Albert of Hanau-Münzenberg (12 November 1579 – 19 December 1635 in Strasbourg) was the younger son of Philip Louis I of Hanau-Münzenberg (1553-1580) and his wife, Countess Magdalene of Waldeck-Wildungen (1558-1599). The only sons of his parents to reach adulthood were Albert and his elder brother Philip Louis II. Albert's son John Ernest was the last male member of the Hanau-Münzenberg line of the House of Hanau.
Albert's mother Magdalena remarried in 1581 to John VII, Count of Nassau-Siegen, the son of his guardian and regent. She and her sons from her first marriage then moved to the Nassau court in Dillenburg. At the time, this was a centre of Calvinism in Germany. The court in Dillenburg maintained cordial relations with the Reformed court of the Electorate of the Palatinate in Heidelberg.
However, Philip IV of Hanau-Lichtenberg, Albert's Lutheran guardian, and later his son Philip V, vehemently resisted this Calvinist influence, though ultimately their resistance was in vain. Philip V tried to have the Lutheran Duke Richard of Simmern-Sponheim, a younger brother of Elector PalatineFrederick III appointed as co-regent. He managed to obtain a mandate to this effect from the Reichskammergericht, however, the Calvinist prevented Richard's installation and prevented the people of Hanau-Münzenberg from paying tribute to Duke Richard. Instead, they installed Duke John Casimir of the Palatinate-Simmern as upper guardian, an honorary position, which nevertheless strengthened the Calvinist hold on Hanau-Münzenberg.
The end of the guardianship is difficult to determine. In 1600, the guardians had a dispute with Philip Louis II and ended their guardianship over him. However, Albert was still a minor in 1600 (at the time, the age of majority was 25), and the guardians continued their guardianship over him at least until he came of age in 1604. The guardians did not file their final account until urged to do so by Elector Palatine Frederick IV in 1608.
Youthedit
In 1585, Albert enrolled at the Herborn Academy, where his brother also studied.[1] In 1588, he enrolled in the Tertia Classis of the Pädagogicum, also in Herborn. In 1591, he enrolled at the university of Heidelberg, where he was elected rector on 20 December 1591.
Reignedit
Albert spent most of his life in a violent dispute with his brother Philip Louis II, his cousin Philip Maurice (1605-1638), and his cousin's regent, his sister-in-law Catharina Belgica of Nassau. This dispute was fought partly in court, partly using military means. Albert demanded a partition of the county. Philip Louis II, however, followed a decree from 1375, which prescribed primogeniture in the House of Hanau. When Philip Louis II came of age, his guardians sided with Albert in this dispute, leading to violent clashes between Philip Louis II and his former guardians.
A compromise was reached, in which Albert received the districts of Schwarzenfels, Ortenberg, the territories of the former monastery in Naumburg and Hanau's share of Assenheim. Albert then moved into Schwarzenfels Castle. However, the compromise did not end the dispute. Albert now demanded sovereignty, while Philip Louis II had only granted him economic use of the apanage.
Albert and his family were forced to leave Schwarzenfels Castle during the Thirty Years' War, probably in 1633. He fled to Worms and later to Strasbourg, where he suffered serious financial problems.
Deathedit
Albert died on 19 December 1635, in exile in Strasbourg. The funeral sermon is preserved.[2]
With Albert's death, the sovereignty dispute ended, his son and heir, John Ernest, did not claim sovereignty, at least not until he eventually inherited all of Hanau-Münzenberg.
Marriage and issueedit
On 16 August 1604, Albert married Countess Ehrengard of Isenburg (1 October 1577 – 20 September 1637 in Frankfurt).[3] Some sources say her given name was Irmgard. They had the following children:
Albert (1606-1614), buried in the Schlüchtern Monastery. His grave was examined during archaeological excavations in 1938 and 1986 and he was then reburied.[4]
Maurice (b. 1606; died young)
Catherine Elizabeth (* on or before 14 September 1607 – 14 September 1647), married to Count William Otto of Isenburg-Birstein (1597-1667)
Johanna (1610 – 13 September 1673 in Delft), married:
in September 1637[5] to Wild- and Rhinegrave Wolfgang Frederick von Salm (1589 – 24 December 1638). This marriage remained childless.
Magdalena Elisabeth (28 March 1611 – 26 February 1687), married to George Frederick Schenk of Limpurg (1596-1651)
John Ernest (13 June 1613 – 12 January 1642), betrothed to Princess Susanna Margarete of Anhalt-Dessau (25 August 1610 – 3 October 1663), the last reigning count of the Hanau-Münzenberg branch of the House of Hanau
Christopher Louis (b. 1614; died shortly after baptism)
Elisabeth (1615-1665)
Marie Juliane (15 January 1617 – 28 October 1643), married to Count John Louis of Isenburg-Birstein (1622-1685)
A. W. E. Dek: Graf Johann der Mittlere von Nassau-Siegen und seine 25 Kinder, Rijswijk, 1962
Reinhard Dietrich: Die Landesverfassung in dem Hanauischen, in the series Hanauer Geschichtsblätter, vol. 34, Hanau, 1996, ISBN3-9801933-6-5
Ute Müller-Ludolph: Philipp Ludwig II. von Hanau-Münzenberg (1576-1612) – Eine politische Biographie, in the series Quellen und Forschungen zur hessischen Geschichte, vol. 83, Darmstadt, 1991, ISBN3-88443-172-3
Reinhard Suchier: Genealogie des Hanauer Grafenhauses, in: Festschrift des Hanauer Geschichtsvereins zu seiner fünfzigjährigen Jubelfeier am 27. August 1894, Hanau, 1894
Reinhard Suchier: Die Grabmonumente und Särge der in Hanau bestatteten Personen aus den Häusern Hanau und Hessen, in: Programm des Königlichen Gymnasiums zu Hanau, Hanau, 1879. S. 1 - 56.
Gustav Toepke: Die Matrikel der Universität Heidelberg von 1386 bis 1662, Heidelberg, 1884, vol. 2
K. Wolf: Die vormundschaftlichen Regierungen des Grafen Johann des Älteren von Nassau-Dillenburg in der Grafschaft Hanau-Münzenberg, in: Hanauisches Magazin, vol. 15, 1936, p. 81–94 and vol. 16, 1937, p. 1–14
Ernst J. Zimmermann: Hanau Stadt und Land, 3rd ed., Hanau, 1919, reprinted 1978
Footnotesedit
^Gottfried Zedler and Hans Sommer: Die Matrikel der Hohen Schule und des Paedagogikums zu Herborn, in the series Veröffentlichungen der Historischen Kommission für Nassau, vol. 5, Wiesbaden, 1908, p. 7, item 74 and p. 186 item 67
^Katalog der Leichenpredigten und sonstigen Trauerschriften im Hessischen Staatsarchiv Marburg , in the series Marburger Personalschriften-Forschungen, vol. 14, Sigmaringen, 1992; Signature: 81, government of Hanau, A 38.9 1
^Hessian State Archive in Marburg: Document 432 from 4 June 1623, line 39
^Reinhard Dietrich: Archäologische Untersuchungen in der Andreaskapelle des Klosters Schlüchtern, in: Hanauer Geschichtsblätter, vol. 30, 1988, p. 327-334
albrecht, hanau, münzenberg, albert, hanau, münzenberg, november, 1579, december, 1635, strasbourg, younger, philip, louis, hanau, münzenberg, 1553, 1580, wife, countess, magdalene, waldeck, wildungen, 1558, 1599, only, sons, parents, reach, adulthood, were, a. Albert of Hanau Munzenberg 12 November 1579 19 December 1635 in Strasbourg was the younger son of Philip Louis I of Hanau Munzenberg 1553 1580 and his wife Countess Magdalene of Waldeck Wildungen 1558 1599 The only sons of his parents to reach adulthood were Albert and his elder brother Philip Louis II Albert s son John Ernest was the last male member of the Hanau Munzenberg line of the House of Hanau Albert of Hanau MunzenbergCoat of arms of the count of HanauBorn12 November 1579Died19 December 1635 1635 12 19 aged 56 StrasbourgNoble familyHouse of HanauSpouse s Ehrengard of IsenburgFatherPhilip Louis I Count of Hanau MunzenbergMotherMagdalene of Waldeck Wildungen Contents 1 Regency 2 Youth 3 Reign 4 Death 5 Marriage and issue 6 Ancestors 7 References 8 FootnotesRegency editWhen his father died in 1580 Albert and his brother were still minors and a regency was necessary The regents were Counts John VI Count of Nassau Dillenburg 1536 1606 Louis I Count of Sayn Wittgenstein 1568 1607 and Philip IV Count of Hanau Lichtenberg 1514 1590 who was replaced in 1585 by his son Count Philip V of Hanau Lichtenberg 1541 1599 Albert s mother Magdalena remarried in 1581 to John VII Count of Nassau Siegen the son of his guardian and regent She and her sons from her first marriage then moved to the Nassau court in Dillenburg At the time this was a centre of Calvinism in Germany The court in Dillenburg maintained cordial relations with the Reformed court of the Electorate of the Palatinate in Heidelberg However Philip IV of Hanau Lichtenberg Albert s Lutheran guardian and later his son Philip V vehemently resisted this Calvinist influence though ultimately their resistance was in vain Philip V tried to have the Lutheran Duke Richard of Simmern Sponheim a younger brother of Elector Palatine Frederick III appointed as co regent He managed to obtain a mandate to this effect from the Reichskammergericht however the Calvinist prevented Richard s installation and prevented the people of Hanau Munzenberg from paying tribute to Duke Richard Instead they installed Duke John Casimir of the Palatinate Simmern as upper guardian an honorary position which nevertheless strengthened the Calvinist hold on Hanau Munzenberg The end of the guardianship is difficult to determine In 1600 the guardians had a dispute with Philip Louis II and ended their guardianship over him However Albert was still a minor in 1600 at the time the age of majority was 25 and the guardians continued their guardianship over him at least until he came of age in 1604 The guardians did not file their final account until urged to do so by Elector Palatine Frederick IV in 1608 Youth editIn 1585 Albert enrolled at the Herborn Academy where his brother also studied 1 In 1588 he enrolled in the Tertia Classis of the Padagogicum also in Herborn In 1591 he enrolled at the university of Heidelberg where he was elected rector on 20 December 1591 Reign editAlbert spent most of his life in a violent dispute with his brother Philip Louis II his cousin Philip Maurice 1605 1638 and his cousin s regent his sister in law Catharina Belgica of Nassau This dispute was fought partly in court partly using military means Albert demanded a partition of the county Philip Louis II however followed a decree from 1375 which prescribed primogeniture in the House of Hanau When Philip Louis II came of age his guardians sided with Albert in this dispute leading to violent clashes between Philip Louis II and his former guardians A compromise was reached in which Albert received the districts of Schwarzenfels Ortenberg the territories of the former monastery in Naumburg and Hanau s share of Assenheim Albert then moved into Schwarzenfels Castle However the compromise did not end the dispute Albert now demanded sovereignty while Philip Louis II had only granted him economic use of the apanage Albert and his family were forced to leave Schwarzenfels Castle during the Thirty Years War probably in 1633 He fled to Worms and later to Strasbourg where he suffered serious financial problems Death editAlbert died on 19 December 1635 in exile in Strasbourg The funeral sermon is preserved 2 With Albert s death the sovereignty dispute ended his son and heir John Ernest did not claim sovereignty at least not until he eventually inherited all of Hanau Munzenberg Marriage and issue editOn 16 August 1604 Albert married Countess Ehrengard of Isenburg 1 October 1577 20 September 1637 in Frankfurt 3 Some sources say her given name was Irmgard They had the following children Albert 1606 1614 buried in the Schluchtern Monastery His grave was examined during archaeological excavations in 1938 and 1986 and he was then reburied 4 Maurice b 1606 died young Catherine Elizabeth on or before 14 September 1607 14 September 1647 married to Count William Otto of Isenburg Birstein 1597 1667 Johanna 1610 13 September 1673 in Delft married in September 1637 5 to Wild and Rhinegrave Wolfgang Frederick von Salm 1589 24 December 1638 This marriage remained childless on 14 December 1646 to Prince Manuel Antonio of Portugal 1600 1666 Magdalena Elisabeth 28 March 1611 26 February 1687 married to George Frederick Schenk of Limpurg 1596 1651 John Ernest 13 June 1613 12 January 1642 betrothed to Princess Susanna Margarete of Anhalt Dessau 25 August 1610 3 October 1663 the last reigning count of the Hanau Munzenberg branch of the House of Hanau Christopher Louis b 1614 died shortly after baptism Elisabeth 1615 1665 Marie Juliane 15 January 1617 28 October 1643 married to Count John Louis of Isenburg Birstein 1622 1685 Ancestors editAncestors of Albrecht of Hanau Munzenberg8 Philip II Count of Hanau Munzenberg 1501 1552 4 Philip III Count of Hanau Munzenberg 1526 1561 9 Juliana of Stolberg 1506 1580 2 Philip Louis I Count of Hanau Munzenberg 1553 1580 10 John II Count Palatine of Simmern 1509 1557 5 Countess Palatine Helena of Simmern 1533 1579 11 Beatrice of Baden 1492 1535 1 Albert of Hanau Munzenberg12 Henry IV Count of Waldeck Wildungen 1456 1513 6 Philip IV Count of Waldeck 1493 1574 13 Anastasia of Runkel 1477 1503 3 Magdalene of Waldeck Wildungen 1558 1591 14 Salentin VII of Lower Isenburg 1492 1534 7 Jutta of Isenburg d 1564 15 Elisabeth of Hunolstein d 1538 References editA W E Dek Graf Johann der Mittlere von Nassau Siegen und seine 25 Kinder Rijswijk 1962 Reinhard Dietrich Die Landesverfassung in dem Hanauischen in the series Hanauer Geschichtsblatter vol 34 Hanau 1996 ISBN 3 9801933 6 5 Ute Muller Ludolph Philipp Ludwig II von Hanau Munzenberg 1576 1612 Eine politische Biographie in the series Quellen und Forschungen zur hessischen Geschichte vol 83 Darmstadt 1991 ISBN 3 88443 172 3 Reinhard Suchier Genealogie des Hanauer Grafenhauses in Festschrift des Hanauer Geschichtsvereins zu seiner funfzigjahrigen Jubelfeier am 27 August 1894 Hanau 1894 Reinhard Suchier Die Grabmonumente und Sarge der in Hanau bestatteten Personen aus den Hausern Hanau und Hessen in Programm des Koniglichen Gymnasiums zu Hanau Hanau 1879 S 1 56 Gustav Toepke Die Matrikel der Universitat Heidelberg von 1386 bis 1662 Heidelberg 1884 vol 2 K Wolf Die vormundschaftlichen Regierungen des Grafen Johann des Alteren von Nassau Dillenburg in der Grafschaft Hanau Munzenberg in Hanauisches Magazin vol 15 1936 p 81 94 and vol 16 1937 p 1 14 Ernst J Zimmermann Hanau Stadt und Land 3rd ed Hanau 1919 reprinted 1978Footnotes edit Gottfried Zedler and Hans Sommer Die Matrikel der Hohen Schule und des Paedagogikums zu Herborn in the series Veroffentlichungen der Historischen Kommission fur Nassau vol 5 Wiesbaden 1908 p 7 item 74 and p 186 item 67 Katalog der Leichenpredigten und sonstigen Trauerschriften im Hessischen Staatsarchiv Marburg in the series Marburger Personalschriften Forschungen vol 14 Sigmaringen 1992 Signature 81 government of Hanau A 38 9 1 Hessian State Archive in Marburg Document 432 from 4 June 1623 line 39 Reinhard Dietrich Archaologische Untersuchungen in der Andreaskapelle des Klosters Schluchtern in Hanauer Geschichtsblatter vol 30 1988 p 327 334 Anders Dek p 30 says it was on 1 February 1637 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Albrecht of Hanau Munzenberg amp oldid 1085257850, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
