William (German Wilhelm; died 1495 or 1503) was duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and ruled over the Wolfenbüttel and Göttingen principalities. The eldest son of William the Victorious, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, he was given the Principality of Göttingen by his father in 1473. In 1482 the father died, and he and his brother Frederick succeeded their father in the remaining parts of his state; however, William had Frederick imprisoned in 1484 and made himself sole ruler. In 1490 he bought the City of Helmstedt from the Abbott of Werden. In 1491, William gave the Principality of Wolfenbüttel including Calenberg to his sons, and kept only Göttingen to himself.
Family
William married Elizabeth, daughter of Bodo VII, Count of Stolberg-Wernigerode. They had three children:
- Anne, married William I, Landgrave of Lower Hesse (died 1520)
- Henry (1463-1513)
- Eric (1470-1540)
References
| Preceded by William the Victorious |
Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg, Prince of Göttingen 1473–1495 |
Succeeded by Eric I |
| Preceded by William the Victorious |
Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg, Prince of Wolfenbüttel 1482–1491 |
Succeeded by Henry the Evil and Eric I |
