Saxe-Lauenburg

Duchy of Saxe-Lauenburg
Herzogtum Sachsen-Lauenburg
  • 1296–1803
  • 1814–1876
Flag of Saxe-Lauenburg
Flag of the 19th century
Coat of arms (1507–1671) of Saxe-Lauenburg
Coat of arms (1507–1671)
The Duchy of Saxe-Lauenburg in 1848 (map in Dutch)
The Duchy of Saxe-Lauenburg in 1848 (map in Dutch)
Status
CapitalLauenburg/Elbe
Ratzeburg (from 1619)
GovernmentDuchy
Duke 
• 1296–1303
Eric I (first)
• 1865–1876
William (last)
Historical eraMiddle Ages
• Partitioned from Duchy of Saxony
1296
• Partitioned into Saxe-Mölln-Bergedorf and Saxe-Ratzeburg
1303–1401
1689–1705
• Personal union with Hanover
1705–1803
• Dissolved during Napoleonic Wars
1803–1814
• Personal union with Denmark
1814–1864
• Personal union with Prussia
1865–1876
• Merged into Prussia
1876
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Duchy of Saxony
Province of Schleswig-Holstein
Today part ofGermany
Saxe-Lauenburg c. 1400 (green), including the tracts south of the Elbe and the Amt Neuhaus, but without Hadeln out of the map downstream the Elbe

The Duchy of Saxe-Lauenburg (German: Herzogtum Sachsen-Lauenburg, called Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony) between the 14th and 17th centuries; Danish: Hertugdømmet Sachsen-Lauenborg), was a reichsfrei duchy that existed from 1296 to 1803 and again from 1814 to 1876 in the extreme southeast region of what is now Schleswig-Holstein. Its territorial center was in the modern district of Herzogtum Lauenburg and originally its eponymous capital was Lauenburg upon Elbe, though the capital moved to Ratzeburg in 1619.