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
Born	c. 1317
Died	c. 1384
Noble family	House of Schauenburg
Spouse(s)	Matilda of Lippe Ingeborg of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Father	Gerhard III, Count of Holstein-Rendsburg
Mother	Sophia 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:
   • Gerhard VI[3]
   • Albert II
   • Henry III (d. 1421), Prince-Bishop of Osnabrück as Henry I
   • Sophia of Holstein (born: 1375 in Lübeck), married Bogislaw VIII of Pomerania-Stargard

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

External links

• Der Isern Hinrik - A professional soldier in the late Middle Ages at kriegsreisende.de

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 House of Schauenburg 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