John George of Brandenburg (german: Johann Georg von Brandenburg; 11 September 1525 – 8 January 1598) was a

prince-elector The prince-electors (german: Kurfürst pl. , cz, Kurfiřt, la, Princeps Elector), or electors for short, were the members of the electoral college that elected the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. From the 13th century onwards, the princ ...

of the

Margraviate of Brandenburg The Margraviate of Brandenburg (german: link=no, Markgrafschaft Brandenburg) was a major principality of the Holy Roman Empire from 1157 to 1806 that played a pivotal role in the history of Germany and Central Europe. Brandenburg developed out ...

(1571–1598).

Early life

Born as a member of the

House of Hohenzollern The House of Hohenzollern (, also , german: Haus Hohenzollern, , ro, Casa de Hohenzollern) is a German royal (and from 1871 to 1918, imperial) dynasty whose members were variously princes, electors, kings and emperors of Hohenzollern, Brandenbu ...

, he was the son of

Joachim II Hector, Elector of Brandenburg Joachim II (german: Joachim II Hector or ''Hektor''; 13 January 1505 – 3 January 1571) was a Prince-elector of the Margraviate of Brandenburg (1535–1571), the sixth member of the House of Hohenzollern. Joachim II was the eldest son of Joa ...

, and his first wife Princess Magdalena of Saxony.

Biography

Faced with large debts of 2.5 million

guilder Guilder is the English translation of the Dutch and German ''gulden'', originally shortened from Middle High German ''guldin pfenninc'' " gold penny". This was the term that became current in the southern and western parts of the Holy Roman Emp ...

accumulated during the reign of his father, John George instituted a grain tax which drove part of the peasantry into dependence on a nobility that was exempt from taxation. He had Jews expelled from Brandenburg in 1573, stripped of their assets and prohibited from returning. Though a staunch

Lutheran Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Catholic Church launched ...

opposed to the rise of

Calvinism Calvinism (also called the Reformed Tradition, Reformed Protestantism, Reformed Christianity, or simply Reformed) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John C ...

, he permitted the admission of Calvinist refugees from the wars in the

Spanish Netherlands Spanish Netherlands ( Spanish: Países Bajos Españoles; Dutch: Spaanse Nederlanden; French: Pays-Bas espagnols; German: Spanische Niederlande.) (historically in Spanish: ''Flandes'', the name "Flanders" was used as a '' pars pro toto'') was the ...

and

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

. On 13 July 1574, he founded the Berlinisches Gymnasium zum Grauen Kloster, the first humanistic educational institution in

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitu ...

. He was succeeded by his son Joachim Frederick. Upon the death of his kinsman Albert I, Duke of Prussia in 1568, the

Duchy of Prussia The Duchy of Prussia (german: Herzogtum Preußen, pl, Księstwo Pruskie, lt, Prūsijos kunigaikštystė) or Ducal Prussia (german: Herzogliches Preußen, link=no; pl, Prusy Książęce, link=no) was a duchy in the region of Prussia establish ...

was inherited by the latter's underage son Albert Frederick. John George's father was a co-inheritor of the Duchy of Prussia. In 1577 the Brandenburg electors became co-regent with Duke Albert Frederick of Prussia.

Family and children

John George was married three times. His first wife was Princess Sophie of Legnica (ca. 1525 – 6 February 1546), whom he married in 1545. They had one child together: # Joachim Frederick (27 January 1546 – 18 July 1608) Secondly, he married

Margravine Margrave was originally the medieval title for the military commander assigned to maintain the defence of one of the border provinces of the Holy Roman Empire or of a kingdom. That position became hereditary in certain feudal families in the Emp ...

Sabina of Brandenburg-Ansbach (12 May 1529 – 2 November 1575), daughter of George, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach, in 1548. They had the following children:''Sabine Princess of Brandenburg'' in: tree.familyhistory.uk.com
etrieved 14 November 2015 # George Albert (19 February 1555 – 8 January 1557) # John (1557 – died young), twin with Albert # Albert (1557 – died young), twin with John # Magdalena Sabina (1559 – died young) # Erdmuthe (26 June 1561 – 13 November 1623), married in 1577 to Duke John Frederick of Pomerania # Marie (1562 – died young) # Hedwig (1563 – died young) # Magdalena (1564 – died young) # Margaret (1565 – died young) # Anna Maria (3 February 1567 – 4 November 1618), married in 1581 to Duke Barnim X of Pomerania #

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 ...

(6 June 1568 – 7 December 1622), married in 1582 to Elector

Christian I of Saxony Christian I of Saxony (29 October 1560 in Dresden – 25 September 1591 in Dresden) was Elector of Saxony from 1586 to 1591. He belonged to the Albertine line of the House of Wettin. He was the sixth but second surviving son of Elector Augu ...

Thirdly, he married Princess Elisabeth of Anhalt-Zerbst ( – 5 October 1607) in 1577. They had the following children: #

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι� ...

(30 January 1581 – 30 May 1655) # Magdalena (7 January 1582 – 4 May 1616), married in 1598 to

Landgrave 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") ...

Louis V of Hesse-Darmstadt # Joachim Ernest (22 June 1583 – 7 March 1625) # Agnes (17 July 1584 – 26 March 1629), married: ## in 1604 Duke

Philipp Julius of Pomerania Philipp Julius (27 December 1584, in Wolgast – 6 February 1625) was duke of Pomerania in the '' Teilherzogtum'' Pomerania-Wolgast from 1592 to 1625. Biography Early life Philipp Julius was the son of Ernst Ludwig, Duke of Pomerania, and Sop ...

; ## in 1628 Duke

Francis Charles of Saxe-Lauenburg Francis Charles of Saxe-Lauenburg (born: 2 May 1594; died: 30 November 1660 in Neuhaus) was a prince of Saxe-Lauenburg and a general during the Thirty Years' War. Life Francis Charles was a son of the Duke Francis II of Saxe-Lauenburg (1547� ...

# Frederick (22 March 1588 – 19 May 1611) # Elisabeth Sophia (13 July 1589 – 24 December 1629), married: ## in 1613 to

Reichsfürst 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 ...

(Prince) Janusz Radziwiłł; ## on 27 February 1628 to Duke

Julius Henry of Saxe-Lauenburg Julius Henry (9 April 1586 – 20 November 1665) was duke of Saxe-Lauenburg between 1656 and 1665. Before ascending to the throne he served as Field Marshal in the imperial army. Life Before regency Born at Wolfenbüttel, he was a son of Duk ...

# Dorothea Sibylle (19 October 1590 – 9 March 1625), married in 1610 to Duke John Christian of Brieg # George Albert (20 November 1591 – 29 November 1615) # Sigismund (20 November 1592 – 30 April 1640) # John (13 July 1597 – 23 September 1627), Bishop of Havelberg # John George (4 August 1598 – 27 January 1637)

Ancestors

References

External links

A portrait with ducal title
ged 72 {{DEFAULTSORT:John George, Elector of Brandenburg 1525 births 1598 deaths Prince-electors of Brandenburg German Lutherans Lutheran Prince-Bishops of Brandenburg Burials at Berlin Cathedral