Adolf, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp
| Adolf | |
|---|---|
Duke Adolf in cuirass, painting by an unknown author, 1586.
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| Duke of Holstein-Gottorp | |
| Reign | 1544–1586 |
| Predecessor | Christian III of Denmark |
| Successor | Frederick II of Holstein-Gottorp Frederick II of Denmark and Norway |
| Born | 25 January 1526 |
| Died | 1 August 1586 |
| Spouse | Christine of Hesse |
| Issue |
Frederick II Sophia Philip Christine of Holstein-Gottorp Elisabeth Johann Adolf of Holstein-Gottorp Anna of Holstein-Gottorp Christian Agnes John Frederick of Holstein-Gottorp, Prince-Bishop |
| Father | Frederick I of Denmark |
| Mother | Sophie of Pomerania |
Adolf of Holstein-Gottorp (25 January 1526 – 1 October 1586) was the first Duke of Holstein-Gottorp from the line of Holstein-Gottorp of the House of Oldenburg.
He was the third son of King Frederick I of Denmark and his second wife Sophie of Pomerania. Frederick had his son educated by Landgrave Philip I of Hesse. He spent four years in the Philip's castle in Kassel.
In 1544 Adolf, his brother Johann, and their half-brother King Christian III of Denmark, divided the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein. The areas were divided according to approximately equal tax proceeds. Adolf, as the youngest, was entitled the first choice. Since he selected the part with the castle Gottorp, the line of the house Oldenburg created by him was called Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp.
Until the Treaty of Speyer, concluded on 23 May 1544, Adolf's half-brother Christian III of Denmark ruled the entire Duchies of Holstein and Schleswig in the name of the then still minor Adolf and his brother John the Elder (Hans den Ældre). They determined their youngest brother Frederick was to have a career as Lutheran administrator. In 1551 Frederick became administrator of the Prince-Bishopric of Hildesheim.
In 1544, following negotiations between the elder three brothers and the nobility of the duchies, the brothers decided to partition the duchies of Holstein and Schleswig between themselves. The revenues of the duchies were divided into three equal shares by assigning the revenues of particular areas and landed estates to each of the elder brothers. Other general revenues, such as taxes from towns and customs duties, were levied together and then shared among the brothers.
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