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Albert III, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg

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Albert III
Albrecht III. von Sachsen, Engern und Westfalen (de)
officially:
Duke of Saxony, Angria and Westphalia

colloquially: Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg or
Duke of Saxe-Ratzeburg
Duchy of Saxony

(Joint rule with his uncle Albert II, at first fostering his nephews, and his brothers Eric I and John II)
Joint Reign1282 – 1296
PredecessorsJohn I and Albert II
SuccessorsAlbert III, Eric I and John II (jointly ruling in
partitioned Saxe-Lauenburg)
Duchy of Saxe-Lauenburg

(Joint rule with his brothers Eric I and John II)
Joint Reign1296 – 1305
Joint predecessorsAlbert II, Albert III, Eric I and John II
SuccessorAlbert III (ruling alone in
partitioned Saxe-Ratzeburg)
Duchy of Saxe-Ratzeburg

(partitioned as branch duchy from Saxe-Lauenburg)
Reign1305 – 1308
Joint predecessorsAlbert III, Eric I and John II (joint rule)
SuccessorEric I (ruling alone in redeployed Saxe-Ratzeburg-Lauenburg)
Saxon consortMargaret of Brandenburg-Salzwedel
Issue
Detail
Albrecht (*?–1344*)
Eric (*?–1338*)
House ofAscania (by birth)
FatherJohn I, Duke of Saxony
MotherIngeborg Birgersdotter of Småland
ReligionRoman Catholic

Albert III of Saxe-Lauenburg (1281 – 1308) was a son of John I, Duke of Saxony and Ingeborg Birgersdotter of Småland (*ca. 1253–30 June 1302*, in Mölln), a daughter or grandchild of Birger jarl. He ruled Saxony jointly with his uncle Albert II and his brothers Eric I and John II, first fostered by Albert II, until coming of age. In 1296 Albert III, his brothers and their uncle divided Saxony into Saxe-Wittenberg, ruled by Albert II, and Saxe-Lauenburg, jointly ruled by the brothers between 1296 and 1305 and thereafter partitioned among them. Albert III then ruled the branch duchy of Saxe-Ratzeburg until his death.

Life

Albert III's father John I resigned from dukedom in 1282 in favour of his three minor sons Albert III, Eric I, and John II. However, their uncle Albert II first fostered them. Albert III and his brothers came to age and joint the government. The last document, mentioning the brothers and their uncle Albert II as Saxon fellow dukes dates back to 1295.[1]

The definite partitioning of Saxony into Saxe-Lauenburg, jointly ruled by Albert III and his brothers and Saxe-Wittenberg, ruled by their uncle Albert II, took place before 20 September 1296, when the Vierlande, Sadelbande (Land of Lauenburg), the Land of Ratzeburg, the Land of Darzing (later Amt Neuhaus), and the Land of Hadeln are mentioned as the separate territory of the brothers.[2] Albert II received Saxe-Wittenberg around the eponymous city and Belzig.

Albert III and his brothers at first jointly ruled Saxe-Lauenburg, before they partitioned it into three parts, while the exclave Land of Hadeln remained a trilateral condominium. Albert III then held Saxe-Ratzeburg, however, he already deceased in 1308. His brother Eric I inherited part of his share, while Albert's widow Margaret of Brandenburg-Salzwedel retained the other part, which also fell to Eric I on her death.[3] However, his other brother then claimed a part for him, so in 1321 Eric passed Bergedorf (Vierlande) on to John II, whose share thus became known since as Saxe-Bergedorf-Mölln and Eric's as Saxe-Ratzeburg-Lauenburg.

Marriage and issue

In 1302 Albert III married Margaret of Brandenburg-Salzwedel, becoming one of the Saxon consorts, and they had the following two children:

  • Albert (Albrecht) of Saxony, Angria and Westphalia (*?–1344*), married Sophia of Ziegenhain
  • Eric of Saxony, Angria and Westphalia (*?–1338*)

Notes

  1. ^ Cordula Bornefeld, "Die Herzöge von Sachsen-Lauenburg", in: Die Fürsten des Landes: Herzöge und Grafen von Schleswig, Holstein und Lauenburg [De slevigske hertuger; German], Carsten Porskrog Rasmussen (ed.) on behalf of the Gesellschaft für Schleswig-Holsteinische Geschichte, Neumünster: Wachholtz, 2008, pp. 373-389, here p. 375. ISBN 978-3-529-02606-5
  2. ^ Cordula Bornefeld, "Die Herzöge von Sachsen-Lauenburg", in: Die Fürsten des Landes: Herzöge und Grafen von Schleswig, Holstein und Lauenburg [De slevigske hertuger; German], Carsten Porskrog Rasmussen (ed.) on behalf of the Gesellschaft für Schleswig-Holsteinische Geschichte, Neumünster: Wachholtz, 2008, pp. 373-389, here p. 375. ISBN 978-3-529-02606-5
  3. ^ Cordula Bornefeld, "Die Herzöge von Sachsen-Lauenburg", in: Die Fürsten des Landes: Herzöge und Grafen von Schleswig, Holstein und Lauenburg [De slevigske hertuger; German], Carsten Porskrog Rasmussen (ed.) on behalf of the Gesellschaft für Schleswig-Holsteinische Geschichte, Neumünster: Wachholtz, 2008, pp. 373-389, here p. 377. ISBN 978-3-529-02606-5
Albert III, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg
Born: 1281 Died: 1308
Regnal titles
Preceded by
John I and Albert II
(joint rule until 1282, thereafter Albert II served as regent for John I's minor sons)
Dukes of Saxony
1282 – 1296
(joint rule with his uncle Albert II and his brothers John II and Eric I)
Partition of Saxony among the heirs
New title
Partition of Saxe-Lauenburg from Saxony
Dukes of Saxe-Lauenburg
1296 – 1305
(joint rule with his brothers John II and Eric I)
Partition of Saxe-Lauenburg among the heirs
New title
Partition of Saxe-Ratzeburg from Saxe-Lauenburg
Duke of Saxe-Ratzeburg
1305 – 1308
Line extinct with Saxe-Ratzeburg inherited by Eric I