Philip II, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen

Philip II (2 May 1533 – 4 April 1596), Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, a member of the House of Welf, was the last ruler of the Principality of Grubenhagen from 1595 until his death. When he died in 1596, the Grubenhagen branch of the Welfs became extinct, whereafter the principality was occupied by Duke Henry Julius of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel.

Philip II
Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Prince of Grubenhagen
Reign	1595–1596
Predecessor	Wolfgang
Successor	none
Born	(1533-05-02)2 May 1533
Died	4 April 1596(1596-04-04) (aged 62)
Buried	St. Giles Church in Osterode
Noble family	House of Welf
Spouse(s)	Clara of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
Father	Philip I, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen
Mother	Catherine of Mansfeld

Life

Philip II was one of the many children of his father Duke Philip I of Brunswick-Grubenhagen and his wife Catherine of Mansfeld (1501–1535). Philip II was the youngest of nine siblings, six of whom reached adulthood. After Duke Philip I's death in 1551, he was first succeeded in government by his eldest son Ernest III. After Ernest's death in 1567, his brother Wolfgang succeeded. When he too died without male descendants in 1595, Philip II succeeded.

Katlenburg Castle, Merian, 1654

Duke Philip II was married to his cousin Clara of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (1532–1595), designated Abbess of Gandersheim, who had renounced her ecclesiastical office after the abbey had been occupied by Schmalkaldic troops in the course of the Protestant Reformation and plundered afterwards. The couple took residence at the secularised monastery of Katlenburg, which Philip II had rebuilt in a Renaissance style.

In 1595 Duke Philipp II moved his residence from Katlenburg to Herzberg Castle. He reigned less than one year. When he died without a male heir in 1596, the Grubenhagen side-line of the Welfs died out and the Principality of Grubenhagen was annexed by his cousin Henry Julius of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. However, the Lüneburg branch of the Welf dynasty objected to the annexation and took the matter to the Reichskammergericht. In 1617, after a prolonged legal case, Henry Julius's son Frederick Ulrich had to cede the former Principality of Grubenhagen to Duke Christian of Brunswick-Lüneburg.

Duke Philip's final resting place is next to his parents and brothers in the crypt of St. Giles Church in Osterode am Harz. His wife Clara died in 1595.

Ancestors

Ancestors of Philip II, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen

16. Albert I, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen 8. Eric I, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen 17. Agnes of Brunswick-Lüneburg 4. Albert II, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen 18. Otto I, Duke of Brunswick-Göttingen 9. Elisabeth of Brunswick-Göttingen 19. Margarethe of Jülich-Berg 2. Philip I, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen 20. Henry VII, Count of Waldeck 10. Wolrad I, Count of Waldeck 21. Margaret of Nassau-Wiesbaden-Idstein 5. Elisabeth of Waldeck 22. Michael I, Count of Wertheim 11. Barbara of Wertheim 23. Sophie of Henneberg 1.Philip II, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen 24. Günther II of Mansfeld-Querfurt 12. Albert V, Count of Mansfeld-Vorderort 25. Anna of Honstein 6. Ernest II, Count of Mansfeld-Vorderort 26. Conrad VII of Bickenbach 13. Susanna of Bickenbach 27. Agnes of Nassau-Wiesbaden 3. Catherine of Mansfeld-Vorderort 28. Bruno V of Querfurt 14. Bruno VI of Querfurt 29. Anna of Gleichen 7. Barbara of Querfurt 30. Henry XIX of Stolberg 15. Brigitte of Stolberg 31. Margaret of Mansfeld

References

• Paul Zimmermann: Das Haus Braunschweig-Grubenhagen, Wolfenbüttel, 1911

External links

• Information about Philip II at www.welfen.de

Philip II, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen House of Welf Born: 2 May 1533 Died: 4 April 1596
Preceded by Wolfgang	Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg Prince of Grubenhagen 1595–1596	Succeeded by Principality occupied by Henry Julius of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel