Friedrich Ulrich (Duke of Braunschweig-Wolfenbuttel)

Friedrich Ulrich was the firstborn in the family of the Duke of Braunschweig-Luneburg Heinrich Julius and his second wife, the Danish Princess Elizabeth . He already had the older half-sister of Dorothea Gedwig , the daughter of his father from his first marriage with Dorothea of ​​Saxony . Over the next twenty years, the Crown Prince had nine more brothers and sisters.

Friedrich Ulrich was educated at the University of Tübingen and Helmstedt ; after that he traveled to England and France.

Friedrich Ulrich succeeded the Braunschweig throne in July 1613 after the death of his father. From him, the prince inherited a passion for alcohol and a large public debt, since Heinrich Julius had long since lost control of finances. Friedrich Ulrich was to pay 1.2 million thalers instead.

Since the throne needed heirs, on September 4, 1614, Frederick married 16-year-old Anna Sophia of Brandenburg , the eldest daughter of the Elector of Brandenburg, Johann III Sigismund . Wedding music for this event was written by Michael Pretorius . The marriage was childless.

In 1615, Friedrich Ulrich was involved in a military conflict with the city of Braunschweig due to the fact that he did not recognize him as his overlord. For three months he unsuccessfully held Braunschweig under siege.

The following year, the duke was removed from power by his mother and uncle, King of Denmark Christian IV . The reason was the constant abuse of alcohol and the weak nature of Frederick. Anton Streithorst, a longtime associate of Heinrich Julius, was appointed head of government. Friedrich Ulrich only rejoiced at this turn and enjoyed inaction and lack of responsibility for public affairs. But the transfer of power had negative consequences. The country's economy was destroyed. Due to the minting of coins from cheap metals, inflation reigned in the state.

In 1622, Christian returned to Frederick all powers. With the help of the nobility, the duke regained control of the government. Members of the government of Streichorst fled the country.

During the Thirty Years' War, a significant part of the Braunschweig possessions was sacked. Many territories were captured by Catholic troops led by Johann Tilly .

Prince Franz Albrecht of Saxe-Lauenburg also served in his army, with whom Anna Sophia of Brandenburg maintained a love affair. After a clash at Plessis, letters compromising the duchess were found among the trophies. Anna Sophia fled to the court of her brother Georg Wilhelm , Elector of Brandenburg. From Brandenburg, Anna Sophia wrote complaints about her husband to Emperor Ferdinand II . Georg Wilhelm, in turn, also corresponded with his son-in-law. Friedrich Ulrich demanded a divorce, Anna Sofia refused him this.

The duke died in an accident resulting in a double hip fracture. He was buried in the church of St. Mary in Wolfenbüttel. With the death of Friedrich Ulrich, the middle Wolfenbuttel branch of the Braunschweig house died out, and the lands of the Principality of Wolfenbuttel went to the main branch of Braunschweig, Augustus the Younger became the next Duke of Braunschweig-Wolfenbuttel.

• Horst-Rüdiger Jarck: Friedrich Ulrich, Herzog zu Braunschweig und Lüneburg (Wolfenbüttel). In: Horst-Rüdiger Jarck, Dieter Lent ua (Hrsg.): Braunschweigisches Biographisches Lexikon: 8. bis 18. Jahrhundert. Appelhans, Braunschweig 2006, ISBN 3-937664-46-7 , S.234f.
• Grote, H. (2005) Schloss Wolfenbüttel. Residenz der Herzöge zu Braunschweig und Lüneburg.