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- BIOGRAPHY
Pribislaw was born between 15 January and 3 June 1224, the youngest son of Heinrich Burwin II, co-regent of Mecklenburg, and his wife Cairistiona.
At the division of Mecklenburg in 1234, Pribislaw was awarded Parchim-Richenberg. He grew up at the court of his brother Johann I, but as he was under age Johann ruled Parchim-Richenberg for him until 1238, when he began his rule at the castle of Parchim. His principality included the lands of Parchim (with Brenz and Rosengarten), the land of Ture, and the stewardships of Plau, Goldberg, Sternberg and Richenberg. He soon found himself in border disputes with the counts of Schwerin, causing him to cede Brenz and Neustadt-Glewe. After this feud he succeeded in stabilising the economy of his principality by founding the towns of Goldberg and Sternberg and the settlement of Jews in Parchim. In 1248 he granted Parchim town rights to Goldberg and Sternberg. In 1240 he founded the new town of Parchim on the western bank of the Elde. In 1246 he brought monks of the Franciscan Order to Parchim. In 1248 Pribislaw moved his residential seat from Parchim to the newly built castle of Richenberg Warnow at the village of Kritzow. From then the rule was known as Parchim-Richenberg. The reasons are not precisely known.
A dispute arose with Rudolf, bishop of Schwerin, initially over the payment of tithes but mainly over Rudolf's attempt to build a castle on the border with Parchim-Richenberg. As ruler, Pribislaw saw himself directly threatened by this castle. He had it burned down and locked Rudolf in the dungeon of Richenberg. However the bishop was soon released for a small ransom, and he then tried by every means to overthrow Pribislaw, having him declared an imperial outlaw and obtaining a papal ban of excommunication against him. After a brief court hearing in 1255, Pribislaw was taken prisoner and delivered to the bishop. Pribislaw was deposed and the territory divided among his brothers and his brother-in-law, the count of Schwerin. Pribislaw went into exile in Pomerania and received the rule of Belgard in Pomerania in compensation. When Bishop Rudolf died in 1262, he hoped for the return of his land but his brothers refused. In 1270 he renounced his claims to the land of Parchim-Richenberg and returned to Belgard, where he died on 12 February 1270.
Pribislaw married twice. About 1250 he married the daughter of Richard von Friesack. They had two children of whom Pribislaw II would have progeny. His second wife may have been a daughter of Barnim I 'the Good', Herzog von Pommern. The son of this marriage died without issue.
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