Augustus of Saxe-Weissenfels (

Dresden Dresden (, ; Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; wen, label=Upper Sorbian, Drježdźany) is the capital city of the German state of Saxony and its second most populous city, after Leipzig. It is the 12th most populous city of Germany, the fourth larg ...

, 13 August 1614 – 4 June 1680, Halle), was a Duke of

Saxe-Weissenfels Saxe-Weissenfels (german: Sachsen-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 u ...

-Querfurt of the

House of Wettin The House of Wettin () is a dynasty of German kings, prince-electors, dukes, and counts that once ruled territories in the present-day German states of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia. The dynasty is one of the oldest in Europe, and its ori ...

and administrator of the

Archbishopric of Magdeburg The Archbishopric of Magdeburg was a Roman Catholic archdiocese (969–1552) and Prince-Archbishopric (1180–1680) of the Holy Roman Empire centered on the city of Magdeburg on the Elbe River. Planned since 955 and established in 968, the Roma ...

. He was the fourth (but second surviving) son of

John George I, Elector of Saxony John George I (5 March 1585 – 8 October 1656) was Elector of Saxony from 1611 to 1656. He led Saxony through the Thirty Years' War, which dominated his 45 year reign. Biography Born in Dresden, John George was the second son of the Elector Chr ...

, and his second wife,

Magdalene Sibylle of Prussia Magdalene Sibylle of Prussia (31 December 1586 – 12 February 1659) was an Electress of Saxony as the spouse of John George I, Elector of Saxony. She is a 6th times matrilineal great grandmother to Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. Life ...

Early life

On 23 January 1628, at the age of 13, August was appointed administrator of the Archbishopric of Magdeburg by its Chapter to replace the current holder of that title,

Christian Wilhelm of Brandenburg Christian Wilhelm of Brandenburg (28 August 1587 in Wolmirstedt – 1 January 1665 in Zinna Abbey) was a titular Margrave of Brandenburg, and from 1598 to 1631 Archbishop of Magdeburg. Life Christian Wilhelm was a son of Elector Joachim Fr ...

. By that time, August had already served three years as

coadjutor The term coadjutor (or coadiutor, literally "co-assister" in Latin) is a title qualifier indicating that the holder shares the office with another person, with powers equal to the other in all but formal order of precedence. These include: * Coadj ...

. Nevertheless, he could not assume his post: on 20 May 1631, after seven months of siege and plundering during the

Sack of Magdeburg The Sack of Magdeburg, also called Magdeburg's Wedding (german: Magdeburger Hochzeit) or Magdeburg's Sacrifice (), was the destruction of the Protestant city of Magdeburg on 20 May 1631 by the Imperial Army and the forces of the Catholic Leag ...

, the city was taken by the Imperial troops; the Catholic competitor for the diocese,

Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria (5 January 1614 – 20 November 1662), younger brother of Emperor Ferdinand III, was an Austrian soldier, administrator and patron of the arts. He held a number of military commands, with limited success, and ...

, assumed the title of archbishop and administrator of Magdeburg. The

Peace of Prague (1635) The Peace of Prague (, ), signed on 30 May 1635, ended Saxony's participation in the Thirty Years War. Other German princes subsequently joined the treaty and although the Thirty Years War continued, it is generally agreed Prague ended it as a ...

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 Torstensson, Count of Ortala, Baron of Virestad (17 August 16037 April 1651), was a Swedish Field Marshal and military engineer. Early career He was born at Forstena manor in Västergötland. His parents were Märta Nilsdotter Posse a ...

. He was then able to begin the reconstruction of the city. In 1643 August was accepted into the

Fruitbearing Society The Fruitbearing Society (German Die Fruchtbringende Gesellschaft, lat. ''societas fructifera'') was a German literary society founded in 1617 in Weimar by German scholars and nobility. Its aim was to standardize vernacular German and promote it a ...

at the behest of

Louis I, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen Louis I of Anhalt-Köthen (german: Ludwig I., Fürst von Anhalt-Köthen; 17 June 1579 in Dessau – 7 January 1650 in Köthen), was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the unified principality of Anhalt. From 1603, he was ruler o ...

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

. August inherited the towns of

Weißenfels Weißenfels (; often written in English as Weissenfels) is the largest town of the Burgenlandkreis district, in southern Saxony-Anhalt, central Germany. It is situated on the river Saale, approximately south of Halle, Saxony-Anhalt, Halle. His ...

and

Querfurt Querfurt () is a town in the Saalekreis district, or ''Kreis'', in southern Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is located in a fertile area on the Querne, west from Merseburg. In 2020, the town had a population of 10,454. The town Querfurt consists of Q ...

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 Heinrich may refer to: People * Heinrich (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name) * Heinrich (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name) *Hetty (given name), a given name (including a list of peo ...

. 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 (Altenburg, 11 April 1598 – Weimar, 17 May 1662), was a duke of Saxe-Weimar. Wilhelm was the fifth (but third surviving) son of Johann, Duke of Saxe-Weimar, and Dorothea Maria of Anhalt. He was brother to Bernar ...

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

Schwerin Schwerin (; Mecklenburgisch dialect, Mecklenburgian Low German: ''Swerin''; Latin: ''Suerina'', ''Suerinum'') is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Germany, second-largest city of the northeastern States of Germany, German ...

on 23 November 1647 August married

Anna Maria of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Anna Maria of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1 July 1627, in Schwerin – 11 December 1669, in Halle) was a German noblewoman, a member of the House of Mecklenburg and by marriage Duchess of Saxe-Weissenfels. She was the fourth child and second daughter ...

. They had twelve children: # Magdalene Sibylle (b. Halle, 2 September 1648 - d. Gotha, 7 January 1681), married on 14 November 1669 to Duke Frederick I of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg. # Johann Adolf I (b. Halle, 2 November 1649 - d. Weissenfels, 24 May 1697). #

August August is the eighth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars, and the fifth of seven months to have a length of 31 days. Its zodiac sign is Leo and was originally named ''Sextilis'' in Latin because it was the 6th month in ...

(b. Halle, 3 December 1650 - d. Halle, 11 August 1674), Provost of Magdeburg; married on 25 August 1673 to

Landgravine Landgrave (german: Landgraf, nl, landgraaf, sv, lantgreve, french: landgrave; la, comes magnus, ', ', ', ', ') was a noble title used in the Holy Roman Empire, and later on in its former territories. The German titles of ', ' ("margrave"), a ...

Charlotte of Hesse-Eschwege. Their only son was stillborn (24 April 1674). #Christian (b. Halle, 25 January 1652 - killed in action at

Mainz Mainz () is the capital and largest city of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Mainz is on the left bank of the Rhine, opposite to the place that the Main (river), Main joins the Rhine. Downstream of the confluence, the Rhine flows to the north-we ...

, 24 August 1689), General Field Marshal of the Saxon Electoral Army. #Anna Maria (b. Halle, 28 February 1653 - d. Halle, 17 February 1671). #

Sophie Sophie is a version of the female given name Sophia, meaning "wise". People with the name Born in the Middle Ages * Sophie, Countess of Bar (c. 1004 or 1018–1093), sovereign Countess of Bar and lady of Mousson * Sophie of Thuringia, Duchess o ...

(b. Halle, 23 June 1654 - d.

Zerbst Zerbst () is a town in the district of Anhalt-Bitterfeld, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Until an administrative reform in 2007, Zerbst was the capital of the former Anhalt-Zerbst district. Geography Zerbst is situated in the Anhalt-Wittenberg regio ...

, 31 March 1724), married on 18 June 1676 to

Karl, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst Charles William, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst (16 October 1652, in Zerbst – 3 November 1718, in Zerbst), was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst. He was the third (but eldest surviving) son of John ...

. #Katharine (b. Halle, 12 September 1655 - d. Halle, 21 April 1663). #Christine (b. Halle, 25 August 1656 - d.

Eutin Eutin () is the district capital of Ostholstein, Eastern Holstein county located in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein. As of 2020, the town had some 17,000 inhabitants. History The name Eutin (originally Utin) is of Slavic origin. I ...

, 27 April 1698), married on 21 June 1676 to August Friedrich of

Holstein-Gottorp Holstein-Gottorp or Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp () is the historiographical name, as well as contemporary shorthand name, for the parts of the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein, also known as Ducal Holstein, that were ruled by the dukes of Schlesw ...

, Prince-Bishop of

Lübeck Lübeck (; Low German also ), officially the Hanseatic City of Lübeck (german: Hansestadt Lübeck), is a city in Northern Germany. With around 217,000 inhabitants, Lübeck is the second-largest city on the German Baltic coast and in the stat ...

(son of

Frederick III, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp Frederick III of Holstein-Gottorp (22 December 1597 – 10 August 1659) was a Duke of Holstein-Gottorp. He was the elder son of Duke Johann Adolf of Holstein-Gottorp and Princess Augusta of Denmark. His mother was a daughter of King Frederic ...

, and his wife

Duchess Marie Elisabeth of Saxony Duchess Marie Elisabeth of Saxony (22 November 1610 – 24 October 1684) was duchess consort of Holstein-Gottorp as the spouse of Duke Friedrich III of Holstein-Gottorp. As a widow, she became known as a patron of culture. Biography She w ...

). #

(b. Halle, 29 September 1657 - d. Barby, 16 February 1728); he inherited Barby. # Albrecht (b. Halle, 14 April 1659 - d.

Leipzig Leipzig ( , ; Upper Saxon: ) is the most populous city in the German state of Saxony. Leipzig's population of 605,407 inhabitants (1.1 million in the larger urban zone) as of 2021 places the city as Germany's eighth most populous, as wel ...

, 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 on 29 January 1672, two years after the death of his first wife, August married

Count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

ess

Johanna Walpurgis of Leiningen-Westerburg Johanna Walpurgis of Leiningen-Westerburg (3 June 1647 – 4 November 1687), was a German noblewoman member of the House of Runkel (through female line surnamed Leiningen-Westerburg) and by marriage Duchess of Saxe-Weissenfels. Born in Schaumb ...

. They had three sons: #

Frederick Frederick may refer to: People * Frederick (given name), the name Nobility Anhalt-Harzgerode *Frederick, Prince of Anhalt-Harzgerode (1613–1670) Austria * Frederick I, Duke of Austria (Babenberg), Duke of Austria from 1195 to 1198 * Frederi ...

(b. Halle, 20 November 1673 - d. Dahme, 16 April 1715), he inherited Dahme. #Maurice (b. Halle, 5 January 1676 - d.

Szeged Szeged ( , ; see also #Etymology, other alternative names) is List of cities and towns of Hungary#Largest cities in Hungary, the third largest city of Hungary, the largest city and regional centre of the Southern Great Plain and the county seat ...

, Hungary, 12 September 1695). #Stillborn son (1679).

References

*Johann Christoph von Dreyhaupt: ''Beschreibung des … Saal-Creyses, insonderheit der Städte Halle; Halle 1749/1751 (Dreyhaupt-Chronik)'' *Heinrich Theodor Flathe
''August (Herzog von Sachsen-Weißenfels)''.
In: A''llgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB)'', vol. 1, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1875, p. 680. *Klaus Gondermann: ''Die Mitglieder der Fruchtbringenden Gesellschaft 1617–1650: 527 Biographien'', Leipzig, 1985. *Boje E. Schmuhl (ed.) jointly with Thomas Bauer-Friedrich: ''Im Land der Palme. August von Sachsen (1614-1680), Erzbischof von Magdeburg und Fürst in Halle''. Kunstmuseum Moritzburg, Halle (Saale) 2014 (writings of the Kunstmuseums Moritzburg Halle (Saale), vol. 2). *Hellmut Kretzschmar

In: ''Neue Deutsche Biographie (NDB)''. vol. 1, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin 1953

etrieved 10 October 2014 *Dirk Schleinert: ''Anna Maria von Mecklenburg (1627-1669) und August von Sachsen (1614-1680) und die Begründung des Hauses Sachsen-Weißenfels. Dynastische Beziehungen zwischen Mecklenburg und Kursachsen im 17. Jahrhundert'', in: Mecklenburgische Jahrbücher 123. Jg. (2008), pp. 123–157. *''300 Jahre Schloß Neu-Augustusburg, 1660–1694 – Residenz der Herzöge von Sachsen-Weißenfels. Festschrift'', Weissenfels 1994. *Andrea Thiele: ''Residenz auf Abruf? Hof- und Stadtgesellschaft in Halle (Saale) unter dem letzten Administrator des Erzstifts Magdeburg, August von Sachsen (1614-1680)''. Halle (Saale) 2011 (=research on Halle city's history; nº16). *Andrea Thiele: ''Vier Jahrzehnte in Halle - Die Saalestadt als Residenz Augusts von Sachsen, postulierter Administrator des Erzstifts Magdeburg (1614-1680). in: Barocke Fürstenresidenzen an Saale, Unstrut und Elster'', pp. 122–132; Michael Imhof ed., Petersberg 2007. *Joachim Säckl/Andrea Thiele: ''August von Sachsen, Administrator des Erzstifts Magdeburg, Herzog von Sachsen-Weißenfels (* 13. August 1614 in Dresden, + 4. Juni 1680 in Halle/Saale)''. In: Mitteldeutsches Yearbook of Culture and History, Vol. 21 (2014), pp. 272–275. {{Authority control 1614 births 1680 deaths House of Saxe-Weissenfels Nobility from Dresden Lutheran bishops and administrators of German prince-bishoprics Dukes of Saxe-Weissenfels Albertine branch