Henry Julius (; 15 October 1564 – 30 July 1613), a member of the House of Welf, was Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and ruling Prince of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel from 1589 until his death. He also served as administrator of the Prince-Bishopric of Halberstadt from 1566 and of the Prince-Bishopric of Minden between 1582 and 1585. Biography Early life Henry Julius was born in Hessen am Fallstein as the eldest son of Duke Julius of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1528–1589) and his wife Hedwig of Brandenburg (1540–1602), at the time when the Principality of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel was still under the rule of his grandfather Duke Henry V. Already in 1566, at the age of two, he was elected Lutheran administrator of the Halberstadt bishopric by the cathedral chapter; however, a condition of his election was an agreement that the cathedral chapter would lead the prince-bishopric under its own authority until Henry Julius reached the age of 14. His father implemented the Protestant Reformation in the Wolfenbüttel lands upon his accession in 1568. In 1576 he appointed Henry Julius first rector of the newly established Protestant University of Helmstedt. Even though he was only twelve years old, Henry Julius participated in theological debates among the faculty that were held in Latin. After finishing his study in law, he was employed by his father as a court judge. When he came of age, he was rated one of the most educated princes of his time. Career Henry Julius took over administration of the Halbertstadt prince-bishopric in 1578, he became active as a temporal as well as spiritual ruler. He improved general education in the episcopal lands, and completed the implementation of the Protestant Reformation begun by his father, although he allowed Catholic office holders to keep their privileges — except that he strictly prohibited priests from having mistresses. In view of his moderate policies, he also was offered the position of an administrator of the Minden prince-bishopric and was elected by the cathedral chapter in 1582. Nevertheless, expectations were disappointed, when Henry Julius ordered that all sermons ought to be preached according to the Augsburg Confession. When he resigned from office three years later, to marry the Wettin princess Dorothea of Saxony, he left a virtual Lutheran diocese. In 1589, when Henry Julius succeeded his father as ruler of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, he replaced Saxon by Roman Law, and instead of local nobles, lawyers with academic degrees now served as judges.