Wartislaw IX, Duke of Pomerania

Wartislaw IX of Pomerania-Wolgast
Born	around 1400
Died	17 April 1457 Wolgast
Spouse	Sophie of Saxe-Lauenburg-Ratzeburg
House	House of Griffins
Father	Barnim VI, Duke of Pomerania
Mother	Veronica

Duke Wartislaw IX of Pomerania-Wolgast (c. 1400 – 17 April 1457, Wolgast) was the eldest son of the Duke Barnim VI, Duke of Pomerania and Veronica. Europaische Stammtafaln does not cite an origin for Veronica.

He reigned from 1417 until his death in 1457 and he married to Sophia of Saxe-Lauenburg-Ratzeburg in 1420. They had 4 children: Eric II, Wartislav X, Elizabeth and Christopher (who died young).

In his youth, Wartislaw IX had some bad experiences. The High Marshall of Pomerania-Wolgast, Degener Buggenhagen was killed before his eyes in 1417 or 1419 by Henneke von Behr, the favorite of the Duchess Agnes, widow of his uncle Wartislav VIII. He did this because Buggenhagen had previously killed Curdt Bonow, another of the duchess's favorite. Henneke von Behr was prosecuted. Some sources say he drowned trying to escape from Usedom Castle; other sources say he was taken prisoner in his castle at Nustrow and executed in Stralsund. Probably influenced by these events, Wartislav IX agreed with the cities and nobility of his country on the establishment of a Quatember Court, to ensure the rule of law.

From 1425, Wartislav had to share power in Western Pomerania north of the Peene river with his brother Barnim VII and his cousins Barnim VIII and Swantibor III. However, he outlived them all and at the ed of his life he ruled Pomerania-Wolgast west of Swine river alone. Like his cousins in Stettin, he had to deal with the ambitions of the House of Hohenzollern, who ruled neighbouring Brandenburg from 1411 onwards. His worries focused on the Brandenburger estates of Torgelow and Pasewalk, which the Dukes of Wolgast held since 1369 as securities for a loan. A peace treaty of 1448 transferred ownership of these estates to Pomerania

In the so-called Golden Privilege of 1452, Wartislav granted extensive concessions to the cities, especially the powerful city of Stralsund (led by mayor Otto Voge). A lasting legacy was the founding of the University of Greifswald in 1456. He died just six months after the formal opening of the alma mater gryphiswaldensis, but he had arranged numerous grants and the fledgling university was financially secure.

Ancestors

Family of Wartislaw IX, Duke of Pomerania

16. Wartislaw IV, Duke of Pomerania               8. Barnim IV, Duke of Pomerania                       17. Elisabeth of Lindow-Ruppin               4. Wartislaw VI, Duke of Pomerania                             18. John II of Werle               9. Sophie of Werle                       19. Matilda of Brunswick-Grubenhagen               2. Barnim VI, Duke of Pomerania                                   20. Henry II of Mecklenburg               10. John I, Duke of Mecklenburg-Stargard                       21. Anna of Saxe-Wittenberg               5. Anne of Mecklenburg-Stargard                             22. Adolf VII of Holstein-Pinneberg and Schauenburg               11. Anna of Holstein-Pinneberg and Schauenburg                       23. Anna of Mecklenburg-Schwerin               1. Wartislaw IX, Duke of Pomerania

References

Wartislaw IX, Duke of Pomerania House of Pomerania Born: c. 1400 Died: 17 April 1457
Preceded by Barnim VI	Duke of Pomerania-Wolgast 1405-1457 With: Barnim VII	Succeeded by Eric II