Henry IV, Duke of Saxony

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Henry IV the Pious, Duke of Saxony (German: Heinrich der Fromme) (16 March 1473 – 18 August 1541) was a Duke of Saxony from the House of Wettin.

He was born in Dresden as the second son of Albert, Duke of Saxony and his wife Sidonia of Bohemia. His reign, which lasted only two years (1539-1541), began when he was 66 years old. The brother of the devoutly Catholic George, Henry wasa committed supporter of Martin Luther and introduced the Protestant Reformation to Saxony, making it the state religion.

[edit] Family and children

On 6 July 1512 Henry was married with Katharina of Mecklenburg (d. 1561), daughter of Duke Magnus II of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. They had six children:

• Sybille (1515-1592), married in 1540 to Duke Franz I of Sachsen-Lauenburg
• Aemilia (1516-1591), married in 1533 to Georg, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach
• Sidonie (1518-1575), married in 1545 to Duke Erich II of Braunschweig-Kalenberg
• Maurice, Elector of Saxony (1521-1553)
• Augustus, Elector of Saxony (d. 1585)

Preceded by George

Duke of Saxony 1539–1541

Succeeded by Maurice

[edit] External links

• (German) Article in the ABD