Francis II, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg
| Francis II | |
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Portrait of Francis II with his wife Mary and their family, originally in Franzhagen Castle chapel, now in St. Mary's Church in Büchen.
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| Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg | |
| Reign | 1586–1619 |
| Predecessor | Francis I |
| Successor | Augustus |
| Co-ruler | Maurice |
| Born |
10 August 1547 Ratzeburg |
| Died | 2 July 1619 (aged 71) Lauenburg upon Elbe |
| Burial | St. Mary Magdalene Church, Lauenburg upon Elbe |
| Consort |
Margaret of Pomerania-Wolgast Maria of Brunswick-Lüneburg |
| Issue more.... |
Augustus Francis Julius Francis Charles Francis Henry |
| House | House of Ascania |
| Father | Francis I of Saxe-Lauenburg |
| Mother | Sybille of Saxe-Freiberg |
| Religion | Lutheran |
Francis II of Saxe-Lauenburg (Ratzeburg, 10 August 1547 – 2 July 1619, Lauenburg upon Elbe), was the third son of Francis I of Saxe-Lauenburg and Sybille of Saxe-Freiberg (Freiberg, 2 May 1515 – 18 July 1592, Buxtehude), daughter of Duke Henry IV the Pious of Saxony. From 1581 on he ruled Saxe-Lauenburg as duke.
As the third born son and with primogeniture in Saxe-Lauenburg Francis II made a military career in imperial services. In 1571 his highly indebted father Francis I resigned in favour of his eldest surviving son Magnus II, who had promised to redeem the pawned ducal demesnes with funds he gained as Swedish military commander and by his marriage to a Swedish princess. However, Magnus did not redeem pawns but further alienated ducal possessions, which ignited a conflict between Magnus and his father and brothers as well as the estates of the duchy, further escalating due to Magnus' violent temperament.
In 1573 Francis deposed Magnus and reascended to the throne. The following year Magnus hired troops in order to take Saxe-Lauenburg with violence. Francis II, an experienced military commander, and Duke Adolphus of Holstein-Gottorp, then Lower Saxon Circle Colonel (Kreisobrist), then helped Francis I to defeat Magnus. In return Saxe-Lauenburg had to cede the bailiwick of Steinhorst to Adolphus' Holstein-Gottorp in 1575. Francis II again helped his father to inhibit Magnus' second military attempt to overthrow his father in 1578. Francis I then made Francis II his vicegerent actually governing the duchy.
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