Eric I, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg
| Eric I Erich I. von Sachsen, Engern und Westfalen (de) |
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officially: Duke of Saxony, Angria and Westphalia colloquially: Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg or Duke of Saxe-Ratzeburg-Lauenburg |
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Duchy of Saxony (Joint rule with his uncle Albert II, at first fostering his nephews, and his brothers Albert III and John II) |
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| Joint Reign | 1282–1296 |
| Predecessors | John I and Albert II |
| Successors | Eric I, Albert III and John II (jointly ruling in partitioned Saxe-Lauenburg) |
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Duchy of Saxe-Lauenburg (Joint rule with his brothers Albert III and John II) |
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| Joint Reign | 1296–1303 |
| Joint predecessors | Eric I, Albert II, Albert III and John II |
| Successor | Eric I (ruling alone in partitioned Saxe-Bergedorf-Lauenburg) |
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Duchy of Saxe-Bergedorf-Lauenburg (partitioned as branch duchy from Saxe-Lauenburg) |
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| Reign | 1303–1308 |
| Predecessor | Albert III, Eric I, and John II (joint rule) |
| Successor | Eric I (ruling alone in repartitioned Saxe-Ratzeburg-Lauenburg) |
| Duchy of Saxe-Ratzeburg-Lauenburg (repartitioned at the reversion of Saxe-Ratzeburg to Eric I) | |
| Reign | 1308–1338 |
| Predecessor | Eric I (ruling alone in partitioned Saxe-Bergedorf-Lauenburg) |
| Successor | Eric II of Saxe-Lauenburg |
| Born | ca. 1280 |
| Died | 1360 Nienburg upon Weser |
| Consort | Elisabeth of Pomerania |
| Issue Detail |
Eric II (*-1368*) John I, Prince-Bishop of Cammin Helene (*?–after 1354*) Jutta (*?–after 1354*) |
| House of | Ascania (by birth) |
| Father | John I, Duke of Saxony |
| Mother | Ingeborg Birgersdotter of Småland |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
Eric I of Saxe-Lauenburg (c.1280–1360) was a son of John I, Duke of Saxony, and Ingeborg Birgersdotter of Småland (*ca. 1253–30 June 1302*, Mölln), a daughter or grandchild of Birger jarl. He ruled Saxony jointly with his uncle Albert II and his brothers Albert III and John II, first fostered by Albert II, until coming of age. In 1296 Eric, his brothers and their uncle divided Saxony into Saxe-Wittenberg, ruled by Albert II, and Saxe-Lauenburg, jointly ruled by the brothers between 1296 and 1303 and thereafter partitioned among them. Eric then ruled the branch duchy of Saxe-Ratzeburg-Lauenburg until 1338.
Eric's father John I resigned from dukedom in 1282 in favour of his three minor sons Albert III, Eric I, and John II. However, their uncle Albert II fostered them. Eric and his brothers came to age and joined the government. The last document, mentioning the brothers and their uncle Albert II as Saxon fellow dukes dates back to 1295.
The definite partitioning of Saxony into Saxe-Lauenburg, jointly ruled by Eric I and his brothers and Saxe-Wittenberg, ruled by their uncle Albert II, took place before 20 September 1296, when the Vierlande, Sadelbande (Land of Lauenburg), the Land of Ratzeburg, the Land of Darzing (later Amt Neuhaus), and the Land of Hadeln are mentioned as the separate territory of the brothers. Albert II received Saxe-Wittenberg around the eponymous city and Belzig.
Eric I and his brothers at first jointly ruled Saxe-Lauenburg, before they partitioned it into three parts, while the exclave Land of Hadeln remained a trilateral condominium. Eric then held Bergedorf (Vierlande) and Lauenburg and inherited the share of his childless brother Albert III, Saxe-Ratzeburg, after he already deceased in 1308 and a retained section from Albert's widow Margaret of Brandenburg-Salzwedel on her death. However, his other brother then claimed a part for him, so in 1321 Eric passed Bergedorf (Vierlande) on to John II, whose share thus became known since as Saxe-Bergedorf-Mölln and Eric's as Saxe-Ratzeburg-Lauenburg.
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