Wenceslaus III Adam, Duke of Cieszyn

Wenceslas III. Adam ( Czech Václav III Adam, Polish Waclaw III Adam Cieszyński; . * December 1524; † November 4, 1579 ) was Duke of Teschen 1528-1579.

Origin and family

Wenceslas III. Adam came from the Teschen branch of the Silesian Piast dynasty. His parents were Duke Wenceslas II and Anna from the line of the Franconian Hohenzollern Principality of Ansbach.

At sixteen Wenceslas Adam was III. on February 10, 1540 by Maria Pernštejna († 1566) married. She was the daughter of the Moravian Provincial Governor John of Pernštejna, who exercised the guardianship of Henry until 1545. The couple had children:

  • Sophie (1540-1541)
  • Friedrich Kasimir ( 1541/42-1571 ); married to Catherine (1540-1569) daughter of Duke Frederick III of Legnica.
  • Anna (1543-1564)

After the death of his wife, Maria married in 1566 Wenceslas III. Adam Sidonie 1567 Catherine, daughter of Francis I, Duke of Saxe- Lauenburg. This marriage produced children

  • Christian August (1570-1571)
  • Maria Sidonia (* May 10, 1572; † October 3, 1587 ) IV was married to Duke Frederick of Liegnitz. After the death of her father Maria Sidonie took over the guardianship of her younger brother Adam Wenzel until his majority.
  • Anna Sibylla (* 1573, † after 1601)
  • Adam Wenzel (1574-1617), married to Elisabeth ( † 1601), daughter of the Duke of Courland Gotthard Kettler
  • Johann / Hanus Albrecht ( 1578 - ~ 1579)

Life

1528 died Teschen Duke Casimir II, who had survived his two sons. Therefore, he was succeeded as the reigning Duke his first four year old grandson Wenceslas III. Adam after. Wenceslas III. Adam spent his childhood in Vienna, where he received an extensive education and his basic medical knowledge were mediated. Until his majority in 1545 he was under the guardianship of his mother and his future father-in of the Moravian Provincial Governor John of Pernštejna. In this capacity, she led on behalf of Wenceslas III. Adams in 1540 the Reformation. Subsequently, the monasteries of the Franciscans ( OFM ) and Dominicans in Cieszyn and the Benedictines were dissolved in Orlau, and the population as well as the ducal family attended the Protestant confession.

To protect against Turkish invasions in 1541 massive fortifications were built at Jablunkapass. 1560 gave Wenceslas III. Adam Jablunkau the municipal law. In the same year he transferred the Duchy of Bielsko, which he incorporated it at the same time Freistadt and Frydek, his son Friedrich Kasimir. After his death in 1571 this had with the consent of Wenceslas III. Adams sold on Pless because of indebtedness to Charles of Promnitz.

After the death of the Polish king Sigismund II August 1573 Wenzel competed III. Adam, as well as the Duke Henry XI of Legnica. , To the Polish crown. Since they were both Protestant and also the Polish language is not powerful, they had no chance of success. 1572 issued Wenceslas III. Adam a provincial system, a 1578 church order. After his death in 1579 he was succeeded as Duke of Teschen not yet be full year-old son Adam Wenzel.

Duchy of Teschen Silesian Piasts Wenceslaus II, Duke of Cieszyn Frederick Casimir of Cieszyn Francis I, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg Frederick IV of Liegnitz Adam Wenceslaus, Duke of Cieszyn Casimir II, Duke of Cieszyn Protestant Reformation Dominican Order Order of Saint Benedict Sigismund II Augustus
816984
de