Otto V, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg

Otto V, known as the Victorious or the Magnanimous (1439 – January 9, 1471; in German: Otto der Siegreiche, der Großmütige), served as the Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and the Prince of Lüneburg from 1457 until his death. He ruled alongside his brother, Bernard, until Bernard died in 1464.

Otto and Bernard were the sons of Frederick II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, and succeeded him as ruling princes when Frederick retired. After Otto's death, his father returned to rule.

Life Otto was the son of Frederick II of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Magdalena of Brandenburg. After his brother died without issue, Otto took over the Principality of Lüneburg in 1464. Otto's reign was marked by the monastic reform movements of his time which he tried to implement in the Lüneburg monasteries. He entered Wienhausen Abbey, removed a number of art treasures which, in Otto's opinion were contrary to the ideal of monastic simplicity, and sent the abbess to be "re-educated in a monastery that was already reformed." According to a legend, Otto was killed at a tournament on the Celle jousting field. Today, a horseshoe in plaster marks the spot where Duke Otto the Magnanimous is supposed to have had the accident in 1471.

Family Otto married Anne of Nassau-Siegen in 1467. They had the following children: William (died 1470) Henry (c. 1467–1532)

Ancestors