John II, Duke of Saxe-Weimar

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Johann of Saxe-Weimar-Jena.

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

[edit] Biography

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

His father died in 1573, when Johann was only three years old. Since at the time his older brother Frederick Wilhelm I was also under age, the duchy of Saxe-Weimar (originally appointed to Johann) was governed by a regency. In 1586 his older brother 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 his nephews (the sons of his deceased brother) were under age.

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 Wilhelm I, and Weimar-Jena was retained by Johann.

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

[edit] Family

In Altenburg on 7 January 1593, Johann married Dorothea Maria of Anhalt. They had twelve children:

Johann Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Weimar (b. Altenburg, 21 February 1594 - d. Sankt Martin, Hungary, 6 December 1626).
Christian Wilhelm (b. and d. Altenburg, 6 April 1595).
Frederick (b. Altenburg, 1 March 1596 - killed in battle, Fleury, Belgium, 19 August 1622).
Johann (b. Weimar, 31 March 1597 - d. Weimar, 6 October 1604).
Wilhelm, Duke of Saxe-Weimar (b. Altenburg, 11 April 1598 - d. Weimar, 17 May 1662).
stillborn son (Altenburg, 11 April 1598), twin of William.
Albrecht, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach (b. Altenburg, 27 July 1599 - d. Eisenach, 20 December 1644).
Johann Frederick (b. Altenburg, 19 September 1600 - d. Weimar, 17 October 1628).
Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Altenburg (b. Altenburg, 25 December 1601 - d. Schloß Friedenstein, Gotha, 26 March 1675).
Frederick Wilhelm (b. Weimar, 7 February 1603 - d. Georgenthal, 16 August 1619).
Bernhard (b. Weimar, 6 August 1604 - d. Neuenburg, 18 July 1639), Count of Franken (1633).
Johanna (b. posthumously, Weimar, 14 April 1606 - d. Weimar, 3 July 1609).

[edit] Male Line of Descendants

Following only Johann Wilhelm's male line of descendants, he is the direct male ancestor to the Belgian royal family. The current King of the Belgians is Albert II, King of the Belgians.

Preceded by Frederick Wilhelm I	Duke of Saxe-Weimar 1602–1605	Succeeded by Johann Ernst I of Saxe-Weimar Wilhelm of Saxe-Weimar Albrecht of Saxe-Eisenach Ernst I of Saxe-Gotha
		Succeeded by Johann Philipp Frederick Johann Wilhelm Frederick Wilhelm II jointly from 1603 as Dukes of Saxe-Altenburg