Henry XI of Legnica
Heinrich XI. (* February 23, 1539 in Legnica, Lower Silesia, † March 3, 1588 in Kraków ) was from 1559 to 1570 alone, the reigning Duke of Liegnitz and from 1571 to 1576 and from 1580 to 1581 co-regent with his brother Frederick IV
Origin and family
Henry came to the Silesian Piast branch of Legnica. His parents were the Duke Friedrich III. Legnica, Katharina von Mecklenburg, daughter of Duke Henry V of Mecklenburg.
On November 11, 1560 Henry married in Legnica with Sophie ( 1535-1587 ), the daughter of the Ansbacher Margrave George the Pious and his third wife Aemilia of Saxony. The couple had children:
- Katharina Sophie ( August 7, 1561, † May 10, 1608 ), married to Friedrich von Zweibrücken, Count Palatine of Veldenz († 1597)
- Anna Maria ( born January 1, 1563 † February 28, 1620 )
- Emilia ( born December 26, 1563 † November 9, 1618 )
- Georg Friedrich ( born September 11, 1565 † December 14, 1565 )
- Sabina Barbara ( born January 19, 1571 † February 14, 1572 )
Life
Henry first entered the service of the emperor Ferdinand I. After his father was deposed in 1559 and captured by the emperor, Henry took over the regency since Duchy of Legnica. At the same time he had to undertake, on matters of importance to seek the advice of his uncle George II and to make no change religion to Protestantism against the emperor.
1566 Henry took the Diet of Augsburg in part. After his father's death in 1570 there were between Heinrich XI. and his younger brother Frederick IV 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.
After the death of the Polish king Sigismund II August 1573 Heinrich applied, as well as Teschen Duke Wenceslas III. , To the Polish crown. Since they were both Protestant and also the Polish language is not powerful, they had little choice opportunities. While Wenceslas III. after the first election withdrew his candidacy, Henry ran well in the next election, the 1574 after escaping or deposition of King Henry III. had to be repeated. When choosing only three votes were cast for Henry. 1576 Heinrich involved under Prince Conde for the French Huguenots in the military service. Since his brother and the estates complained about him, he was deposed in 1576 by his Bohemian sovereign, so that his hitherto mitregierender brother Frederick IV alone exercised the regency, during Heinrich XI. domiciled in Haynau took. As of 1580 allowed Heinrich XI. rule together again in Legnica.
Over time, Henry became increasingly wasteful and increased the debt left behind by the father. He undertook numerous costly travel, including to Worms, Regensburg, Augsburg, Heidelberg, Mainz, Speyer, Ingolstadt, Nuremberg, Strasbourg, Frankfurt, Cologne, Leipzig and Prague. 1581 there was a conflict with Emperor Rudolf II as Henry intended to avoid the homage of Rudolph, which was considered a mistrust of the Habsburgs. In addition, the former candidate to the Polish throne, and his relations with the Polish nobility, he was held. Rudolf Heinrich ordered to Prague, where he was to justify his behavior. After he refused to appear in Prague, finally, the Silesian estates and the Breslau Bishop Martin of Gerstmann were stopped in his capacity as Governor of Upper Silesia, Henry to move to obey. Then moved the bishop with an expedition against Mr. Legnica. After a few days Heinrich subjugated by he allowed the collection of his brother Frederick IV, and finally went to the Emperor to Prague. There he was captured on imperial order in the Prague Castle and his brother Frederick IV used by the emperor as a ruler. In January 1582 he was transferred to Breslau, and there continues to be held in custody. In 1585 he fled to Poland, where he is said to have made his guards drunk. In vain he tried to reconquer his duchy with Polish help. In December 1587 he accompanied the Polish king Sigismund III. Wasa to Krakow, where he died after a brief illness on March 5, 1588. As he confessed to last for Protestantism, the Cracow clergy refused to give him a funeral. Finally, his body was buried in a chapel of the friars.
Hans von Schweinichen, who accompanied him on his travels, has written a biography of the Duke.