30 June 1468 A.D. Birth of 1st “Protestant” Prince of Germany, “John the Constant” Frederick 1, Signator of Diet of Speyers & Augsburg Confession, and “Champion of the Reformation”

30 June 1468 A.D.  Birth of 1^st “Protestant” Prince of Germany,  “John the Constant” Frederick 1, Signator of Diet of Speyers & Augsburg Confession, and “Champion of the Reformation”

John of Saxony (30 June 1468 – 16 August 1532), known as John the Steadfast or John the Constant, was Elector of Saxony from 1525 until 1532. He was a member of the House of Wettin.

Contents 

1 Biography

2 Marriage and children

3 Ancestry

4 External links

Biography

Born in Meissen, he was the fifth of the seven children of Ernest, Elector of Saxony and Elisabeth of Bavaria.

The deaths of his older brothers Ernest (1513) and Albert (1484) made him the heir of his brother Frederick the Wise; when he died in 1525, John inherited the title of Elector. As his nickname "The Steadfast" indicates, he resolutely continued the policies of his brother toward protecting the progress of the Protestant Reformation. In 1527 the Lutheran Church was established as the state church in Ernestine Saxony, with the Elector as Chief Bishop. He was a leader of the Schmalkaldic League of Protestant states formed in 1530 to protect the Reformation.

Guldengroschen of Saxony, c. 1508-1525. The obverse shows John's older brother, Frederick, while on the reverse, John is portrayed face to face with George, Duke of Saxony.

He died in Schweinitz. After his death he was, like his brother Frederick, buried in the famous Castle Church in Wittenberg with a grave by Hans Vischer. He was succeeded by his eldest son John Frederick.

Marriage and children

In Torgau on 1 March 1500 Johann married firstly Sophie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, daughter of Magnus II, Duke of Mecklenburg. They had one son:

John Frederick I, Elector of Saxony (b. Torgau, 30 June 1503 – d. Weimar, 3 March 1554).

In Torgau on 13 November 1513 John married secondly Margaret of Anhalt-Köthen. They had four children:

Maria (b. Weimar, 15 December 1515 – d. Wolgast, 7 January 1583), married on 27 February 1536 to Duke Philip I of Pomerania-Wolgast

Margaret (b. Zwickau, 25 April 1518 – d. Rumlingen, Switzerland, 10 March 1545), married on 10 June 1536 to Hans Buser, Baron of Liestal.

John (b. and d. Weimar, 26 September 1519)

John Ernest, Duke of Saxe-Coburg (b. Coburg, 10 May 1521 – d. Coburg, 8 February 1553).

Ancestry

[show]Ancestors of John, Elector of Saxony

16. Frederick III, Landgrave of Thuringia                       8. Frederick I, Elector of Saxony                               17. Catherine of Henneberg-Schleusingen                       4. Frederick II, Elector of Saxony                                     18. Henry the Mild, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg                       9. Catherine of Brunswick                               19. Sofie of Pomerania-Wolgast                       2. Ernst, Elector of Saxony                                           20. Leopold III, Duke of Austria                       10. Ernest, Duke of Austria                               21. Viridis Visconti                       5. Margaret of Austria                                     22. Siemowit IV, Duke of Masovia                       11. Cymburgis of Masovia                               23. Alexandra of Lithuania                       1. John, Elector of Saxony                                                 24. John II, Duke of Bavaria                       12. Ernest, Duke of Bavaria                               25. Catherine of Gorizia                       6. Albert III, Duke of Bavaria                                     26. Bernabò Visconti                       13. Elisabetta Visconti                               27. Beatrice della Scala                       3. Elisabeth of Bavaria                                           28. Albert I, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen                       14. Eric I, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen                               29. Agnes of Brunswick                       7. Anna of Brunswick-Grubenhagen-Einbeck                                     30. Otto I, Duke of Brunswick-Göttingen                       15. Elisabeth of Brunswick-Göttingen                               31. ?either his 1st wife, Miroslawa of Holstein-Plön, or his 2nd wife, Margaret of Jülich

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to John, Elector of Saxony.

Longer biography

 

John, Elector of Saxony House of Wettin Born: 30 June 1468 Died: 16 August 1532
Preceded by Frederick III	Elector of Saxony 1525–1532	Succeeded by John Frederick