Ulrich VI of Wurtemberg

Ulrich VI of Wurtemberg (February 8th, 1487 – November 6th, 1550) succeeds his/her uncle Eberhard VI of Wurtemberg like duke of Wurtemberg and count of Montbeliard in 1498. He exerts these loads only starting from 1503, and with several interruptions.

Biography

Ulrich, wire of the count Henri of Wurtemberg and his first wife, is high at the court of Stuttgart by his/her cousin Eberhard V Bearded the. It is only 11 years old when it arrives on the throne. Raised with the dignity of duke, it is from now on Ulrich Ist

One surrounds it by a council of regency to represent it with Montbeliard. This council, called Court of Chancellery, was dissolved only with the French revolution. It repurchased the grounds of the lords of Neuchâtel-in-Burgundy (fields close to the county of Montbeliard) whose family fell in deliquescence, for an amount of 6000 gold guilders. The business gave place to interminable lawsuits.

In 1504, Ulrich serves the king Maximilien Ier of the Saint Worsens during the war of succession of Bavaria, then in various forwardings, in particular against France in 1513. Its relations with the princes of Souabe are very tended. It is already very unpopular, because it overpowers its subjects of exorbitant taxes to satisfy its taste for the luxury and the pleasures. In 1515, it makes kill a knight whose woman is her mistress. His wife and several knights leave it, it is then placed at the round of applause of the company.

After the death of Maximilien (1519), the princes of Wurtemberg drive out it. Exiled, it leaves towards Switzerland, Germany and Montbeliard. It makes various armed robberies and puts at the service François I {{er}}. It becomes Protestant and intervenes in the Révolte of the bumpkins, with like back thought the recovery of Wurtemberg.

All with its project to reconquer its duchy, Ulrich yields in 1526 to his/her half-brother Georges (as a governor), the county of Montbeliard and the dependant seigniories, with clause of repurchase. Ulrich takes again then all the grounds to him of Montbeliard to sell them this time with François Ier, king de France, under condition of repurchase. The business lasts little; time with Ulrich to raise an army to reconquer its duchy of Wurtemberg, and it repurchases the county of Montbeliard with François Ier… It fails finally, the Protestants hardly helping it. It must set out again in exile.

In 1534, thanks to weakening of the Souabe league and the Habsbourg, and with the assistance of Philippe Ier de Hesse and of François Ier, it reconquers the duchy, Ferdinand Ier of the Holy roman Empire defending mollement this one. He is finally recognized duke by Ferdinand but the duchy remains under the dependence of the crown of Austria. The catholic clergy of Württenberg is taxed and must give up many possessions. Ulrich again loses his popularity for made violences. He joined in 1536, the Ligue of Smalkade what ruins the duchy. Charles Quint dispossesses it of several fortified town, receives a strong financial equalization, and sees Ulrich humiliating himself in front of him while coming as begging in Ulm. But contrary to the desire of Ferdinand, Charles Quint allows him to keep his duchy.

Ulrich made come to Montbeliard the preacher Guillaume Farel, whose legend would like that it préchât the Réforme upright on the “Pierre with fish” (this stall with fish is always in good place in the middle of the city). The religious Reform (the Lutheranism) définitiment was définitiment established in 1541.

Some subjects of discords being raised between Ulrich and his Georges half-brother, this last left the county to be withdrawn in the seigniories of Alsace (Riquewihr and Horbourg). Ulrich then entrusted the county of Montbeliard to his only son, Christophe of Wurtemberg, in the capacity as governor (1542).

In 1550, Ulrich died in Tubingen. Christophe of Wurtemberg succeeded to him in all its states.

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