August, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels
Encyclopedia
Augustus of Saxe-Weissenfels (Dresden
, 13 August 1614 – 4 June 1680, Halle
), was a duke of Saxe-Weissenfels
-Querfurt of the House of Wettin and administrator of the archbishopric of Magdeburg
.
He was the fourth (but second surviving) son of John George I, Elector of Saxony
, and his second wife Magdalene Sibylle of Prussia
.
to replace the current holder of that title, Christian Wilhelm of Brandenburg. By that time, August had already served three years as coadjutor
. Nevertheless, he could not assume his post: on 20 May 1631, after seven months of siege and plundering during the Sack of Magdeburg
, the city was taken by the Imperial troops; the Catholic competitor for the diocese, Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria
, assumed the title of archbishop and administrator of Magdeburg. The Peace of Prague (1635)
confirmed his rule over the city, but three years later, Swedish troops expelled the Habsburg army and restored August as administrator as of 19 October 1638. August finally took full control of Magdeburg on 31 December 1642 after a neutrality treaty was concluded with the Swedish general Lennart Torstenson
. He was than able to begin the reconstruction of the city.
In 1643 August was accepted into the Fruitbearing Society
at the behest of Prince Louis I, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen
.
. August inherited the towns of Weißenfels
and Querfurt
and became their first duke.
August also increased his incomes by taking over the administration of the County of Barby
during the minority of Count August Ludwig. On 17 October 1659, however, the young count died shortly before attaining his majority. With him, the line of Barby became extinct. A dispute over his lands was resolved in favor of August seven years later (1666). In his will, the duke left Barby to his son Heinrich
.
On 25 July 1660, August laid the first stone for his official residence, Schloss Neu-Augustusburg in Weissenfels. This castle was built in the same place as the old one, which had been devastated by Swedish troops. The duke died before the castle was finished.
On 15 July 1667, the sons of the late Duke Wilhelm of Saxe-Weimar
offered August the presidency of the Fruitbearing Society. He accepted the office with its responsibility for fostering the work of artists and scientists. His activities as a patron left considerable debts for his descendants to deal with.
on 23 November 1647 August married Anna Maria of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
. They had twelve children:
In Halle
on 29 January 1672, two years after the death of his first wife, August married Johanna Walpurgis of Leiningen-Westerburg. They had three sons:
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
, 13 August 1614 – 4 June 1680, Halle
Halle, Saxony-Anhalt
Halle is the largest city in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. It is also called Halle an der Saale in order to distinguish it from the town of Halle in North Rhine-Westphalia...
), was a duke of Saxe-Weissenfels
Saxe-Weissenfels
Saxe-Weissenfels was a duchy of the Holy Roman Empire from 1656/7 until 1746 with its residence at Weißenfels. Ruled by a cadet branch of the Albertine House of Wettin, the duchy passed to the Electorate of Saxony upon the extinction of the line....
-Querfurt of the House of Wettin and administrator of the archbishopric of Magdeburg
Archbishopric of Magdeburg
The Archbishopric of Magdeburg was a Roman Catholic archdiocese and Prince-Bishopric of the Holy Roman Empire centered on the city of Magdeburg on the Elbe River....
.
He was the fourth (but second surviving) son of John George I, Elector of Saxony
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....
, and his second wife Magdalene Sibylle of Prussia
Magdalene Sibylle of Prussia
Magdalene Sibylle of Prussia was an Electress of Saxony as the spouse of John George I, Elector of Saxony.-Life:...
.
Early life
On 23 January 1628, at the age of 13, August was appointed administrator of the archbishopric of Magdeburg by its ChapterChapter (religion)
Chapter designates certain corporate ecclesiastical bodies in the Roman Catholic, Anglican and Nordic Lutheran churches....
to replace the current holder of that title, Christian Wilhelm of Brandenburg. By that time, August had already served three years as coadjutor
Coadjutor bishop
A coadjutor bishop is a bishop in the Roman Catholic or Anglican churches who is designated to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese, almost as co-bishop of the diocese...
. Nevertheless, he could not assume his post: on 20 May 1631, after seven months of siege and plundering during the Sack of Magdeburg
Sack of Magdeburg
The Sack of Magdeburg refers to the siege and subsequent plundering of the largely Protestant city of Magdeburg by the forces of the Holy Roman Empire and the Catholic League during the Thirty Years' War...
, the city was taken by the Imperial troops; the Catholic competitor for the diocese, Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria
Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria
Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria was an Austrian military commander, Governor of the Spanish Netherlands from 1647 to 1656, and a patron of the arts.-Biography:...
, assumed the title of archbishop and administrator of Magdeburg. The Peace of Prague (1635)
Peace of Prague (1635)
The Peace of Prague of 30 May 1635 was a treaty between the Habsburg Emperor Ferdinand II and the Electorate of Saxony representing most of the Protestant states of the Holy Roman Empire...
confirmed his rule over the city, but three years later, Swedish troops expelled the Habsburg army and restored August as administrator as of 19 October 1638. August finally took full control of Magdeburg on 31 December 1642 after a neutrality treaty was concluded with the Swedish general Lennart Torstenson
Lennart Torstenson
Lennart Torstenson, Count of Ortala, Baron of Virestad , was a Swedish Field Marshal and military engineer.-Early career:He was born at Forstena in Västergötland - he always wrote his name Linnardt Torstenson...
. He was than able to begin the reconstruction of the city.
In 1643 August was accepted into 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...
at the behest of Prince Louis I, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen
Louis I, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen
Louis I of Anhalt-Köthen , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the unified principality of Anhalt. From 1603, he was ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Köthen...
.
Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels
In his will of 20 July 1652, Elector John George I ordered a division of the Albertine territories that was carried out on 22 April 1657 in DresdenDresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
. August inherited the towns of Weißenfels
Weißenfels
Weißenfels is the largest town of the Burgenlandkreis district, in southern Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is situated on the river Saale, approximately south of Halle.-History:...
and Querfurt
Querfurt
Querfurt a town in Saalekreis district in the south of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, situated in a fertile area on the Querne, west from Merseburg, on a branch line from Oberroblingen. Pop. 12,935 .-History:...
and became their first duke.
August also increased his incomes by taking over the administration of the County of Barby
Barby, Germany
Barby is a town in the Salzlandkreis district, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is situated on the left bank of the Elbe river, near the confluence with the Saale, approx. southeast of Magdeburg...
during the minority of Count August Ludwig. On 17 October 1659, however, the young count died shortly before attaining his majority. With him, the line of Barby became extinct. A dispute over his lands was resolved in favor of August seven years later (1666). In his will, the duke left Barby to his son Heinrich
Heinrich of Saxe-Weissenfels, Count of Barby
Heinrich of Saxe-Weissenfels, Count of Barby , was a German prince of the House of Wettin and count of Barby....
.
On 25 July 1660, August laid the first stone for his official residence, Schloss Neu-Augustusburg in Weissenfels. This castle was built in the same place as the old one, which had been devastated by Swedish troops. The duke died before the castle was finished.
On 15 July 1667, the sons of the late Duke Wilhelm of Saxe-Weimar
Wilhelm, Duke of Saxe-Weimar
Wilhelm, Duke of Saxe-Weimar , was a duke of Saxe-Weimar.Wilhelm was the fifth son of Johann, Duke of Saxe-Weimar, and Dorothea Maria of Anhalt...
offered August the presidency of the Fruitbearing Society. He accepted the office with its responsibility for fostering the work of artists and scientists. His activities as a patron left considerable debts for his descendants to deal with.
Marriages and issue
In SchwerinSchwerin
Schwerin is the capital and second-largest city of the northern German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The population, as of end of 2009, was 95,041.-History:...
on 23 November 1647 August married Anna Maria of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Anna Maria of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Anna Maria of Mecklenburg-Schwerin was a German noblewoman, a member of the House of Mecklenburg and by marriage Duchess of Saxe-Weissenfels....
. They had twelve children:
- Magdalene SibylleMagdalena Sibylle of Saxe-WeissenfelsMagdalena Sibylle of Saxe-Weissenfels was a German noblewoman.She was a daughter of August, duke of Saxe-Weissenfels, and his wife Anna Maria of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Her paternal grandparents were John George I, Elector of Saxony, and Magdalene Sibylle of Prussia.On 14 November 1669, she married...
(b. HalleHalle, Saxony-AnhaltHalle is the largest city in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. It is also called Halle an der Saale in order to distinguish it from the town of Halle in North Rhine-Westphalia...
, 2 September 1648 - d. Gotha, 7 January 1681), married on 14 November 1669 to Duke Frederick I of Saxe-Gotha-AltenburgFrederick I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-AltenburgFrederick I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg , was a duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg. He was the fourth but eldest surviving son of Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Altenburg and Elisabeth Sophie of Saxe-Altenburg.When Ernst inherited the duchy of Saxe-Altenburg , he made Frederick the regent of that duchy...
. She was an ancestor of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. - Johann Adolf I, Duke of Saxe-WeissenfelsJohann Adolf I, Duke of Saxe-WeissenfelsJohann Adolf I, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels , was a duke of Saxe-Weissenfels-Querfurt and member of the House of Wettin....
(b. Halle, 2 November 1649 - d. Weissenfels, 24 May 1697). - August (b. Halle, 3 December 1650 - d. Halle, 11 August 1674), ProvostProvost (religion)A provost is a senior official in a number of Christian churches.-Historical Development:The word praepositus was originally applied to any ecclesiastical ruler or dignitary...
of Magdeburg; married on 25 August 1673 to Charlotte of Hesse-Eschwege. Their only son was stillborn (24 April 1674). - Christian (b. Halle, 25 January 1652 - killed in action at MainzMainzMainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire...
, 24 August 1689), General Field Marshal of the Saxon Electoral Army. - Anna Maria (b. Halle, 28 February 1653 - d. Halle, 17 February 1671).
- SophieDuchess Sophia of Saxe-WeissenfelsSophia of Saxe-Weissenfels was a member of the Albertine branch of the House of Wettin, and a princess of Saxe-Weissenfels and Querfurt by birth and by marriage Duchess of Anhalt-Zerbst.- Family :Sophia was the third daughter of the Duke August of Saxe-Weissenfels and his wife Anna Maria of...
(b. Halle, 23 June 1654 - d. ZerbstZerbstZerbst is a town in the district of Anhalt-Bitterfeld, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Until the administrative reform of 2007, Zerbst was the capital of the Anhalt-Zerbst district. Since the 1 January 2010 local government reform, Zerbst has about 24,000 inhabitants.It is not clear when was it founded;...
, 31 March 1724), married on 18 June 1676 to Karl, Prince of Anhalt-ZerbstKarl, Prince of Anhalt-ZerbstKarl William, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst....
. Like her older sister Magdalene Sybille, she was an ancestor of Queen Victoria. - Katharine (b. Halle, 12 September 1655 - d. Halle, 21 April 1663).
- Christine (b. Halle, 25 August 1656 - d. EutinEutinEutin is the district capital of Eastern Holstein located in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein. As of 2005, it had some 17,000 inhabitants....
, 27 April 1698), married on 21 June 1676 to August Friedrich of Holstein-Gottorp, Prince-Bishop of LübeckLübeckThe Hanseatic City of Lübeck is the second-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein, in northern Germany, and one of the major ports of Germany. It was for several centuries the "capital" of the Hanseatic League and, because of its Brick Gothic architectural heritage, is listed by UNESCO as a World...
. - HeinrichHeinrich of Saxe-Weissenfels, Count of BarbyHeinrich of Saxe-Weissenfels, Count of Barby , was a German prince of the House of Wettin and count of Barby....
(b. Halle, 29 September 1657 - d. Barby, 16 February 1728); he inherited Barby. - AlbrechtAlbrecht of Saxe-WeissenfelsAlbrecht of Saxe-Weissenfels , was a German prince of the House of Wettin.He was the fifth and youngest son of August, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels, and his first wife, Anna Maria of Mecklenburg-Schwerin....
(b. Halle, 14 April 1659 - d. LeipzigLeipzigLeipzig 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...
, 9 May 1692). - Elisabeth (b.Halle, 25 August 1660 - d. Halle, 11 May 1663).
- Dorothea (b. Halle, 17 December 1662 - d. Halle, 12 May 1663).
In Halle
Halle, Saxony-Anhalt
Halle is the largest city in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. It is also called Halle an der Saale in order to distinguish it from the town of Halle in North Rhine-Westphalia...
on 29 January 1672, two years after the death of his first wife, August married Johanna Walpurgis of Leiningen-Westerburg. They had three sons:
- Frederick (b. Halle, 20 November 1673 - d. DahmeDahme, BrandenburgDahme is a town in the Teltow-Fläming district of Brandenburg, Germany. It is situated on the Dahme River, 30 km southeast of Luckenwalde, and 38 km west of Lübbenau....
, 16 April 1715), married on 13 February 1711 to Emilie Agnes of Reuss-Schleiz. This marriage was childless. - Maurice (b. Halle, 5 January 1676 - d. Szegedin, Hungary, 12 September 1695).
- Stillborn son (1679).