John Philip, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg
Encyclopedia
John Philip, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg (Torgau
, 25 January 1597 – Altenburg
, 1 April 1639), was a duke of Saxe-Altenburg
.
He was the eldest (but fourth in order of birth) surviving son of Frederick William I, Duke of Saxe-Weimar
and Anna Maria of the Palatinate-Neuburg, his second wife.
The next year (1603), the young prince of Saxe-Weimar demanded his own inheritance, but his uncle John opposed this. But finally, both parts made a divisionary treaty of the family lands: John Philip and his brothers took Altenburg
and some towns, and John retained Weimar
and Jena
.
Because they were still underage, the regency of his duchy was taken by Christian II, Elector of Saxony (1603–1611) and later by his brother and next Elector, John George I
(1611–1618).
on 1632.
John Philip and his only surviving brother, Frederick William II
, continued as co-rulers; but, in fact, it was John Philip who really assumed the supreme and full control of the government until his death.
In 1613, John Philip was appointed Dean of the University of Leipzig
. Also, he was an active member of the Fruitbearing Society
.
In 1638, he received the towns of Coburg
, Bad Rodach
, Römhild
, Hildburghausen
and Neustadt
, according to the divisionary treaty between him and the branch of Saxe-Weimar
after the death of the duke John Ernest of Saxe-Eisenach
without surviving issue.
Before his death, he made a will, when he declared his daughter the general heiress of the branch of Saxe-Altenburg, only in case of extinction of the male issue of the family. This will later originated a dispute between the branches of Saxe-Gotha
and Saxe-Weimar
.
John Philip was succeeded by his younger and only surviving brother, Frederick William II.
on 25 October 1618 John Philip married Elisabeth of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
(dowager sister-in-law of his former regents, the Electors of Saxony Christian II and Johann Georg I). They had only one daughter:
Torgau
Torgau is a town on the banks of the Elbe in northwestern Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district Nordsachsen.Outside Germany, the town is most well known as the place where during the Second World War, United States Army forces coming from the west met with forces of the Soviet Union...
, 25 January 1597 – Altenburg
Altenburg
Altenburg is a town in the German federal state of Thuringia, 45 km south of Leipzig. It is the capital of the Altenburger Land district.-Geography:...
, 1 April 1639), was a duke of Saxe-Altenburg
Saxe-Altenburg
Saxe-Altenburg was one of the Saxon duchies held by the Ernestine branch of the Wettin dynasty in present-day Thuringia.-History:The duchy originated from the medieval Burgraviate of Altenburg in the Imperial Pleissnerland , a possession of the Wettin Margraves of Meissen since 1243...
.
He was the eldest (but fourth in order of birth) surviving son of Frederick William I, Duke of Saxe-Weimar
Frederick William I, Duke of Saxe-Weimar
Frederick William I , was a duke of Saxe-Weimar. He was the eldest son of John William, Duke of Saxe-Weimar and Dorothea Susanne of Simmern.-Life:...
and Anna Maria of the Palatinate-Neuburg, his second wife.
Childhood
When his father died (1602), John Philip and his younger brothers Frederick, John William and Frederick William were underage. Because of this, his uncle John (more interested in natural sciences and art than politics) took over his guardianship and the regency of his inheritance; but shortly after he took all the duchy of Saxe-Weimar into his own hands.The next year (1603), the young prince of Saxe-Weimar demanded his own inheritance, but his uncle John opposed this. But finally, both parts made a divisionary treaty of the family lands: John Philip and his brothers took Altenburg
Altenburg
Altenburg is a town in the German federal state of Thuringia, 45 km south of Leipzig. It is the capital of the Altenburger Land district.-Geography:...
and some towns, and John retained Weimar
Weimar
Weimar is a city in Germany famous for its cultural heritage. It is located in the federal state of Thuringia , north of the Thüringer Wald, east of Erfurt, and southwest of Halle and Leipzig. Its current population is approximately 65,000. The oldest record of the city dates from the year 899...
and Jena
Jena
Jena is a university city in central Germany on the river Saale. It has a population of approx. 103,000 and is the second largest city in the federal state of Thuringia, after Erfurt.-History:Jena was first mentioned in an 1182 document...
.
Because they were still underage, the regency of his duchy was taken by Christian II, Elector of Saxony (1603–1611) and later by his brother and next Elector, John George I
John George I, Elector of Saxony
John George I was Elector of Saxony from 1611 to 1656.-Biography:Born in Dresden, he was the second son of the Elector Christian I and Sophie of Brandenburg....
(1611–1618).
Adulthood
In 1618, John Philip, as elder son, was declared adult and assumed the government of the duchy of Saxe-Altenburg. Also, he took over the guardianship of his younger siblings. The four brothers co-ruled the duchy, but two of them died soon after and childless: Frederick, who was killed in action in 1625, and John William, died in BriegBrieg
Brieg may refer to:* Brzeg , in Silesia, Poland** Duchy of Brzeg, a duchy of Silesia from 1311 – 1675* Briec , a town in Brittany...
on 1632.
John Philip and his only surviving brother, Frederick William II
Frederick William II, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg
Frederick Wilhelm II, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg , was a duke of Saxe-Altenburg.He was the youngest son of Frederick Wilhelm I, Duke of Saxe-Weimar and Anna Maria of the Palatinate-Neuburg, his second wife...
, continued as co-rulers; but, in fact, it was John Philip who really assumed the supreme and full control of the government until his death.
In 1613, John Philip was appointed Dean of the University of Leipzig
University of Leipzig
The University of Leipzig , located in Leipzig in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, is one of the oldest universities in the world and the second-oldest university in Germany...
. Also, he was an active member of the Fruitbearing Society
Fruitbearing Society
The Fruitbearing Society was a German literary society founded in 1617 in Weimar by German scholars and nobility to emulate the idea of the Accademia della Crusca in Florence and similar groups already thriving in Italy, to be followed in later years also in France and Britain...
.
In 1638, he received the towns of Coburg
Coburg
Coburg is a town located on the Itz River in Bavaria, Germany. Its 2005 population was 42,015. Long one of the Thuringian states of the Wettin line, it joined with Bavaria by popular vote in 1920...
, Bad Rodach
Bad Rodach
Bad Rodach is a town in the district of Coburg, in Upper Franconia, a north Bavarian Regierungsbezirk, Germany. It is situated 10 km southeast of Hildburghausen, and 17 km northwest of Coburg...
, Römhild
Römhild
Römhild is a municipality in the district of Hildburghausen, in Thuringia, Germany. It is situated 14 km west of Hildburghausen, and 21 km southeast of Meiningen.In the Stadtkirche of Römhild is the tomb of Elisabeth and Hermann VIII of Henneberg...
, Hildburghausen
Hildburghausen
Hildburghausen is a town in Thuringia in central Germany, capital of the district Hildburghausen. It is situated on the river Werra, 20 km south of Suhl, and 25 km northwest of Coburg....
and Neustadt
Neustadt bei Coburg
Neustadt bei Coburg is a town in the district of Coburg in northern Bavaria, Germany. It is situated 15 km northeast of Coburg, as its name indicates.-Local sudivisions:...
, according to the divisionary treaty between him and the branch of Saxe-Weimar
Saxe-Weimar
Saxe-Weimar was one of the Saxon duchies held by the Ernestine branch of the Wettin dynasty in present-day Thuringia. The chief town and capital was Weimar.-Division of Leipzig:...
after the death of the duke John Ernest of Saxe-Eisenach
John Ernest, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach
Johann Ernst of Saxe-Eisenach , was a duke of Saxe-Eisenach and later of Saxe-Coburg.He was the fourth and youngest son of Johann Frederick II, Duke of Saxony and Countess Palatine Elisabeth of Simmern-Sponheim.His grandfather, Johann Frederick I, had still held the title of Elector of Saxony, but...
without surviving issue.
Before his death, he made a will, when he declared his daughter the general heiress of the branch of Saxe-Altenburg, only in case of extinction of the male issue of the family. This will later originated a dispute between the branches of Saxe-Gotha
Saxe-Gotha
Saxe-Gotha was one of the Saxon duchies held by the Ernestine of the Wettin dynasty in the former Landgraviate of Thuringia. The ducal residence was erected at Gotha....
and Saxe-Weimar
Saxe-Weimar
Saxe-Weimar was one of the Saxon duchies held by the Ernestine branch of the Wettin dynasty in present-day Thuringia. The chief town and capital was Weimar.-Division of Leipzig:...
.
John Philip was succeeded by his younger and only surviving brother, Frederick William II.
Ancestry
Marriage and issue
In AltenburgAltenburg
Altenburg is a town in the German federal state of Thuringia, 45 km south of Leipzig. It is the capital of the Altenburger Land district.-Geography:...
on 25 October 1618 John Philip married Elisabeth of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
Elisabeth of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
Elizabeth of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel was a princess of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel and by marriage Duchess of Saxe-Altenburg.- Life :...
(dowager sister-in-law of his former regents, the Electors of Saxony Christian II and Johann Georg I). They had only one daughter:
- Elisabeth Sophie (b. Halle, 10 October 1619 - d. Gotha, 20 December 1680), married on 24 October 1636 to Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-GothaErnest I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Family and children:In Altenburg on 24 October 1636, Ernst married his cousin Elisabeth Sophie of Saxe-Altenburg. As a result of this marriage Saxe-Gotha and Saxe-Altenburg were unified, when the last duke of the line died childless in 1672. Ernst and Elisabeth Sophie had eighteen children:#...
.