John, Elector of Saxony

John
John of Saxony by Lucas Cranach the Elder, 1509.
Elector of Saxony
Reign	5 May 1525 – 16 August 1532
Predecessor	Frederick III
Successor	John Frederick I
Born	(1468-06-30)30 June 1468 Meissen, Electorate of Saxony, Holy Roman Empire
Died	Schweinitz, Electorate of Saxony, Holy Roman Empire
Burial	Schlosskirche, Wittenberg
Spouse	Sophie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Margaret of Anhalt-Köthen
Issue	John Frederick I, Elector of Saxony Maria, Duchess of Pomerania John Ernest, Duke of Saxe-Coburg
House	House of Wettin
Father	Ernst, Elector of Saxony
Mother	Elisabeth of Bavaria
Religion	Lutheranism

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.

Biography

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

From 1486 onwards he was the heir presumptive of his childless 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:

1. 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:

1. Maria (b. Weimar, 15 December 1515 – d. Wolgast, 7 January 1583), married on 27 February 1536 to Duke Philip I of Pomerania-Wolgast
2. Margaret (b. Zwickau, 25 April 1518 – d. Liestal, Switzerland, 10 March 1545), married on 10 June 1536 to Hans Buser, Freiherr of Liestal.
3. John (b. and d. Weimar, 26 September 1519)
4. John Ernest, Duke of Saxe-Coburg (b. Coburg, 10 May 1521 – d. Coburg, 8 February 1553).

Ancestry

Family 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

Further reading

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External links

• 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