Henry II, Count of Holstein-Rendsburg

Count Henry II of Holstein-Rendsburg (nickname Iron Henry; c.1317 c.1384) was count of Holstein-Rendsburg and pledge lord of Southern Schleswig. He ruled jointly with his younger brother, Count Nicholas (d. 1397).

Henry II, Count of Holstein-Rendsburg
Seal of Henry II, dating from about 1343
Bornc.1317
Diedc.1384
Noble familyHouse of Schauenburg
Spouse(s)Matilda of Lippe
Ingeborg of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
FatherGerhard III, Count of Holstein-Rendsburg
MotherSophia of Werle

Life

Henry was the elder son of Count Gerhard III and Sophia of Werle. Henry was a major European player as a mercenary leader and a typical representative of the late medieval knighthood. He fought in Italy, Russia, Estonia and France. He served in the English and Swedish armies. In 1367, he was commander of a fleet of the Hanseatic League and in 1368, he conquered Copenhagen. Count Henry II and his brother Nicholas vigorously defended their claims in Holstein and Schleswig, against Denmark and against the Frisians.

Marriage and issue

Henry was married twice:[1]

  1. Matilda (d. 1365), the daughter of Bernard V, Lord of Lippe. They had one daughter:
    1. Matilda (documented on March 12, 1365) [2]
  2. 1366 Ingeborg (d. c.1398), daughter of Albert II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. They had four children:

Seal

His seal had the inscription: S (IGILLUM) * HINRICI * D (E) I * GRA (TIA) * COMIT (IS) * HOLTZACIE * STORM ARIA (Seal of Henry by the grace of God Duke of Holstein, (and) Stormarn)

References

  • Karl Jansen (1880), "Heinrich II., der Eiserne, Graf von Holstein", Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB) (in German), 11, Leipzig: Duncker & Humblot, pp. 523–525
  • Helge Bei der Wieden: Schaumburgische Genealogie, 2nd ed., Verlag Ernst Knoth, Melle, 1999; ISBN 3-88368-305-1
  • Verein für Lübecksche Geschichte und Alterthumskunde: Siegel des Mittelalters aus den Archiven der Stadt Lübeck, Lübeck, 1862-1865

Footnotes

  1. Bei der Wieden, p. 70
  2. Bei der Wieden, p. 75
  3. Helge bei der Wieden calls him Gerhard V
Henry II, Count of Holstein-Rendsburg
Born: c.1317 Died: c.1384
German nobility
Preceded by
Gerhard III
Count of Holstein-Rendsburg
as Henry II 
1340-1381/1384
with his brother Nicholas (1340-1397)
Succeeded by
Nicholas,
Albert II and
Gerhard VI
Danish nobility
Preceded by
Henry I
Duke of Schleswig
as Henry II 
1375-1381/1384
with his brother Nicholas (1375-1386)
Succeeded by
Nicholas


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