1602-1653 Duke of Liegnitz and 1615-1653 Duke of Wohlau. 1621-1629 he held also the office of the Regional Governor of Upper Silesia.
Origin and family
Georg Rudolf of Liegnitz was descended from the line of the Silesian Piast dynasty. His parents were Duke Joachim Friedrich and Anna Maria (1561-1605), daughter of Prince Joachim Ernst von Anhalt. Georg Rudolf's older brother was Johann Christian.
On November 14th, 1614, Georg Rudolf married with his cousin Sophie Elisabeth ( 1589-1622 ), daughter of Prince Johann Georg I of Anhalt -Dessau.
After her death he married on December 5, 1624 Magdalena Elisabeth ( 1599-1631 ), daughter of his uncle Charles II of Münsterberg. Both marriages were childless.
Life
After the death of his father in 1602 Georg Rudolf stood and his four- year older brother Johann Christian initially under the tutelage of her mother. After her death in 1605 took over their uncle Charles II of Münsterberg, a descendant of the Bohemian King George of Podiebrad, the guardianship. At his court in Oels Georg Rudolf was together with his cousins and his cousin Magdalena Elisabeth, who he married his second wife in 1624, educated. After his brother Johann Christian was declared of age in 1611, was the division of the estates inherited from his father. Georg Rudolf received Legnica and Wohlau, however, remained under the guardianship of his uncle. Johann Christian received Brieg and Ohlau. From June 1611 to March 1612 Georg Rudolf studied at the University of Frankfurt. There he had frequent contact with his relatives Georg Wilhelm of Brandenburg. 1612 was declared of age and adopted as its vassal Georg Rudolf by the Czech King Matthias. On October 1, 1612 he performed in front of the imperial upper office in Wrocław, the Homagium and in June 1613 he made his solemn entry in Legnica, where he paid homage to the stands the next day and the citizenry. Then he appointed a Governor for his principality and went in July 1613, accompanied by seven court officials on an educational journey through central and southern Germany, which also took him to Italy, France and the Netherlands. From this he returned in early November 1614.
In his capacity as King of Bohemia, Emperor Matthias confirmed on August 5, 1615 the brothers Georg Rudolf and Johann Christian, the entire fief. Probably under the influence of his first wife joined Georg Rudolf 1616 to Calvinism over, but returned in 1621 back to Lutheranism. After he behaved unlike his brother during the short time the government of the Winter King Frederick of the Palatinate politically restrained him " Dresdner chord " the top provincial team ( chief official ) was after 1621, with the approval of Emperor Ferdinand II transferred for Silesia. Since Georg Rudolf could not prevent Silesia became a theater of war, and he, despite the majesty Briefs religious freedom could not prevail in the Silesian Erbfürstentümern, he resigned in 1629 to the upper office. Was succeeded by his cousin Heinrich Wenzel of Bernstadt and oil. On August 9, 1633, Georg Rudolf joined an alliance (conjunction ) with Sweden, Saxony and Brandenburg, which also included his brother Johann Christian, Duke Karl Friedrich of Oels and the city of Wroclaw. After the Peace of Prague of 1635 had Georg Rudolf - as well as the other signatories of the Konjuktion - ask the emperor for forgiveness and swear allegiance to writing. In return, they gave the Emperor to protect their privileges and freedom of religion. Unlike his brother Georg Rudolf did not go into exile. With its built Testament 1646 he founded the John Pen, from the Liegnitzer Knight Academy emerged later. After the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, he led the church visitation in his duchy. After his death took place on January 14, 1653, he was buried on 14 May of the year in the Legnica St. John's Church.
Sponsor of music and literature
Georg Rudolf himself was a composer works and a great patron of music and literature. Already at a young age, he founded the eponymous Liegnitzer " librarians Rudolfiana ", for which he brought, inter alia, numerous books from the 1614 undertaken educational journey. They mostly contained literature from the fields of theology, medicine and music. 1613 honored him with the composer Gesius Bartholomew, whom he had probably met during his studies in Frankfurt / Oder, the "Opus novum plan ". 1624 appointed Georg Rudolf the poet Martin Opitz to his Privy Councillor. The composer Paul Hallmann (1600-1650), whom he appointed to the Princely Council, created as a court composer in addition to the processing of hymns numerous motets, sacred concertos and " Missae Breves ". For his services he was knighted by George Rudolph as " Mr. Strachwitz in " to the nobility. The composer Heinrich Schütz presented Georg Rudolf the " Cantiones sacrae " with a handwritten dedication. The theologian Johann Georg Rudolf Arndt was in contact by correspondence.
Since 1622 Georg Rudolf was under the name " The Great " Member of the fruit -bearing Society.