John, Elector of Saxony

John, Elector of Saxony, known as John the Steadfast or John the Constant (30 June 1468 – 16 August 1532) 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 Elizabeth of Bavaria-Munich.

The deaths of his older brothers Ernst (1513) and Albrecht (1484) make him the heir of his brother Frederick the Wise; when he died in 1525, Johann 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.

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. They had one son:

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

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

#Marie (b. Weimar, 15 December 1515 – d. Wolgast, 7 January 1583), married on 27 February 1536 to Duke Philip I of Pomerania-Wolgast.
#Margarete (b. Zwickau, 25 April 1518 – d. Weimar, 10 March 1535).
#Johann (b. and d. Weimar, 26 September 1519).
#Johann Ernst, Duke of Saxe-Coburg (b. Coburg, 10 May 1521 – d. Coburg, 8 February 1553).

Ancestors

External links

* [http://www.ccel.org/s/schaff/encyc/encyc06/htm/iii.lvii.lxxxiii.htm Longer biography]