Editing Principality of Calenberg (section)

=== Welf inheritance divisions ===
[[File:Calenberg (Merian).jpg|thumb|upright=2|Calenberg Castle in 1654]]

The Welf dukes did not inherit their land by [[primogeniture]] and this resulted in the late [[Middle Ages]] in numerous Welf estates and a great fragmentation of Welf territory. In 1400 the ''Vogtei'' of Calenberg went to the [[Principality of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel|Wolfenbüttel line]] of the Welfs. In 1408 and 1409 they were able to purchase the county of [[House of Everstein|Everstein]] and the lordship of [[Lords of Homburg|Homburg]] after the extinction of their reigning families. These were added to the ''Vogtei'' of Calenberg. In a further Welf inheritance in 1432 - the ninth according to Gudrun Pischke - the area was divided again by the Welf dukes [[William the Victorious, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg|William the Victorious]] and [[Henry the Peaceful, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg|Henry the Peaceful]] who had hitherto ruled jointly in the [[Principality of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel]].<ref>[http://www.gwleibniz.com/brunswick/brunswick.html ''The House of Brunswick''] at Leibnitiana. Retrieved on 25 Jun 2010.</ref> While Henry retained the Wolfenbüttel lands, William was compensated with the newly created Principality of Calenberg. At that time, the lordship given to William had no name. It consisted of the rights formerly owned by the [[Principality of Lüneburg]] between the Deister range and the Leine river, as well as the former [[County of Wölpe]], the lordship of Hallermund near [[Springe]] and the Homburg and Everstein dominions.

As the Welf princes all carried the ducal title and the territories they ruled were principalities within the [[Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg]], their dominions were named after the main castle or town. William spent most of his time at Calenberg Castle from where he administered the territory. As a result, it is probable that the name of the Principality of Calenberg emerged during this time.