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Count John of Nassau-Idstein (born 24 November 1603 in
Saarbrücken Saarbrücken (; french: link=no, Sarrebruck ; Rhine Franconian: ''Saarbrigge'' ; lb, Saarbrécken ; lat, Saravipons, lit=The Bridge(s) across the Saar river) is the capital and largest city of the state of Saarland, Germany. Saarbrücken is S ...
; died: 23 May 1677 in
Idstein Idstein () is a town of about 25,000 inhabitants in the Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis in the ''Regierungsbezirk'' of Darmstadt in Hesse, Germany. Because of its well preserved historical Altstadt (Old Town) it is part of the ''Deutsche Fachwerkstraße'' ...
) was Count of Nassau and Protestant Regent of Idstein.


Life

His parents were
Louis II, Count of Nassau-Weilburg Louis II of Nassau-Weilburg (9 August 1565, Weilburg – 8 November 1627, Saarbrücken) was a count of Nassau-Weilburg. Life Louis was the eldest son of Count Albert of Nassau-Weilburg-Ottweiler and Countess Anna of Nassau-Dillenburg. H ...
(1565–1627) and his wife, Landgräfin Anna Maria of Hesse-Kassel (1567–1626). His father had in 1605 reunited all the possessions of the Walram line of the
House of Nassau The House of Nassau is a diversified aristocratic dynasty in Europe. It is named after the lordship associated with Nassau Castle, located in present-day Nassau, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The lords of Nassau were originally titled "Count o ...
: Saarbrücken, Weilburg and Idstein. His brother was William Louis. When the brothers divided their father's inheritance on 29 January 1629 in Ottweiler, William Louis received the
County of Saarbrücken A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
, the
district A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...
of
Ottweiler Ottweiler () is a municipality, former seat of the district of Neunkirchen, in Saarland, Germany. It is situated on the river Blies The Blies () is a right tributary of the Saar in southwestern Germany (Saarland) and northeastern France (Mosel ...
, the Bailiwick of Herbitzheim, and the community of
Saarwellingen Saarwellingen (, french: Sarrevailingue) is a municipality in the district of Saarlouis in Saarland, Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous count ...
. John received the Lordship of
Idstein Idstein () is a town of about 25,000 inhabitants in the Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis in the ''Regierungsbezirk'' of Darmstadt in Hesse, Germany. Because of its well preserved historical Altstadt (Old Town) it is part of the ''Deutsche Fachwerkstraße'' ...
,
Wiesbaden Wiesbaden () is a city in central western Germany and the capital of the state of Hesse. , it had 290,955 inhabitants, plus approximately 21,000 United States citizens (mostly associated with the United States Army). The Wiesbaden urban area ...
and Sonnenberg. The two younger brothers, Ernest Casimir and Otto received Wehener Grund and the district of
Burgschwalbach Burgschwalbach is a municipality in the district of Rhein-Lahn, in Rhineland-Palatinate, in western Germany. It belongs to the association community of Aar-Einrich. The Schwalbach Castle was built between 1354 and 1371 by Count Eberhard V. of ...
. However, since they were still minors, William Louis administered those territories as regent. Shortly thereafter, their territories were put at risk by the Imperial
Edict of Restitution The Edict of Restitution was proclaimed by Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor in Vienna, on 6 March 1629, eleven years into the Thirty Years' War. Following Catholic military successes, Ferdinand hoped to restore control of land to that specifie ...
of 2 March 1629, when the Prince-Archbishops of Mainz and Trier claimed restitution of church properties that had been confiscated after the
Peace of Passau Holy Roman Emperor Charles V had won a victory against Protestant forces in the Schmalkaldic War of 1547. Many Protestant princes were unhappy with the religious terms of the Augsburg Interim imposed after this victory. In January 1552, led by Maur ...
of 1552. On 7 July 1629, the
Reichskammergericht The ''Reichskammergericht'' (; ; la, Iudicium imperii) was one of the two highest judicial institutions in the Holy Roman Empire, the other one being the Aulic Council in Vienna. It was founded in 1495 by the Imperial Diet in Worms. All legal ...
ruled that the House of Nassau had to return city and castle of
Sarrewerden Sarrewerden (; ) is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Grand Est in northeastern France. The localities of ''Bischtroff-sur-Sarre'' and ''Zollingen'' are incorporated in the commune since 1972. See also * Communes of the Bas-Rhin departm ...
,
Bouquenom Sarre-Union () is a Communes of France, commune in the Bas-Rhin Departments of France, department in Grand Est in north-eastern France. It consists of two older towns that were unified on 16 June 1794. On the east bank of the river Saar (river), ...
and Wieberstweiler to the
Bishopric of Metz The Bishopric of Metz was a prince-bishopric of the Holy Roman Empire. It was one of the Three Bishoprics that were annexed by France in 1552. The Bishops of Metz had already ruled over a significant amount of territories within the former Kingd ...
as
fief A fief (; la, feudum) was a central element in medieval contracts based on feudal law. It consisted of a form of property holding or other rights granted by an Lord, overlord to a vassal, who held it in fealty or "in fee" in return for a for ...
s of
Lorraine Lorraine , also , , ; Lorrain: ''Louréne''; Lorraine Franconian: ''Lottringe''; german: Lothringen ; lb, Loutrengen; nl, Lotharingen is a cultural and historical region in Northeastern France, now located in the administrative region of Gr ...
. They were allowed to keep their other disputed possessions. In 1629 he married Sibylla Magdalena of Baden-Durlach (born: 21 July 1605; died: 26 July 1644 in
Strasbourg Strasbourg (, , ; german: Straßburg ; gsw, label=Bas Rhin Alsatian, Strossburi , gsw, label=Haut Rhin Alsatian, Strossburig ) is the prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est region of eastern France and the official seat of the Eu ...
), daughter of George Frederick, Margrave of Baden-Durlach and Wild- and Rhinegravine Juliane Ursula of Salm-Neufville.Genealogy of the Walram line
When, at the end of that year, King
Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden Gustavus Adolphus (9 December Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates">N.S_19_December.html" ;"title="Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates.html" ;"title="/nowiki>Old Style and New Style dates">N.S 19 December">Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates.html" ;"title="/now ...
appeared the Rhine, presented William Louis, John and Ernest Casimir joined him in his war against the Emperor. After King Gustavus Adolphus had fallen on 16 November 1632, the three counts committed themselves on a meeting of Protestant princes in Heilbronn to continue fighting the Emperor, now under the Swedish Chancellor
Axel Oxenstierna Axel Gustafsson Oxenstierna af Södermöre (; 1583–1654), Count of Södermöre, was a Swedish statesman. He became a member of the Swedish Privy Council in 1609 and served as Lord High Chancellor of Sweden from 1612 until his death. He was a c ...
. John signed the alliance with France against the Emperor on 5 September 1633, as the representative of the Nassau brothers. The youngest brother, Otto, died on 24 November 1632. On 11 December, Ernest Casimir came of age and the brothers decided to revise the division of the inheritance. In this new division, Ernest Casimir received the districts of
Weilburg Weilburg is, with just under 13,000 inhabitants, the third biggest town in Limburg-Weilburg district in Hesse, Germany, after Limburg an der Lahn and Bad Camberg. Geography Location The community lies in the Lahn valley between the Westerwa ...
and Mehrenberg, the County of Gleiberg and the districts of Kirchheim and Stauf, which had been Otto's. The brothers decided to share the district of
Usingen Usingen is a small town in the Hochtaunuskreis in Hessen, Germany. Until 1972, this residential and school town was the seat of the former district of Usingen. Coat of arms The earliest seal whose appearance is known – there had been earlier on ...
and
Stockheim Stockheim is a municipality in the district of Kronach in Bavaria in Germany. It is located on Bundesstraße 85 The Bundesstraße 85 (abbr. B 85) runs southeast through Thuringia and Bavaria, from Kyffhäuser to Passau, near the Austrian bord ...
. In 1634 in Frankfurt, the brothers reached a compromise with the Lords of
hohengeroldseck Hohengeroldseck was a state of the Holy Roman Empire. It was founded by the House of Geroldseck, a German noble family which arrived in the Ortenau region of Swabia reputedly in 948, though the first mention of the family is documented in the 1080 ...
over the ownership of
Lahr Lahr (officially Lahr/Schwarzwald since 30 September 1978) (); gsw, label= Low Alemannic, Lohr) is a town in western Baden-Württemberg, Germany, approximately 50 km north of Freiburg im Breisgau, 40 km southeast of Strasbourg, and 95&nb ...
. After Sweden and its allies were defeated, Emperor Ferdinand II terminated the
fief A fief (; la, feudum) was a central element in medieval contracts based on feudal law. It consisted of a form of property holding or other rights granted by an Lord, overlord to a vassal, who held it in fealty or "in fee" in return for a for ...
of the Nassau territories. On 30 May 1635, a number of
Imperial Prince Prince of the Holy Roman Empire ( la, princeps imperii, german: Reichsfürst, cf. ''Fürst'') was a title attributed to a hereditary ruler, nobleman or prelate recognised as such by the Holy Roman Emperor. Definition Originally, possessors o ...
s, including the Electors of Brandenburg and Saxony, had closed the Peace of Prague, which granted
amnesty Amnesty (from the Ancient Greek ἀμνηστία, ''amnestia'', "forgetfulness, passing over") is defined as "A pardon extended by the government to a group or class of people, usually for a political offense; the act of a sovereign power offici ...
to most of the princes who had fought against the emperor. The Counts of Nassau, however, had been explicitly excluded from this amnesty. John chose to go into exile to Strasbourg. In November 1635, imperial commissioner
Bertram von Sturm Bertram Sturm, from 1632 Bertram von Sturm zu Vehlingen, ( – 20 January 1639 in Frankfurt) was Imperial Council, Imperial Chief War Commissioner of the Upper and Lower Rhine district in Frankfurt and was bailiff for the House of Lobkowicz in ...
arrived in Nassau and announced an
imperial ban The imperial ban (german: Reichsacht) was a form of outlawry in the Holy Roman Empire. At different times, it could be declared by the Holy Roman Emperor, by the Imperial Diet, or by courts like the League of the Holy Court (''Vehmgericht'') or th ...
on the three brothers. All their territories and possessions were declared forfeited. Until 1646, the citizens of Idstein would suffer from hunger, disease and military despotism. Countess Magdalena Sibylla died in 1644 at the age of 39. On 6 December 1646, John remarried in Strasbourg, with Countess Anna of Leiningen-Dagsburg-Falkenburg (born: 25 May 1625 in Dagsburg; died: 24 December 1688 in
Idstein Idstein () is a town of about 25,000 inhabitants in the Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis in the ''Regierungsbezirk'' of Darmstadt in Hesse, Germany. Because of its well preserved historical Altstadt (Old Town) it is part of the ''Deutsche Fachwerkstraße'' ...
), daughter of Count Philip George of Leiningen-Dagsburg-Falkenburg und Countess Anna of Erbach. After the marriage ceremony, John returned to Idstein with his new wife. In 1653, his eldest son became a Catholic. John disowned him. In 1665, his son George August Samuel was born. He would become John's successor. In 1666, the construction of a new church in Idstein began. In 1668, the
plague Plague or The Plague may refer to: Agriculture, fauna, and medicine *Plague (disease), a disease caused by ''Yersinia pestis'' * An epidemic of infectious disease (medical or agricultural) * A pandemic caused by such a disease * A swarm of pes ...
broke out in Idstein. Countess Anna died at the age of 43. In 1672, John made an unsuccessful bid to be raised to the rank of
Imperial Prince Prince of the Holy Roman Empire ( la, princeps imperii, german: Reichsfürst, cf. ''Fürst'') was a title attributed to a hereditary ruler, nobleman or prelate recognised as such by the Holy Roman Emperor. Definition Originally, possessors o ...
.


Witch hunts

In 1630,
witch trial A witch-hunt, or a witch purge, is a search for people who have been labeled witches or a search for evidence of witchcraft. The classical period of witch-hunts in Early Modern Europe and Colonial America took place in the Early Modern perio ...
s began in his territory and John ordered pastors to preach against the havoc brought about by witchcraft. In 1658, ''
Amtmann __NOTOC__ The ''Amtmann'' or ''Ammann'' (in Switzerland) was an official in German-speaking countries of Europe and in some of the Nordic countries from the time of the Middle Ages whose office was akin to that of a bailiff. He was the most seni ...
'' Plebanus began prosecuting witches. In 1676, more witch trials were conducted in Idstein and, between 3 February 1676 and 31 March 1677, 31 women and 8 men were executed for witchcraft.Discover Idstein Past and Present
idstein.de, retrieved 28 October 2014
Persecutions ended following John's death on 23 May 1677, at the age of 74.


Successor

Johann was succeeded by his son George August Samuel, who was only 12 years old when he died, so his uncle Count Johann Kasimir of Leiningen-Dagsburg-Falkenburg (1619-1688) acted as regent during his minority. Count Johann Kasimir described the office of a regent in his "political testament" as a task for with the regent must later give account before God.


Issue

He married firstly Markgräfin Sibylla Magdalena von
Baden-Durlach The Margraviate of Baden-Durlach was an early modern territory of the Holy Roman Empire, in the upper Rhine valley, which existed from 1535 to 1771. It was formed when the Margraviate of Baden was split between the sons of Margrave Christopher ...
(1605-1644) and secondly Countess Anna zu Leiningen-Dagsburg-Falkenburg (1625-1688). Johann had a total of 25 children with his two wives, including: # Gustav Adolph (1632–1664) # Louis Frederick (1633–1656) # John (1638–1658) # Charles (1649–1651) # George William (1656–1657) # Philip Louis (1662–1664) # George August Samuel (1665–1721), married Princess Henriette Dorothea of
Oettingen-Oettingen The House of Oettingen was a high-rank noble Franconian and Swabian family. It ruled various estates that composed the County of Oettingen between the 12th century and the beginning of the 19th century. In 1674 the house was raised to the rank of p ...
(1672–1728), daughter of Prince
Albert Ernest I of Oettingen-Oettingen Albert may refer to: Companies * Albert (supermarket), a supermarket chain in the Czech Republic * Albert Heijn, a supermarket chain in the Netherlands * Albert Market, a street market in The Gambia * Albert Productions, a record label * Alber ...
# Ottile Anna (1630–1632) # Bernhardine Sofie (1634–1642) # Juliane Sabine (1639-2. October 1639) # Christine Elizabeth (1651–1676) # Eleanor Louise (1653–1677) # Ernestine (1654–1655) # Johanette (1657–1733), married Count
Christian Louis, Count of Waldeck Count Christian Louis of Waldeck (29 July 1635 – 12 December 1706) was from 1645 Count of Waldeck-Wildungen and from 1692 Count of Waldeck and Pyrmont. Life He was born in Waldeck, the eldest son of the Count Philip VII of Waldeck-Wildun ...
(d. 1706) # Sibylle Charlotte (1658–1660) # Dorothea Amalie (1661–1740), married Count Louis Frederick of Wied (d. 1709) without Issue :de:Ludwig Friedrich zu Wied


See also

*
House of Nassau The House of Nassau is a diversified aristocratic dynasty in Europe. It is named after the lordship associated with Nassau Castle, located in present-day Nassau, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The lords of Nassau were originally titled "Count o ...


References

* * Gilla Flothmann, Hilke Müller, Ilse Schollmeyer, Maria Stoltefaut: ''Den Hexen auf der Spur … Über Hexenprozesse am Beispiel Idstein 1676'', Hexenbuchladen, Obergasse 10, 65510 Idstein, 1986,


External links


History of the witch hunts in Nassau
* (side entry)



with a list of the victims of the witch hunts in Idstein 1676-1677


Footnotes

{{DEFAULTSORT:John Nassau-Idstein Counts of Nassau 17th-century German people House of Nassau 1603 births 1677 deaths