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Wilhelm II of Henneberg-Schleusingen

Wilhelm II of Henneberg-Schleusingen was born on March 14, 1415, and died in a hunting accident on January 8, 1444, at the age of 28. He was the second husband of Catherine of Hanau (born January 25, 1408; deceased September 25, 1460), who had previously been married to Count Thomas II von Rieneck.

Catherine and Wilhelm were engaged on May 17, 1432, and she waived her legal claims against the county of Rieneck in exchange for a dowry of 8,000 guilders. The marriage took place shortly after, with Catherine receiving an additional morning gift from her groom worth 16,000 guilders.

The couple had six children together: Wilhelm III (born March 12, 1434; deceased May 26, 1480), married to Duchess Margarethe von Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel; Margaret (born 1437; deceased 1491), a nun at the Ilm Monastery; John III (born July 2, 1439; deceased May 20, 1513), abbot of Fulda Monastery; Berthold XII (born January 9, 1441), a clergyman; Berthold XIV (born March 4, 1443; deceased April 20, 1495), provost in Bamberg; and Margaret (born October 10, 1444).

Wilhelm's death was the result of a hunting accident on New Year's Day 1444. He had attempted to kill a wild boar with his sword but was injured severely, leading to his demise just days later.

Following Wilhelm's death, his younger brother Henry XI (VIII) von Henneberg-Schloysingen attempted to claim the succession despite being a clergyman and having renounced it.