Johann Georg, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels
Encyclopedia
Johann Georg, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels (Halle
, 13 July 1677 – Weissenfels, 16 March 1712), was a duke of Saxe-Weissenfels
-Querfurt and a member of the House of Wettin.
He was the third child and first surviving son of Johann Adolf I, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels
, by his first wife, Johanna Magdalene of Saxe-Altenburg.
Like his both predecessors, Johann Georg was interested in developing a flotilla
, but he was also a great patron of the arts and sciences. Under his rule Weissenfels became the leading economical and cultural center in central Germany along with Dresden
.
To maintain order during civic celebrations, Johann George created the establishment of Citizen Companies (Bürgerkompanien), in whose service male inhabitants were conscripted.
In imitation of the decorations bestowed by the Freuitbearing Society (of which his grandfather was a head) Johann Georg created on 24 June 1704 a medal extolling knightly virtues "De la noble passion" with the motto "J’aime l’honneur, qui vient par la vertu" (en: "I love the honor that comes from virtue"). The statutes of the order, which the duke wrote both in German and in French, required an irreproachable life and noble birth for admittance.
During the Great Northern War
, Weissenfels was occupied by Swedish troops from 1706 to 1707.
Because he died without surviving male issue, Johann Georg was succeeded by his brother Christian.
on 7 January 1698, Johann Georg married Fredericka Elisabeth of Saxe-Eisenach. They had seven children:
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...
, 13 July 1677 – Weissenfels, 16 March 1712), 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 and a member of the House of Wettin.
He was the third child and first surviving son of Johann Adolf I, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels
Johann Adolf I, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels
Johann Adolf I, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels , was a duke of Saxe-Weissenfels-Querfurt and member of the House of Wettin....
, by his first wife, Johanna Magdalene of Saxe-Altenburg.
Government of the Duchy
Johann Georg succeeded his father in the duchy of Saxe-Weissenfels upon his death on 24 May 1697. Because he was still a minor, the Elector Frederick August I of Saxony briefly assumed a regency.Like his both predecessors, Johann Georg was interested in developing a flotilla
Flotilla
A flotilla , or naval flotilla, is a formation of small warships that may be part of a larger fleet. A flotilla is usually composed of a homogeneous group of the same class of warship, such as frigates, destroyers, torpedo boats, submarines, gunboats, or minesweepers...
, but he was also a great patron of the arts and sciences. Under his rule Weissenfels became the leading economical and cultural center in central Germany along with Dresden
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....
.
To maintain order during civic celebrations, Johann George created the establishment of Citizen Companies (Bürgerkompanien), in whose service male inhabitants were conscripted.
In imitation of the decorations bestowed by the Freuitbearing Society (of which his grandfather was a head) Johann Georg created on 24 June 1704 a medal extolling knightly virtues "De la noble passion" with the motto "J’aime l’honneur, qui vient par la vertu" (en: "I love the honor that comes from virtue"). The statutes of the order, which the duke wrote both in German and in French, required an irreproachable life and noble birth for admittance.
During the Great Northern War
Great Northern War
The Great Northern War was a conflict in which a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in northern Central Europe and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the anti-Swedish alliance were Peter I the Great of Russia, Frederick IV of...
, Weissenfels was occupied by Swedish troops from 1706 to 1707.
Because he died without surviving male issue, Johann Georg was succeeded by his brother Christian.
Marriage and issue
In JenaJena
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...
on 7 January 1698, Johann Georg married Fredericka Elisabeth of Saxe-Eisenach. They had seven children:
- Fredericka (b. Weissenfels, 4 August 1701 - d. Weissenfels, 28 February 1706).
- Johann Georg (b.Weissenfels, 20 October 1702 - d. Weissenfels, 5 March 1703).
- Johannette Wilhelmine (b. Weissenfels, 31 May 1704 - d. Weissenfels, 9 July 1704).
- Johannette Amalie (b. Weissenfels, 8 September 1705 - d. Weissenfels, 7 February 1706).
- Stillborn son (1706).
- Johanna MagdaleneJohanna Magdalene of Saxe-WeissenfelsJohanna Magdalene of Saxe-Weissenfels , was a Duchess consort of Courland. She married the Duke of Courland, Ferdinand Kettler, in 20 September 1730. She was the daughter of Johann Georg, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels and Fredericka Elisabeth of Saxe-Eisenach....
(b. Weissenfels, 17 March 1708 - 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...
, 25 January 1760), married on 5 January 1730 to Ferdinand KettlerFerdinand KettlerFerdinand Kettler was Duke of Courland and Semigallia from 1730 to 1737. Ferdinand was the son of Jacob Kettler and Louise Charlotte of Brandenburg. Married in 1730 to Johanna Magdalene of Saxe-Weissenfels ....
, Duke of Courland and Semigallia. - Fredericka Amalie (b. Weissenfels, 1 March 1712 - d. Weissenfels, 31 January 1714).