John Ernest II, Duke of Saxe-Weimar


John Ernest II, was a duke of Saxe-Weimar. He was the second but eldest surviving son of William, Duke of Saxe-Weimar, and Eleonore Dorothea of Anhalt-Dessau.

Life

After the death of his father on 1662, he became reigning duke. In 1672 John Ernest divided his possessions with his younger brothers. He retained Weimar, his brother John George I received Eisenach, and his other brother, Bernhard, received Jena. Eventually, the partitioned lands, Saxe-Weimar, Saxe-Eisenach and Saxe-Jena were re-combined.
Like his father, John Ernest was particularly interested in the arts. He was also an avid hunter. Given his overriding interest in these pursuits, John Ernest entrusted the reigns of government to his chancellor.
In Weimar on 14 August 1656, John Ernest married Christine Elisabeth,, a daughter of John Christian, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg.
They had five children:
  1. Anna Dorothea, Abbess of Quedlinburg.
  2. Wilhelmine Christine, married on 25 September 1684 to Christian William of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen.
  3. Eleonore Sophie, married on 9 July 1684 to Philipp of Saxe-Merseburg-Lauchstädt.
  4. William Ernest, Duke of Saxe-Weimar.
  5. John Ernest III, Duke of Saxe-Weimar.

    Ancestors