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Otto IV of Schaumburg
Born1517
Died21 December 1576
NationalityGerman
Grave monument for Otto IV and his two wives in St. Martini Church in Stadthagen.

Otto IV of Schaumburg (1517 – 21 December 1576) was a German nobleman. He was a ruling Count of Schauenburg and of Holstein-Pinneberg. He was a son of Jobst I and his wife Mary of Nassau-Siegen, a daughter of Count John V of Nassau-Siegen.

He adopted the teachings of Martin Luther. However, with respect to his elder brothers Cologne's Archbishop-Electors Adolphus III (reg. 1547–1556) and Anthony I (reg. 1557–1558) he refrained from open confrontation. In 1559 he officially began the Reformation in Schauenburg and Holstein-Pinneberg. These areas remained Lutheran throughout the Counter-Reformation and into modern times.

Marriages and issue

Otto first married Mary (*1527–1554*), daughter of Duke Barnim XI of Pomerania-Stettin. Mary and Otto had four sons:

In 1558 Otto married a second time, with Elisabeth Ursula (*1539–1586*), a daughter of Ernest I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. Elisabeth Ursula and Otto had two daughters and one son:

See also

References

Otto of SchaumburgHouse of SchaumburgBorn: 1517 Died: 21 December 1576 in Bückeburg Catholic Church titles Regnal titles Preceded byBalthasar Merklin Prince-Bishop of Hildesheimas Otto III 1533–1537 Succeeded byValentin von Teutleben Regnal titles Preceded byJohn V Count of Schaumburg and Holstein-Pinnebergas Otto IV 1544–1576with his elder brother John V (1531–1560) Succeeded byAdolphus XI