Johann, Duke of Saxe-Weimar
Encyclopedia
John II, Duke of Saxe-Weimar (Johann Maria Wilhelm) (Weimar
, 22 May 1570 – Weimar
, 18 July 1605), was a Duke of Saxe-Weimar
and Jena
.
and Dorothea Susanne of Simmern
.
His father died in 1573, when John was only three years old. Since at the time his older brother Frederick William I
was also under age, the duchy of Saxe-Weimar (originally awarded to John) was governed by a regency. In 1586 his older brother reached adulthood and took full control of the duchy, including Weimar
. However, he died in 1602 and the full duchy was inherited by John, because his nephews (the sons of his deceased brother) were under age.
John was more interested in natural sciences and art than politics, and therefore only against his will took over the regency of the duchy on behalf of his nephews. But when they demanded their own inheritance in 1603, he resisted their demands. Finally, John and his nephews made a treaty dividing the duchy: Altenburg
was taken by the sons of Frederick William I, and Weimar
-Jena
was retained by John.
This line of Saxe-Altenburg
became extinct in 1672, and all the inheritance passed to the line of Saxe-Weimar, John's descendants.
on 7 January 1593, John married Dorothea Maria of Anhalt
(b. 2 July 1574 d. 18 July 1617). They had twelve children:
Weimar
Weimar is a city in Germany famous for its cultural heritage. It is located in the federal state of Thuringia , north of the Thüringer Wald, east of Erfurt, and southwest of Halle and Leipzig. Its current population is approximately 65,000. The oldest record of the city dates from the year 899...
, 22 May 1570 – Weimar
Weimar
Weimar is a city in Germany famous for its cultural heritage. It is located in the federal state of Thuringia , north of the Thüringer Wald, east of Erfurt, and southwest of Halle and Leipzig. Its current population is approximately 65,000. The oldest record of the city dates from the year 899...
, 18 July 1605), was a Duke of Saxe-Weimar
Saxe-Weimar
Saxe-Weimar was one of the Saxon duchies held by the Ernestine branch of the Wettin dynasty in present-day Thuringia. The chief town and capital was Weimar.-Division of Leipzig:...
and Jena
Jena
Jena is a university city in central Germany on the river Saale. It has a population of approx. 103,000 and is the second largest city in the federal state of Thuringia, after Erfurt.-History:Jena was first mentioned in an 1182 document...
.
Biography
He was the second son of John William, Duke of Saxe-WeimarJohn William, Duke of Saxe-Weimar
John William , was a duke of Saxe-Weimar. He was also the last Duke of Saxony and Landgrave of Thuringia.He was the second son of John Frederick I, Elector of Saxony, and Sybille of Cleves....
and Dorothea Susanne of Simmern
Dorothea Susanne of Simmern
Dorothea Susanne of Simmern was a princess of the Electoral Palatinate and by marriage Duchess of Saxe-Weimar.- Life :...
.
His father died in 1573, when John was only three years old. Since at the time his older brother Frederick William I
Frederick 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:...
was also under age, the duchy of Saxe-Weimar (originally awarded to John) was governed by a regency. In 1586 his older brother reached adulthood and took full control of the duchy, including Weimar
Weimar
Weimar is a city in Germany famous for its cultural heritage. It is located in the federal state of Thuringia , north of the Thüringer Wald, east of Erfurt, and southwest of Halle and Leipzig. Its current population is approximately 65,000. The oldest record of the city dates from the year 899...
. However, he died in 1602 and the full duchy was inherited by John, because his nephews (the sons of his deceased brother) were under age.
John was more interested in natural sciences and art than politics, and therefore only against his will took over the regency of the duchy on behalf of his nephews. But when they demanded their own inheritance in 1603, he resisted their demands. Finally, John and his nephews made a treaty dividing the duchy: Altenburg
Altenburg
Altenburg is a town in the German federal state of Thuringia, 45 km south of Leipzig. It is the capital of the Altenburger Land district.-Geography:...
was taken by the sons of Frederick William I, and Weimar
Weimar
Weimar is a city in Germany famous for its cultural heritage. It is located in the federal state of Thuringia , north of the Thüringer Wald, east of Erfurt, and southwest of Halle and Leipzig. Its current population is approximately 65,000. The oldest record of the city dates from the year 899...
-Jena
Jena
Jena is a university city in central Germany on the river Saale. It has a population of approx. 103,000 and is the second largest city in the federal state of Thuringia, after Erfurt.-History:Jena was first mentioned in an 1182 document...
was retained by John.
This line 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...
became extinct in 1672, and all the inheritance passed to the line of Saxe-Weimar, John's descendants.
Ancestry
Family
In AltenburgAltenburg
Altenburg is a town in the German federal state of Thuringia, 45 km south of Leipzig. It is the capital of the Altenburger Land district.-Geography:...
on 7 January 1593, John married Dorothea Maria of Anhalt
Dorothea Maria of Anhalt
Dorothea Maria of Anhalt , was by birth a member of the House of Ascania and princess of Anhalt...
(b. 2 July 1574 d. 18 July 1617). They had twelve children:
- John Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Weimar (b. Altenburg, 21 February 1594 - d. Sankt Martin, Hungary, 6 December 1626).
- Christian William (b. and d. Altenburg, 6 April 1595).
- FrederickDuke Frederick of Saxe-Weimar (1596-1622)Duke Frederick of Saxe-Weimar was a prince from the Ernestine branch of the House of Wettin and a Colonel in the Thirty Years' War.- Life :...
(b. Altenburg, 1 March 1596 - killed in battle, Fleurus, Belgium, 19 August 1622). - John (b. Weimar, 31 March 1597 - d. Weimar, 6 October 1604).
- William, Duke of Saxe-Weimar (b. Altenburg, 11 April 1598 - d. Weimar, 17 May 1662).
- stillborn son (Altenburg, 11 April 1598), twin of William.
- Albert IV, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach (b. Altenburg, 27 July 1599 - d. Eisenach, 20 December 1644).
- John Frederick (b. Altenburg, 19 September 1600 - d. Weimar, 17 October 1628).
- Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-GothaErnest I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Family and children:In Altenburg on 24 October 1636, Ernst married his cousin Elisabeth Sophie of Saxe-Altenburg. As a result of this marriage Saxe-Gotha and Saxe-Altenburg were unified, when the last duke of the line died childless in 1672. Ernst and Elisabeth Sophie had eighteen children:#...
(b. Altenburg, 25 December 1601 - d. Schloß Friedenstein, Gotha, 26 March 1675). - Frederick William (b. Weimar, 7 February 1603 - d. Georgenthal, 16 August 1619).
- BernhardBernhard of Saxe-WeimarBernard of Saxe-Weimar was a German prince and general in the Thirty Years' War.-Biography:Born in Weimar within the Duchy of Saxe-Weimar, Bernard was the eleventh son of Johann, Duke of Saxe-Weimar, and Dorothea Maria of Anhalt.Bernard received an unusually good education and studied at the...
(b. Weimar, 6 August 1604 - d. Neuenburg, 18 July 1639), Count of Franken (1633). - Joanna (b. posthumously, Weimar, 14 April 1606 - d. Weimar, 3 July 1609).