William the Younger, Duke of Brunswick

See also: William the Younger and William of Brunswick

William the Younger
Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg Prince of Lüneburg
Reign	1559–1592
Predecessor	Ernest I
Successor	Ernest II
Born	(1535-07-04)4 July 1535
Died	20 August 1592(1592-08-20) (aged 57)
Spouse(s)	Dorothea of Denmark
Father	Ernest I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Mother	Sophia of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

Wilhelm (4 July 1535 – 20 August 1592), called William the Younger (German: Wilhelm der Jüngere), was Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Prince of Lüneburg from 1559 until his death. Until 1569 he ruled together with his brother, Henry of Dannenberg.

He was the son of Ernest I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. On 12 October 1561 he married Dorothea of Denmark (29 June 1546 Kolding–6 January 1617 Winsen), daughter of Christian III of Denmark and Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg.

In 1582, William began suffering from fits of insanity. These fits caused his wife to flee him in 1584 for her own safety.

After his death, his wife became regent for their son George.

Children that reached adulthood

• Sophie of Brunswick-Lüneburg (30 October 1563 – 1639); married George Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach.
• Ernest II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (31 December 1564 – 2 March 1611); Prince of Lüneburg from 1592–1611.
• Elisabeth of Brunswick-Lüneburg (19 October 1565 – 17 July 1621); married Frederick, Count of Hohenlohe-Langenburg.
• Christian, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (19 November 1566 – 8 November 1633); Prince of Lüneburg from 1611–1633.
• Augustus I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (18 November 1568 – 1 October 1636); Prince of Lüneburg from 1633–1636.
• Dorothea of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1 January 1570 – 15 August 1649); married Charles I, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld.
• Clara of Brunswick-Lüneburg (16 January 1571 – 18 July 1658); married William, Count of Schwarzburg-Blankenburg.
• Anne Ursula of Brunswick-Lüneburg (22 March 1572 – 5 February 1601)
• Margaret of Brunswick-Lüneburg (6 April 1573 – 7 August 1643); married John Casimir, Duke of Saxe-Coburg.
• Frederick IV, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (28 August 1574 – 10 December 1648); Prince of Lüneburg from 1636–1648.
• Marie of Brunswick-Lüneburg (21 October 1575 – 8 August 1610)
• Magnus of Brunswick-Lüneburg (30 August 1577 – 10 February 1632)
• George, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (17 February 1582 – 12 April 1641); Prince of Calenberg 1635–1641
• John of Brunswick-Lüneburg (23 June 1583 – 27 November 1628)
• Sybille of Brunswick-Lüneburg (3 June 1584 – 5 August 1652); married Julius Ernest, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg.

Ancestors

Family of William the Younger, Duke of Brunswick

16. Frederick II of Brunswick-Lüneburg 8. Otto V, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg 17. Magdalene of Brandenburg 4. Henry I of Lüneburg 18. John IV, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg 9. Anna of Nassau-Dillenburg 19. Maria of Loon-Heinsberg 2. Ernest I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg 20. Frederick II, Elector of Saxony 10. Ernest, Elector of Saxony 21. Margaret of Austria 5. Margarete of Saxony 22. Albert III, Duke of Bavaria 11. Elisabeth of Bavaria 23. Anna of Brunswick-Grubenhagen 1.William, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg 24. Henry IV, Duke of Mecklenburg 12. Magnus II, Duke of Mecklenburg 25. Dorothea of Brandenburg 6. Henry V, Duke of Mecklenburg 26. Eric II, Duke of Pomerania 13. Sophia of Pomerania 27. Sophia of Pomerania-Stolp 3. Sophia of Mecklenburg 28. Albert III Achilles, Elector of Brandenburg 14. John Cicero, Elector of Brandenburg 29. Margaret of Baden 7. Ursula of Brandenburg 30. William III, Duke of Luxemburg 15. Margaret of Thuringia 31. Anne, Duchess of Luxembourg