Principality of Lüneburg-Dannenberg(-Wolfenbüttel)

Principality of Lüneburg-Dannenberg-Hitzacker(-Wolfenbüttel)

The nonsovereign Principality of Lüneburg-Dannenberg was spun off from Lüneburg-Celle in 1569 when one of the ruling princes (August I) entered into a marriage that was deemed inappropriate and it became expedient to remove him from participation in the Lüneburg government. Initially, the spinoff principality consisted only of Stadt & Amt Dannenberg and Amt Scharnebeck. In 1591, however, Stadt & Amt Hitzacker and Stadt & Amt Lüchow (which had already absorbed Amt Warpke) were added. In 1593, Amt Gümse was added and absorbed into Amt Dannenberg. Finally, in 1617, Amt Wustrow was added.

 

In 1598, August I created a second-level spin-off principality for his son, August II, that consisted solely of Stadt & Amt Hitzacker (simplified name–Lüneburg-Hitzacker). In 1634, August II, despite his relatively low status as a minor prince, outmaneuvered other family members and became the sovereign prince of Wolfenbüttel. His sovereignty did not, however, extend to Amt Hitzacker, where he continued to have only administrative responsibilities.  In 1636, August I died and his son inherited administrative responsibilities for the balance of Lüneburg-Dannenberg (to which Stadt & Amt Hitzacker reverted). To reflect the sovereignty, geography, and administrative responsibilities for territories administered by August II after 1634, I use the simplified names of Lüneburg-Hitzacker-Wolfenbüttel until 1636 and Lüneburg-Dannenberg-Wolfenbüttel thereafter. In 1671, August II died, the Dannenberg principality was dissolved, and administrative responsibility for its constituent Ämter reverted to Lüneburg (no longer -Celle because the principality was fully united).