Duke John William of Saxe-Altenburg
Encyclopedia
Duke John William of Saxe-Altenburg (born: 13 April 1600 in Torgau
; died: 2 December 1632 outside Brzeg
) was a member of the Ernestine branch of the House of Wettin and a titular Duke of Saxe-Altenburg
and of Jülich-Cleves-Berg.
(1562–1602) from his second marriage to Anna Maria (1575–1643), daughter of Duke Philip Louis of Neuburg
.
After the death of his father John William inherited the Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg jointly with his brothers John Philip
, Frederick
and Frederick William II
. Initially, the guardianship of the princes was taken up by the Elector of Saxony and their uncle John II. After John II died in 1605, the Elector was their sol guardian.
After the War of the Jülich succession
, the brothers had been invested with Jülich, Cleves and Berg. However, they were only nominally Dukes and took the coat of arms. In 1612, the brothers went to the University of Leipzig to complete their education. In 1618, the oldest brother John Philip came of age and began to rule independently. The younger brothers agreed that he would rule alone, in exchange for a financial compensation. Initially, the agreement was for a limited number of years. In 1624, however, it was extended indefinitely. John William made his Grand Tour
to Italy, Holland, France, England and Hungary together with his brother Frederick William.
In the Thirty Years' War
John William served as a colonel in the Saxon army. In 1632, he died of a fever in an army camp outside Brzeg
. He was buried in the St. Sophia Church in Dresden.
Torgau
Torgau is a town on the banks of the Elbe in northwestern Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district Nordsachsen.Outside Germany, the town is most well known as the place where during the Second World War, United States Army forces coming from the west met with forces of the Soviet Union...
; died: 2 December 1632 outside Brzeg
Brzeg
Brzeg is a town in southwestern Poland with 38,496 inhabitants , situated in Silesia in the Opole Voivodeship on the left bank of the Oder...
) was a member of the Ernestine branch of the House of Wettin and a titular Duke of Saxe-Altenburg
Saxe-Altenburg
Saxe-Altenburg was one of the Saxon duchies held by the Ernestine branch of the Wettin dynasty in present-day Thuringia.-History:The duchy originated from the medieval Burgraviate of Altenburg in the Imperial Pleissnerland , a possession of the Wettin Margraves of Meissen since 1243...
and of Jülich-Cleves-Berg.
Life
John William was the second son of Duke Frederick William I of Saxe-WeimarFrederick William I, Duke of Saxe-Weimar
Frederick William I , was a duke of Saxe-Weimar. He was the eldest son of John William, Duke of Saxe-Weimar and Dorothea Susanne of Simmern.-Life:...
(1562–1602) from his second marriage to Anna Maria (1575–1643), daughter of Duke Philip Louis of Neuburg
Philip Louis, Count Palatine of Neuburg
Philip Louis of Neuburg was the Duke of Palatinate-Neuburg from 1569 until 1614.-Life:Philip Louis was born in Zweibrücken in 1547 as the eldest son of Wolfgang, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken. After his father's death in 1569, his lands were partitioned between Philip Louis and his four brothers -...
.
After the death of his father John William inherited the Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg jointly with his brothers John Philip
John Philip, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg
John Philip, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg , was a duke of Saxe-Altenburg.He was the eldest surviving son of Frederick William I, Duke of Saxe-Weimar and Anna Maria of the Palatinate-Neuburg, his second wife.-Childhood:When his father died , John Philip and his younger brothers Frederick, John...
, Frederick
Duke Frederick of Saxe-Altenburg (1599–1625)
Frederick of Saxe-Altenburg was a member of the Ernestine branche of the House of Wettin and a Duke of Saxe-Altenburg and Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg...
and Frederick William II
Frederick William II, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg
Frederick Wilhelm II, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg , was a duke of Saxe-Altenburg.He was the youngest son of Frederick Wilhelm I, Duke of Saxe-Weimar and Anna Maria of the Palatinate-Neuburg, his second wife...
. Initially, the guardianship of the princes was taken up by the Elector of Saxony and their uncle John II. After John II died in 1605, the Elector was their sol guardian.
After the War of the Jülich succession
War of the Jülich Succession
The War of the Jülich Succession was a conflict that began in 1609 and ended in 1614 with the signing of the Treaty of Xanten.-Background:...
, the brothers had been invested with Jülich, Cleves and Berg. However, they were only nominally Dukes and took the coat of arms. In 1612, the brothers went to the University of Leipzig to complete their education. In 1618, the oldest brother John Philip came of age and began to rule independently. The younger brothers agreed that he would rule alone, in exchange for a financial compensation. Initially, the agreement was for a limited number of years. In 1624, however, it was extended indefinitely. John William made his Grand Tour
Grand Tour
The Grand Tour was the traditional trip of Europe undertaken by mainly upper-class European young men of means. The custom flourished from about 1660 until the advent of large-scale rail transit in the 1840s, and was associated with a standard itinerary. It served as an educational rite of passage...
to Italy, Holland, France, England and Hungary together with his brother Frederick William.
In the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
John William served as a colonel in the Saxon army. In 1632, he died of a fever in an army camp outside Brzeg
Brzeg
Brzeg is a town in southwestern Poland with 38,496 inhabitants , situated in Silesia in the Opole Voivodeship on the left bank of the Oder...
. He was buried in the St. Sophia Church in Dresden.