William the Younger, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg

William (4 July 1535 – 20 August 1592), called William the Younger , 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.

Biography Born into the House of Welf, ruling family of the Principality of Brunswick-Lüneburg, William was the third son of Ernest I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and his wife, Duchess Sophia of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.

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

Marriage and issue On 12 October 1561 he married Princess Dorothea of Denmark, the youngest daughter of Christian III of Denmark and his wife, Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg.

William and Dorothea had: 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 to 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 to 1633. Augustus the Elder, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (18 November 1568 – 1 October 1636) Prince of Lüneburg from 1633 to 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 to 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.

Death William died on 20 August 1592, aged 57. He is interred, along with his wife, in the St. Marien Church in Celle, Lower Saxony, Germany.

After his death, his wife, Duchess Dorothea became regent for their underaged son, George, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg.

Ancestry