Johann Georg, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels

.

He was the third but first surviving son of Johann Adolf I, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels by his first wife, Johanna Magdalene of Saxe-Altenburg.

Government of the Duchy

Johann Georg succeeded his father in the duchy of Saxe-Weissenfels when he died, on 24 May 1697. Because he was still a minor, the Elector Frederick August I of Saxony assumed briefly the regency.

Like his both predecessors who make a large splendour development, within whose framework, Johann Georg was interested particularly for the building small river Port for his desire Flotilla, but also worked, however, as a great patron of the arts and sciences. Under his rule Weissenfels became -together with the Saxonian Electorate city of Dresden- to the economical and cultural center in the Central German area.

To the maintenance of the security and order during celebrations, Johann George created the establishment of Citizen Companies ("Bürgerkompanien"), for whose service male habitants were consulted.

Following the "Palmenorden" of the grandfather, who was characteristic on him as Head of the Fruitbearing Society, on 24 June 1704 Johann Georg created the medal oriented at knightly virtues "De la noble passion" and the slogan "J’aime L’ honneur, qui vient par la vertu" (en: "I love the honour, those from the virtue come"). The statutes, which the duke wrote -both in German and French language-, required an irreproachable life change apart from a noble origin also.

During the Great Northern War, Weissenfels was occupied by Swedish troops from 1706 to 1707.

Because he died without surviving male issue, Johann Georg was succeeded by his brother Christian.

Marriage and issue

In Jena on 7 January 1698, Johann Georg married with Fredericka Elisabeth of Saxe-Eisenach. They had seven children:

#Fredericka (b. Weissenfels, 4 August 1701 - d. Weissenfels, 28 February 1706).
#Johann Georg (b.Weissenfels, 20 October 1702 - d. Weissenfels, 5 March 1703).
#Johannette Wilhelmine (b. Weissenfels, 31 May 1704 - d. Weissenfels, 9 July 1704).
#Johannette Amalie (b. Weissenfels, 8 September 1705 - d. Weissenfels, 7 February 1706).
#Stillborn son (1706).
#Johanna Magdalene (b. Weissenfels, 17 March 1708 - d. Leipzig, 25 January 1760), married on 5 January 1730 to Ferdinand Kettler, Duke of Courland and Semigallia.
#Fredericka Amalie (b. Weissenfels, 1 March 1712 - d. Weissenfels, 31 January 1714).