Heinrich, Duke of Saxe-Merseburg (
Merseburg
Merseburg () is a town in central Germany in southern Saxony-Anhalt, situated on the river Saale, and approximately 14 km south of Halle (Saale) and 30 km west of Leipzig. It is the capital of the Saalekreis district. It had a diocese ...
, 2 September 1661 –
Doberlug, 28 July 1738), was a duke of
Saxe-Merseburg
The Duchy of Saxe-Merseburg was a duchy of the Holy Roman Empire, with Merseburg as its capital. It existed from 1656 or 1657 to 1738 and was owned by an Albertine secundogeniture of the Saxon House of Wettin.
History
The Wettin Elector J ...
and member of the
House of Wettin
The House of Wettin () was a dynasty which included Saxon monarch, kings, Prince Elector, prince-electors, dukes, and counts, who once ruled territories in the present-day German federated states of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia. The dynas ...
.
He was the sixth (but fourth surviving) son of
Christian I, Duke of Saxe-Merseburg
Christian I of Saxe-Merseburg (27 October 1615 – 18 October 1691), was the first duke of Saxe-Merseburg and a member of the House of Wettin.
He was the sixth (third surviving) son of John George I, Elector of Saxony, Johann Georg I, Electo ...
and
Christiana of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg
Princess Christiana of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, often referred to as ''Christiane'' (22 September 1634 in Copenhagen – 20 May 1701 at Delitzsch Castle) was the consort of Christian I, Duke of Saxe-Merseburg, who was the ru ...
.
Life
In order to give his three younger sons lands to generate income for their support, Duke Christian I assigned to each of them small territories as appanages before he died. Their administration remained under the control of the Saxe-Merseburg main line, however, and they were only able to exercise limited powers over their territories. In 1694 Heinrich received the town of
Spremberg and founded the line of Saxe-Merseburg-Spremberg.
Heinrich's rule in Spremberg led to an exceptional period of artistic patronage when he had Schloss Spremberg expanded to serve as his summer residence. Two magnificent three-story wings were built in the east and west connected by a wooden gallery on the courtside whose tower was provided with a tent roof.
He also established a pleasure park where he could indulge his love for the hunt. His notorious preference for hunting was later immortalized in a part of Spremberg that is named after him: "Heinrichsfeld."
The city was rebuilt with Heinrich's support after the big fire of 30 July 1705. For the craftsmen, he bestowed privileges which led to the blossoming of their trade. Heinrich is also regarded as a major patron of the arts. He appointed
Johann Theodor Roemhildt in 1726 as his "Hofkapellmeister" (head of the court musical establishment) a post he also held later in Merseburg. From the sculptor
Johann Michael Hoppenhaupt
Johann, typically a male given name, is the German form of ''Iohannes'', which is the Latin form of the Greek name ''Iōánnēs'' (), itself derived from Hebrew name '' Yochanan'' () in turn from its extended form (), meaning "Yahweh is Graciou ...
he ordered a ''Medaillenkabinett'' on his own design which represents today the single piece of original furniture in the museum in the Schloss Merseburg.
The death of his young nephew Frederick Erdmann in 1714 left Heinrich as the next in line to succeed to the duchy of Saxe-Merseburg. After Heinrich's nephew
Maurice Wilhelm died without male issue on 21 April 1731, the sixty-nine-year-old Heinrich inherited the duchy.
He continued to foster economic and artistic activities on the model of his late nephew. In 1735 he initiated the building of a duke's pavilion in Lauchstädt and in 1738 he had built the so-called High Water Art (German: ''Oberen Wasserkunst''), a well-house and commercial house in Merseburg-Oberaltenburg. His sculptor and architect Johann Michael Hoppenhaupt was responsible for the designs.
Marriage and issue
In
Güstrow
Güstrow (; ) is a town in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in north-eastern Germany. It is capital of the Rostock (district), Rostock district; Rostock itself is a district-free city and regiopolis.
It has a population of 28,999 (2020) and is the sevent ...
on 29 March 1692 Heinrich married
Elisabeth of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, sister of Hedwig, the wife of Heinrich's brother
August, Duke of Saxe-Merseburg-Zörbig. They had three children:
#Maurice, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Spremberg (b. Spremberg, 29 October 1694 – d. Spremberg, 11 April 1695) died in infancy.
#Christiana Fredericka (b. Spremberg, 17 May 1697 – d. Spremberg, 21 August 1722) died unmarried and without issu
#Gustava Magdalena (b. Spremberg, 2 October 1699 – d. Spremberg, 3 October 1699) died in infancy.
Without surviving male issue, the line of Saxe-Merseburg became extinct upon his death.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Heinrich, Duke of Saxe-Merseburg
1661 births
1738 deaths
People from Merseburg
House of Saxe-Merseburg
Dukes of Saxe-Merseburg
Albertine branch
Recipients of the Order of the White Eagle (Poland)