Johann Friedrich, Duke of Pomerania
Encyclopedia
Johann Friedrich (27 August 1542 – 9 February 1600) was Duke of Pomerania
from 1560 to 1600, and Bishop of Cammin (Kamień) from 1556 to 1574. Elected bishop in 1556 and heir of the duchy in 1560, he remained under tutelage of his great-uncle Barnim XI
until he took on his offices in 1567.
of Pomerania-Wolgast and Maria of Saxony
. At the age of 14, he was elected bishop of Cammin on 29 August 1556, after his predecessor Martin von Weiher had died on 8 June. Starting with Johann Friedrich, the ducal Pomeranian family
would thence exclusively hold this title until the last duke died in 1637, thus ending the considerable independence of the bishopric's territory from the rest of the Duchy of Pomerania
. In 1560, the bishopric's administration was reformed accordingly.
When his father died on 14 February 1560, Johann Friedrich nominally became duke of Pomerania but was still under the tutelage of his great-uncle, Barnim XI
. While his mother appointed High Stewart Ulrich von Schwerin
as administrator of the duchy, he went to the court of Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor
at Vienna
and participated in the war against the Ottoman Empire.
After his return from the war in 1567, Johann Friedrich took on his position as the bishop of Cammin and also his position as the duke of Pomerania, which he provisionally shared with his brother, Bogislaw XIII
.
Then 68 years old Barnim XI decided in 1569 to withdraw from his position as a duke, and the duchy was internally partitioned
among the male members of the House of Pomerania
on 23 May 1569 in Jasenitz (now part of Police
), which was approved by the Landtag
in Wollin (now Wolin). Johann Friedrich together with his brother, Barnim XII
, received the Teilherzogtum
Pomerania-Stettin, while his other brothers, Ernst Ludwig
and Bogislaw XIII, received Pomerania-Wolgast and Casimir VI
received the bishopric of Cammin, which he took over from Johann Friedrich in 1574. Because Bogislaw and Barnim immediately renounced their positions and were compensated with the domains of Barth and Neuenkamp and the domain of Rügenwalde, respectively, Johann Friedrich got to rule his share alone.
Johann Friedrich succeeded in elevating Stettin
(now Szczecin) to one of only three places allowed to coin money in the Upper Saxon Circle
, the other two places were Leipzig
and Berlin
. He also advocated against the imperial prohibition of using coins from outside the Holy Roman Empire
, arguing that this undermined his duchy's position as a frontier trade center.
In 1570, Johann Friedrich on behalf of Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor
, hosted the peace conference ending the Northern Seven Years' War
between the Swedish Empire
and Denmark–Norway
. He was the head of the mediators appointed by the emperor. The conference resulted in the Treaty of Stettin.
In 1568, he began with the erection of a residence in Köslin (now Koszalin). In 1577, he rebuilt the residence in Stettin
in Italian Renaissance
style, thereby razing and replacing parts of the previous palace and the St. Otto's church.
Johann Friedrich also tried to elevate the Duchy of Pomerania
's military status in the Upper Saxon Circle
to match the position of Saxony
and Brandenburg
, yet without success. He failed to gain the status of a higher rank for himself and remained on the third rank, Zugeordneter, after the Kreisoberst of Saxony and the Nachgeordneter of Brandenburg. He also failed to get the circle assembly (Kreistag) to approve of granting the Pomeranian duchy an additional Zugeordneter post instead. As a consequence, Johann Friedrich refused to pay his obligate financial share to the circle's treasury, the Kreiskasten.
Johann Friedrich improved the relations with Brandenburg
by marrying Erdmut (also Erdmuthe; 26 June 1561 – 13 November 1623), oldest daughter of prince-elector
Johann Georg of Brandenburg
. He had no children with her.
Johann Friedrich died on 9 February 1600. His sudden death during a party at Wolgast
contributed to apocalyptic
fears which were especially widespread in 1600. He was succeeded by Barnim XII; who however, outlived his brother by only three years.
Duchy of Pomerania
The Duchy of Pomerania was a duchy in Pomerania on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, ruled by dukes of the House of Pomerania ....
from 1560 to 1600, and Bishop of Cammin (Kamień) from 1556 to 1574. Elected bishop in 1556 and heir of the duchy in 1560, he remained under tutelage of his great-uncle Barnim XI
Barnim XI, Duke of Pomerania
Barnim XI , son of Bogislaw X, Duke of Pomerania, became duke on his father's death in 1523. He ruled for a time in common with his elder brother George I; and after George's death in 1531 he shared the duchy with his nephew Philip I, retaining for himself the duchy of Pomerania-Stettin...
until he took on his offices in 1567.
Biography
Johann Friedrich was the oldest of ten siblings born to Philipp IPhilip I, Duke of Pomerania
Philip I of Pomerania was Duke of Pomerania-Wolgast.- Life :Philip was the only surviving son of Duke George, from his first marriage to Amalie of the Palatinate. After his mother died, on 6 January 1525, he received his education at the court of his maternal grandfather in Heidelberg...
of Pomerania-Wolgast and Maria of Saxony
Maria of Saxony, Duchess of Pomerania
thumb|Croÿ Carpet of 1554 or 1556Maria of Saxony was a member of the Ernestine line of the house Wettin and a Princess of Saxony by birth and by marriage a Duchess of Pomerania.- Life :...
. At the age of 14, he was elected bishop of Cammin on 29 August 1556, after his predecessor Martin von Weiher had died on 8 June. Starting with Johann Friedrich, the ducal Pomeranian family
House of Pomerania
The House of Griffins or House of Pomerania, , also known as House of Greifen; House of Gryf, was a dynasty of Royal dukes that ruled the Duchy of Pomerania from the 12th century until 1637, after their power was temporarily derivated to Prussian Royal House...
would thence exclusively hold this title until the last duke died in 1637, thus ending the considerable independence of the bishopric's territory from the rest of the Duchy of Pomerania
Duchy of Pomerania
The Duchy of Pomerania was a duchy in Pomerania on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, ruled by dukes of the House of Pomerania ....
. In 1560, the bishopric's administration was reformed accordingly.
When his father died on 14 February 1560, Johann Friedrich nominally became duke of Pomerania but was still under the tutelage of his great-uncle, Barnim XI
Barnim XI, Duke of Pomerania
Barnim XI , son of Bogislaw X, Duke of Pomerania, became duke on his father's death in 1523. He ruled for a time in common with his elder brother George I; and after George's death in 1531 he shared the duchy with his nephew Philip I, retaining for himself the duchy of Pomerania-Stettin...
. While his mother appointed High Stewart Ulrich von Schwerin
Ulrich von Schwerin
Ulrich von Schwerin, also spelled Huldrych von Schwerin or Huldricus Schwerinus was Hofmeister in the Duchy of Pomerania-Wolgast and one of the most influential men of his time. He was a member of the noble Schwerin family, who originally came from Mecklenburg.- Life :He was the son of Joachim...
as administrator of the duchy, he went to the court of Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor
Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor
Maximilian II was king of Bohemia and king of the Romans from 1562, king of Hungary and Croatia from 1563, emperor of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation from 1564 until his death...
at Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
and participated in the war against the Ottoman Empire.
After his return from the war in 1567, Johann Friedrich took on his position as the bishop of Cammin and also his position as the duke of Pomerania, which he provisionally shared with his brother, Bogislaw XIII
Bogislaw XIII, Duke of Pomerania
Bogislaw XIII of Pomerania , son of Philip I and Maria of Saxony, was a princes of Stettin and Wolgast, and a member of the Griffins ....
.
Then 68 years old Barnim XI decided in 1569 to withdraw from his position as a duke, and the duchy was internally partitioned
Partitions of the Duchy of Pomerania
The Duchy of Pomerania was partitioned several times to satisfy the claims of the male members of the ruling House of Pomerania dynasty. The partitions were named after the ducal residences: Pomerania-Barth, -Demmin, -Rügenwalde, -Stettin, -Stolp, and -Wolgast. None of the partitions had a...
among the male members of the House of Pomerania
House of Pomerania
The House of Griffins or House of Pomerania, , also known as House of Greifen; House of Gryf, was a dynasty of Royal dukes that ruled the Duchy of Pomerania from the 12th century until 1637, after their power was temporarily derivated to Prussian Royal House...
on 23 May 1569 in Jasenitz (now part of Police
Police, Poland
Police is a town in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, northwestern Poland. It is the capital of Police County. As of 2006, the town had 34,284 inhabitants. The name comes from Polish pole, which means "field"....
), which was approved by the Landtag
Landtag
A Landtag is a representative assembly or parliament in German-speaking countries with some legislative authority.- Name :...
in Wollin (now Wolin). Johann Friedrich together with his brother, Barnim XII
Barnim X, Duke of Pomerania
Barnim X, or according to another count Barnim XII was a duke of Pomerania and a member of the House of Griffins. He administered from 1569, the Rügenwalde district...
, received the Teilherzogtum
Teilherzogtum
Teilherzogtum is a German term denoting a part of a duchy after the duchy had been internally partitioned among members of the respective ducal family. Teilherzogtum does not have an English cognate.-Bavaria:*Bavaria-Ingolstadt*Bavaria-Landshut...
Pomerania-Stettin, while his other brothers, Ernst Ludwig
Ernst Ludwig, Duke of Pomerania
Ernst Ludwig was duke of Pomerania from 1560 to 1592. From 1569 to 1592, he was duke in the Teilherzogtum Pomerania-Wolgast, sharing the rule over the Duchy of Pomerania with his older brother Johann Friedrich, duke in the other Teilherzogtum Pomerania-Stettin and bishop of Cammin.-Life:Ernst...
and Bogislaw XIII, received Pomerania-Wolgast and Casimir VI
Casimir VI, Duke of Pomerania
Duke Casimir VI of Pomerania was a non-reigning duke of Pomerania from the House of Griffins and a Protestant Bishop of Cammin .- Life :...
received the bishopric of Cammin, which he took over from Johann Friedrich in 1574. Because Bogislaw and Barnim immediately renounced their positions and were compensated with the domains of Barth and Neuenkamp and the domain of Rügenwalde, respectively, Johann Friedrich got to rule his share alone.
Johann Friedrich succeeded in elevating Stettin
Szczecin
Szczecin , is the capital city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland. It is the country's seventh-largest city and the largest seaport in Poland on the Baltic Sea. As of June 2009 the population was 406,427....
(now Szczecin) to one of only three places allowed to coin money in the Upper Saxon Circle
Upper Saxon Circle
The Upper Saxon Circle was an Imperial Circle of the Holy Roman Empire, created in 1512.The circle was dominated by the electorate of Saxony and the electorate of Brandenburg. It further comprised the Saxon Ernestine duchies and Pomerania...
, the other two places were Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
and Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. He also advocated against the imperial prohibition of using coins from outside the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
, arguing that this undermined his duchy's position as a frontier trade center.
In 1570, Johann Friedrich on behalf of Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor
Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor
Maximilian II was king of Bohemia and king of the Romans from 1562, king of Hungary and Croatia from 1563, emperor of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation from 1564 until his death...
, hosted the peace conference ending the Northern Seven Years' War
Northern Seven Years' War
The Northern Seven Years' War was the war between Kingdom of Sweden and a coalition of Denmark–Norway, Lübeck and the Polish–Lithuanian union, fought between 1563 and 1570...
between the Swedish Empire
Swedish Empire
The Swedish Empire refers to the Kingdom of Sweden between 1561 and 1721 . During this time, Sweden was one of the great European powers. In Swedish, the period is called Stormaktstiden, literally meaning "the Great Power Era"...
and Denmark–Norway
Denmark–Norway
Denmark–Norway is the historiographical name for a former political entity consisting of the kingdoms of Denmark and Norway, including the originally Norwegian dependencies of Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands...
. He was the head of the mediators appointed by the emperor. The conference resulted in the Treaty of Stettin.
In 1568, he began with the erection of a residence in Köslin (now Koszalin). In 1577, he rebuilt the residence in Stettin
Pomeranian Dukes' Castle, Szczecin
The Ducal Castle in Szczecin, Poland, was the seat of the dukes of Pomerania-Stettin of the House of Pomerania , who ruled the Duchy of Pomerania from 1121 to 1637.-History:...
in Italian Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
style, thereby razing and replacing parts of the previous palace and the St. Otto's church.
Johann Friedrich also tried to elevate the Duchy of Pomerania
Duchy of Pomerania
The Duchy of Pomerania was a duchy in Pomerania on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, ruled by dukes of the House of Pomerania ....
's military status in the Upper Saxon Circle
Upper Saxon Circle
The Upper Saxon Circle was an Imperial Circle of the Holy Roman Empire, created in 1512.The circle was dominated by the electorate of Saxony and the electorate of Brandenburg. It further comprised the Saxon Ernestine duchies and Pomerania...
to match the position of Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
and Brandenburg
Brandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
, yet without success. He failed to gain the status of a higher rank for himself and remained on the third rank, Zugeordneter, after the Kreisoberst of Saxony and the Nachgeordneter of Brandenburg. He also failed to get the circle assembly (Kreistag) to approve of granting the Pomeranian duchy an additional Zugeordneter post instead. As a consequence, Johann Friedrich refused to pay his obligate financial share to the circle's treasury, the Kreiskasten.
Johann Friedrich improved the relations with Brandenburg
Brandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
by marrying Erdmut (also Erdmuthe; 26 June 1561 – 13 November 1623), oldest daughter of prince-elector
Prince-elector
The Prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire were the members of the electoral college of the Holy Roman Empire, having the function of electing the Roman king or, from the middle of the 16th century onwards, directly the Holy Roman Emperor.The heir-apparent to a prince-elector was known as an...
Johann Georg of Brandenburg
John George, Elector of Brandenburg
John George of Brandenburg was a Prince-elector of the Margraviate of Brandenburg and a Duke of Prussia...
. He had no children with her.
Johann Friedrich died on 9 February 1600. His sudden death during a party at Wolgast
Wolgast
Wolgast is a town in the district of Vorpommern-Greifswald, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is situated on the bank of the river Peenestrom, vis-a-vis the island of Usedom that can be accessed by road and railway via a bascule bridge...
contributed to apocalyptic
Apocalypticism
Apocalypticism is the religious belief that there will be an apocalypse, a term which originally referred to a revelation of God's will, but now usually refers to belief that the world will come to an end time very soon, even within one's own lifetime...
fears which were especially widespread in 1600. He was succeeded by Barnim XII; who however, outlived his brother by only three years.
Ancestors
See also
- Bishopric of Cammin
- Duchy of PomeraniaDuchy of PomeraniaThe Duchy of Pomerania was a duchy in Pomerania on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, ruled by dukes of the House of Pomerania ....
- List of Pomeranian duchies and dukes
- Partitions of the Duchy of PomeraniaPartitions of the Duchy of PomeraniaThe Duchy of Pomerania was partitioned several times to satisfy the claims of the male members of the ruling House of Pomerania dynasty. The partitions were named after the ducal residences: Pomerania-Barth, -Demmin, -Rügenwalde, -Stettin, -Stolp, and -Wolgast. None of the partitions had a...
- Pomerania during the Early Modern AgePomerania during the Early Modern AgePomerania during the Early Modern Age covers the History of Pomerania in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries.Throughout this time, Pomerelia was within Royal Prussia, a part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth with considerable autonomy...
- House of PomeraniaHouse of PomeraniaThe House of Griffins or House of Pomerania, , also known as House of Greifen; House of Gryf, was a dynasty of Royal dukes that ruled the Duchy of Pomerania from the 12th century until 1637, after their power was temporarily derivated to Prussian Royal House...
