Heinrich of Saxe-Weissenfels, Count of Barby

Heinrich of Saxe-Weissenfels, Count of Barby (b. Halle, 29 September 1657 - d. Barby, 16 February 1728), was a German prince member of the House of Wettin and count of Barby.

He was the fourth son of August, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels and his first wife, Anna Maria of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.

Early life

Heinrich, who as the fourth son, had little chance of inheriting any land from his father, by that time Administrator of the Diocese of Magdeburg, in 1674 was appointed Dompropst of Magdeburg, after the death of previous owner of the office, Heinrich's older brother August.

As Heinrich's grandfather, the Elector Johann Georg I, who was also a high feudal lord of the County of Barby, in his testament make the creation of "Sekundogenituren" for his three younger sons, he gave to his second son August not only the Duchy of Saxe-Weissenfels, but guaranteed to him and his heirs the possession of the County of Barby in the event of an extinction of the Count's line.

When in 1659 August Ludwig, the last Count of Barby-Mühlingen died childless, some parts of the county were inherited, in (accordance with Johann Georg I's will, by August of Saxe-Weissenfels, who in consequence became Count of Barby.

Count of Barby

After the death of his father August in 1680 and by his will, Heinrich, already Dean of the Cathedral to Magdeburg, inherited the County of Barby.

Because Heinrich had the claim at the same moment -as well as each of his brothers- to be called Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels, he became with the death of his a founder of the "Duchy of Saxe-Weissenfels-Barby"; this, against the designation rich in prestige, disposed neither of seat and voice in the Reichstag or give to him royal sovereignty, but in strong political dependence on the main line and the Electorate of Saxony.

However, the rule of Heinrich over Barby had a significant economic and cultural importance to the city and region. Like the Weissenfels court of his cousins also pulled big masses in art-creative and musicians, so also the hornists Wenzel Franz Seydler and Hans Leopold. The educationist and lexicographer Johann Theodor Jablonski was from 1689 to 1700 his counselor.

Besides, he donated to the preacher widow's box office for charitable purposes and allowed to build the "Preacher Widow's House" ("Prediger-Witwen-Haus") as well as a new school. According to the model of his cousin Johann Georg, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels, he created in 1699 a protection Compagnie. Moreover, the whole county was measured geodetically; it let the city and village churches restore and reform the training system.

Also Heinrich was active as a General and participated in the war against the Turks. In the siege of Ofen (1684/1686) he distinguished himself together with his brother Christian.

From 1687 he left for good the old official castle and began the building of the Schloss Barby as his new residence. Master builders were Christoph Pitzler and from 1707 Giovanni Simonetti who orientated himself by plans of Johann Arnold Nering. The building could be finished only in 1715; during this time Heinrich and his wife spend long time with his father-in-law Johann Georg II and his brother-in-law Leopold in Dessau.

From denomination-political big importance his defection from the Lutheranism and his join to the Reformed Church in Dessau on 1688. In Barby, members of the Reformed Church could established there until 1833.

Also, Heinrich was accepted by his father —who was the Leader— in the Fruitbearing Society.

He died in Barby aged seventy and was buried just there in the new family vault. His only surviving son Georg Albrecht succeeded him.

Marriage and issue

In Dessau on 30 March 1686 Heinrich married Elisabeth Albertine of Anhalt-Dessau, former Abbess of Herford. Elisabeth's paternal great-great grandmother was Agnes of Barby-Mühlingen; this give to Heinrich some blood ties with the extinct House of Barby. They had eight children:

#Johann August (b. Dessau, 28 July 1687 - d. Dessau, 22 January 1688).
#Johann August (b. Dessau, 24 July 1689 - d. Dessau, 21 October 1689).
#Stillborn twin sons (Dessau, 1690).
#Frederick Heinrich (b. Dessau, 2 July 1692 - d. The Hague, 21 November 1711).
#Georg Albrecht, Count of Barby (b. Dessau, 19 April 1695 - d. Barby, 12 June 1739).
#Henriette Marie (b. Dessau, 1 March 1697 - d. Weissenfels, 10 August 1719).
#Stillborn daughter (Dessau, 5 October 1706).