Hugo, Burggraf von Leisnig

https://genealogics.org/getperson.php?personID=I00109347&tree=LEO

BIOGRAPHY Hugo was born in Colditz on 21 June 1465, the son of Georg, Burggraf von Leisnig, and Johanna von Colditz, heiress of Bilin in Bohemia. On 19 October 1494 he married Dorothea Schenk von Landsberg, daughter of Otto Schenk von Landsberg and Amabilia von Biberstein in Sorau. Of their six children only Amalie would have progeny, with both her husbands Ernst III von Schönburg-Waldenburg-Lichtenstein and Philipp, Graf von Mansfeld.

Before the house of Wettin succeeded in establishing its rule in Saxony, the local feudal lords in the immediate area enjoyed considerable authority and independence. Even during the Reformation, at the beginning of 16th century, there existed in these lands, alongside the Wettin fiefs, those of the bishoprics of Naumburg-Zeitz and Merseburg. Among the latter were those held by the burgraves of Leisnig. Hugo was the last of these.

Hugo lived in Penig. His financial endeavours were not crowned with success in his lifetime. Hugo's father died in the service of Hungary during the war against the Turks, leaving considerable debts. To meet the resulting financial obligations, Hugo was forced repeatedly to enter the service of great princes as an officer.

Nevertheless, many important lords of the region held fiefs granted by him. The towns of Borna and Rochlitz were enfeoffed to him. Unlike the Wettins, it was not possible for the Leisnig burgraves at the end of the Middle Ages to convert their holdings into a contiguous territorial unit. The nobles enfeoffed by the burgraves usually also held estates received from other lords.

Although Hugo did not explicitly commit to the Lutheran Reformation, he was tolerant of the new doctrine. His mother had grown up in Bohemia where the Hussites had great influence at that time. About 1535, aged about seventy, he married Amalie Schwichowsky von Riesenburg. Hugo died on 21 March 1538, a year after the death of his elder son and heir Georg II. His lands were taken over by the house of Wettin.