John George of Brandenburg
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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 prince ...
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 o ...
(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, Prince-elector, electors, kings and emperors of Hohenzol ...
, 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 Joac ...
, and his first wife Princess
Magdalena of Saxony Magdalena of Saxony (7 March 1507 – 25 January 1534) was Margravine of Brandenburg, its "''Electoral Princess''", the Electoral equivalent of a crown princess. She was the daughter of George ''the Bearded'', Duke of Saxony and his wife Barbar ...
.


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 Empir ...
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 th ...
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 Cal ...
, 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 Ha ...
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 Evangelisches Gymnasium zum Grauen Kloster, located in suburban Schmargendorf, Berlin, is an independent school with a humanistic profile, known as one of the most prestigious schools in Germany. Founded by the Evangelical Church in West Berli ...
, 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 constitue ...
. He was succeeded by his son Joachim Frederick. Upon the death of his kinsman
Albert I, Duke of Prussia 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 * Albert ...
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 Prussia (region), region of P ...
was inherited by the latter's underage son
Albert Frederick Albert Frederick (german: Albrecht Friedrich; pl, Albrecht Fryderyk; 7 May 1553 – 27 August 1618) was the Duke of Prussia, from 1568 until his death. He was a son of Albert of Prussia and Anna Marie of Brunswick-Lüneburg. He was the secon ...
. 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 Princess Sophie of Legnica (1525 – 6 February 1546) was wife and consort of the Elector of Brandenburg. Early life Born into the House of Schlesien-Piast, she was the daughter of Frederick II, Duke of Legnica, Brzeg, and Wohlau, and h ...
(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 Em ...
Sabina of Brandenburg-Ansbach Sabina of Brandenburg-Ansbach (12 May 1529 – 2 November 1575) was a princess of Brandenburg-Ansbach and Electress of Brandenburg by marriage. Life Sabina was the daughter of George, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach (1484–1543) from his ...
(12 May 1529 – 2 November 1575), daughter of
George, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach George of Brandenburg-Ansbach (German: ''Georg''; 4 March 1484 – 27 December 1543), known as George the Pious (''Georg der Fromme''), was a Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach from the House of Hohenzollern. Biography Early life He was bor ...
, 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 Elisabeth of Anhalt-Zerbst (15 September 1563 – 8 November 1607) was Electress of Brandenburg by marriage to John George, Elector of Brandenburg. Early life Elizabeth was a daughter of Joachim Ernest, Prince of Anhalt (1536–1585), from ...
( – 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"), a ...
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 Sophia ...
; ## 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 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 * 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 Duke ...
# Dorothea Sibylle (19 October 1590 – 9 March 1625), married in 1610 to Duke
John Christian of Brieg John Christian of Brieg ( pl, Jan Chrystian; german: Johann Christian; Ohlau, 28 August 1591 – Osterode in Ostpreußen (today Ostróda), 25 December 1639), was a Duke of Brzeg– Legnica–Wołów (since 1602; with his brother as co-ruler in Le ...
# 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