Johann II, Duke of Saxe-Weimar

Johann II, Duke of Saxe-Weimar (Johann Maria Wilhelm; 22 May 1570 – 18 July 1605) was a Duke of Saxe-Weimar and Jena.

Johann II
Duke of Saxe-Weimar and Jena
Reign	7 July 1602 - 18 July 1605
Predecessor	Frederick Wilhelm I
Successor	John Ernest I in Saxe-Weimar Albert IV in Saxe-Eisenach Ernest I in Saxe-Gotha
Ruler of Saxe-Altenburg
Predecessor	Frederick Wilhelm I
Successor	John Philip Frederick John William Frederick William II jointly from 1603 as Dukes of Saxe-Altenburg
Born	22 May 1570 Weimar, Electorate of Saxony, Holy Roman Empire
Died	18 July 1605(1605-07-18) (aged 35) Weimar, Saxe-Weimar, Holy Roman Empire
Spouse	Dorothea Maria of Anhalt
Issue among others...	John Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Weimar Prince Frederick William, Duke of Saxe-Weimar Albert IV, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach John Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Weimar Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha Prince Bernard
Names Johann Maria Wilhelm
House	House of Wettin
Father	Johann Wilhelm, Duke of Saxe-Weimar
Mother	Dorothea Susanne of Simmern
Religion	Lutheran

Biography

Johann was the second son of Johann Wilhelm, Duke of Saxe-Weimar and Dorothea Susanne of Simmern.

Johann Wilhelm died in 1573 when his son was only three years old. Since at the time Johann's older brother Frederick William I was also under age, the duchy of Saxe-Weimar (originally awarded to Johann) was governed by a regency. In 1586 Frederick William reached adulthood and took full control of the duchy, including Weimar. However, he died in 1602 and the full duchy was inherited by Johann, because Frederick William's sons were underage.

Johann was more interested in natural sciences and art than politics, and therefore only against his will took over the regency of the duchy on behalf of his nephews. But when they demanded their own inheritance in 1603, he resisted their demands. Finally, Johann and his nephews made a treaty dividing the duchy: Altenburg was taken by the sons of Frederick William I, and Weimar-Jena was retained by Johann.

This line of Saxe-Altenburg became extinct in 1672, and all the inheritance passed to the line of Saxe-Weimar, Johann's descendants.

Family

In Altenburg on 7 January 1593, Johann married Dorothea Maria of Anhalt (2 July 1574 - 18 July 1617). They had twelve children in just twelve years:

1. John Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Weimar (b. Altenburg, 21 February 1863 – d. Sankt Martin, Hungary, 6 December 1626).
2. Christian William (b. and d. Altenburg, 6 April 1595) died at birth.
3. Frederick (b. Altenburg, 1 March 1596 – killed in battle, Fleurus, Belgium, 19 August 1622).
4. John (b. Weimar, 31 March 1597 – d. Weimar, 6 October 1604), died in childhood.
5. William, Duke of Saxe-Weimar (b. Altenburg, 11 April 1598 – d. Weimar, 17 May 1662).
6. Stillborn son (Altenburg, 11 April 1598), twin of William.
7. Albert IV, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach (b. Altenburg, 27 July 1599 – d. Eisenach, 20 December 1644).
8. John Frederick (b. Altenburg, 19 September 1600 – d. Weimar, 17 October 1628).
9. Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha (b. Altenburg, 25 December 1601 – d. Schloss Friedenstein, Gotha, 26 March 1675).
10. Frederick William (b. Weimar, 7 February 1603 – d. Georgenthal, 16 August 1619), died unmarried and without issue.
11. Bernhard (b. Weimar, 6 August 1604 – d. Neuenburg, 18 July 1639), Count of Franken (1633).
12. Johanna (b. posthumously, Weimar, 14 April 1606 – d. Weimar, 3 July 1609), died in childhood.

Ancestry

Ancestors of Johann II, Duke of Saxe-Weimar

8. Johann, Elector of Saxony 4. Johann Frederick I, Elector of Saxony 9. Sophie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin 2. Johann Wilhelm, Duke of Saxe-Weimar 10. John III, Duke of Cleves 5. Sybille of Cleves 11. Maria of Jülich-Berg 1. Johann II, Duke of Saxe-Weimar 12. John II, Count Palatine of Simmern 6. Frederick III, Elector Palatine 13. Beatrice of Baden 3. Dorothea Susanne of Simmern 14. Casimir, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth 7. Marie of Brandenburg-Kulmbach 15. Susanna of Bavaria