Christian of Brieg
Encyclopedia
Christian of Brieg also known as of Legnica was a Duke
of Legnica
(during 1653-1654 and 1663-1664 with his brothers), Brzeg
(during 1639-1654 with his brothers), Wołów (during 1653-1654 with his brothers, then alone) and Oława (during 1639-1654 with his brothers, then alone). Since 1664, he was the sole ruler as Duke of Legnica-Brzeg-Wołów-Oława.
He was the seventh but third surviving son of John Christian
, Duke of Brzeg
-Legnica
-Wołów-Oława, by his first wife Dorothea Sybille, daughter of John George, Elector of Brandenburg
.
to Europe, during which the he visited the courts of Kings Louis XIII of France
and Charles I of England
. Upon his return to Silesia, his country was in the middle of the Thirty Years' War
. In 1635 the Duke John Christian was sent to Lithuania; at that time, Christian studied in a Calvinist school. During this time, he was allowed to know, among others, King John Casimir of Poland, whose wife Louisa Maria
was the godmother of Christian's short-lived second daughter. Also met his first cousin, Prince Bogusław Radziwiłł, whose mother was the sister of Christian's mother. He also knew another future Polish monarch, Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki. Through teachings at the school in, Christian could learn and mastered the Polish language.
In 1639 Duke John Christian died and his sons inherited their lands. Christian became in Duke of Brzeg and Oława with their brothers George III and Louis IV; however, the full government of the Duchy was taken by the eldest brother George III.
After finishing the school Christian returned to Silesia, still under the hands of the Swedish army. In 1642 he survived the 4-week siege of Brzeg by the Swedish. In December 1645 was captured and imprisoned by the Swedish. Fortunately, Christian managed to escape and notify the Brzeg townspeople who have who were their true master. However, the conditions of his short confinement left him in a poor health. Apart from the incident with the Swedish, he was shot in the foot while hunting.
The death of his uncle George Rudolf in 1653 increased the domains of the brothers, added to their lands Legnica and Wołów. One year later (1654), was made the formal division of their domains: George III retain Brzeg
and Louis IV obtain Legnica
. To Christian, were assigned the two poor and small towns of Wołów and Oława.
In 1663 Louis IV died without surviving issue, and Legnica was inherited by Christian and George III as co-rulers; however, George III died a few months later (1664) without male heirs and Christian could inherited all the lands of the family for the first time since 1547.
In 1668 Christian presented his candidacy to the Polish throne. However, despite the support for the Polish nobility, he wasn't chose as King.
Christian died on 28 February 1672, due to a disease called "Swelling water" . His funeral was held on 31 March 1672 in Legnica
, in the Church of St.John, in a gold-plated coffin, thanks to the contribution of gold coins from his subjects.
on 24 November 1648, Christian married with Louise
(b. Dessau, 10 February 1631 - d. Oława, 25 April 1680), daughter of John Casimir, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
. They had four children:
In his will, Christian left Oława and Wołów to his wife as Oprawa wdowia until her own death.
Dukes of Silesia
The Dukes of Silesia were the sons and descendants of the Polish Duke Bolesław III Wrymouth. In accordance with the last will and testament of Bolesław, upon his death his lands were divided into 4-5 hereditary provinces distributed among his sons, and a royal province of Kraków reserved for the...
of Legnica
Duchy of Legnica
The Duchy of Legnica or Duchy of Liegnitz was one of the Duchies of Silesia. Its capital was Legnica in Lower Silesia....
(during 1653-1654 and 1663-1664 with his brothers), Brzeg
Duchy of Brzeg
The Duchy of Brzeg or Duchy of Brieg , was one of the Duchies of Silesia. Its capital was Brzeg.It was created in 1311 during the fragmentation of the Duchy of Legnica among the sons of Duke Henry V and ruled by Bolesław III the Generous of the Silesian Piasts, who declared himself a vassal of...
(during 1639-1654 with his brothers), Wołów (during 1653-1654 with his brothers, then alone) and Oława (during 1639-1654 with his brothers, then alone). Since 1664, he was the sole ruler as Duke of Legnica-Brzeg-Wołów-Oława.
He was the seventh but third surviving son of John Christian
John Christian of Brieg
John Christian of Brieg , 25 December 1639), was a Duke of Brzeg–Legnica–Wołów ....
, Duke of Brzeg
Brzeg
Brzeg is a town in southwestern Poland with 38,496 inhabitants , situated in Silesia in the Opole Voivodeship on the left bank of the Oder...
-Legnica
Legnica
Legnica is a town in south-western Poland, in Silesia, in the central part of Lower Silesia, on the plain of Legnica, riverside: Kaczawa and Czarna Woda. Between 1 June 1975 and 31 December 1998 Legnica was the capital of the Legnica Voivodeship. It is currently the seat of the county...
-Wołów-Oława, by his first wife Dorothea Sybille, daughter of John George, Elector of Brandenburg
John George, Elector of Brandenburg
John George of Brandenburg was a Prince-elector of the Margraviate of Brandenburg and a Duke of Prussia...
.
Life
In his early years, along with his older brothers, Christian made his Grand TourGrand Tour
The Grand Tour was the traditional trip of Europe undertaken by mainly upper-class European young men of means. The custom flourished from about 1660 until the advent of large-scale rail transit in the 1840s, and was associated with a standard itinerary. It served as an educational rite of passage...
to Europe, during which the he visited the courts of Kings Louis XIII of France
Louis XIII of France
Louis XIII was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1610 to 1643.Louis was only eight years old when he succeeded his father. His mother, Marie de Medici, acted as regent during Louis' minority...
and Charles I of England
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
. Upon his return to Silesia, his country was in the middle of the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
. In 1635 the Duke John Christian was sent to Lithuania; at that time, Christian studied in a Calvinist school. During this time, he was allowed to know, among others, King John Casimir of Poland, whose wife Louisa Maria
Ludwika Maria Gonzaga
Marie Louise Gonzaga was queen consort to two Polish kings: Władysław IV Vasa, and John II Casimir Vasa...
was the godmother of Christian's short-lived second daughter. Also met his first cousin, Prince Bogusław Radziwiłł, whose mother was the sister of Christian's mother. He also knew another future Polish monarch, Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki. Through teachings at the school in, Christian could learn and mastered the Polish language.
In 1639 Duke John Christian died and his sons inherited their lands. Christian became in Duke of Brzeg and Oława with their brothers George III and Louis IV; however, the full government of the Duchy was taken by the eldest brother George III.
After finishing the school Christian returned to Silesia, still under the hands of the Swedish army. In 1642 he survived the 4-week siege of Brzeg by the Swedish. In December 1645 was captured and imprisoned by the Swedish. Fortunately, Christian managed to escape and notify the Brzeg townspeople who have who were their true master. However, the conditions of his short confinement left him in a poor health. Apart from the incident with the Swedish, he was shot in the foot while hunting.
The death of his uncle George Rudolf in 1653 increased the domains of the brothers, added to their lands Legnica and Wołów. One year later (1654), was made the formal division of their domains: George III retain Brzeg
Brzeg
Brzeg is a town in southwestern Poland with 38,496 inhabitants , situated in Silesia in the Opole Voivodeship on the left bank of the Oder...
and Louis IV obtain Legnica
Legnica
Legnica is a town in south-western Poland, in Silesia, in the central part of Lower Silesia, on the plain of Legnica, riverside: Kaczawa and Czarna Woda. Between 1 June 1975 and 31 December 1998 Legnica was the capital of the Legnica Voivodeship. It is currently the seat of the county...
. To Christian, were assigned the two poor and small towns of Wołów and Oława.
In 1663 Louis IV died without surviving issue, and Legnica was inherited by Christian and George III as co-rulers; however, George III died a few months later (1664) without male heirs and Christian could inherited all the lands of the family for the first time since 1547.
In 1668 Christian presented his candidacy to the Polish throne. However, despite the support for the Polish nobility, he wasn't chose as King.
Christian died on 28 February 1672, due to a disease called "Swelling water" . His funeral was held on 31 March 1672 in Legnica
Legnica
Legnica is a town in south-western Poland, in Silesia, in the central part of Lower Silesia, on the plain of Legnica, riverside: Kaczawa and Czarna Woda. Between 1 June 1975 and 31 December 1998 Legnica was the capital of the Legnica Voivodeship. It is currently the seat of the county...
, in the Church of St.John, in a gold-plated coffin, thanks to the contribution of gold coins from his subjects.
Marriage and issue
In DessauDessau
Dessau is a town in Germany on the junction of the rivers Mulde and Elbe, in the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt. Since 1 July 2007, it is part of the merged town Dessau-Roßlau. Population of Dessau proper: 77,973 .-Geography:...
on 24 November 1648, Christian married with Louise
Louise of Anhalt-Dessau
Louise of Anhalt-Dessau , was a German princess of the House of Ascania in the branch of Anhalt-Dessau and by marriage Duchess of Legnica-Brzeg-Wołów-Oława....
(b. Dessau, 10 February 1631 - d. Oława, 25 April 1680), daughter of John Casimir, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
John Casimir, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
John Casimir, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau....
. They had four children:
- KarolinaKarolina of Legnica-BriegKarolina of Legnica-Brieg , was a Princess of Legnica-Brzeg and by marriage Duchess of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Wiesenburg and Princess of Denmark....
(b. Brzeg, 2 December 1652 - d. Wrocław, 24 December 1707), married on 4 July 1672 to Duke Frederick of SchleswigSchleswigSchleswig or South Jutland is a region covering the area about 60 km north and 70 km south of the border between Germany and Denmark; the territory has been divided between the two countries since 1920, with Northern Schleswig in Denmark and Southern Schleswig in Germany...
-HolsteinHolsteinHolstein is the region between the rivers Elbe and Eider. It is part of Schleswig-Holstein, the northernmost state of Germany....
-Sonderburg-Wiesenburg. - Louise (b. Oława, 28 July 1657 - d. Oława, 6 February 1660).
- George WilliamGeorge William, Duke of LiegnitzGeorge William of Legnica was the last Duke of Legnica and Brieg since 1672 until his death.He was the eldest but only surviving son of Christian, Duke of Legnica-Brzeg-Wołów-Oława by his wife Louise, daughter of John Casimir, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau.-Life:Duke Christian, who spent many years in...
(b. Oława, 29 September 1660 - d. Brzeg, 21 November 1675). - Christian Louis (b. 15 January 1664 - d. 27 February 1664).
In his will, Christian left Oława and Wołów to his wife as Oprawa wdowia until her own death.