Johann II, Duke of Saxe-Weimar


Johann II, Duke of Saxe-Weimar , was a Duke of Saxe-Weimar and Jena.

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 William I was also under age, the duchy of Saxe-Weimar 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 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 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. They had twelve children:
  1. John Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Weimar.
  2. Christian William.
  3. Frederick.
  4. John.
  5. William, Duke of Saxe-Weimar.
  6. stillborn son, twin of William.
  7. Albert IV, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach.
  8. John Frederick.
  9. Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha.
  10. Frederick William.
  11. Bernhard, Count of Franken.
  12. Johanna.

    Ancestry