Johann II Maria Wilhelm zu Sachsen-Weimar

Johann II, Duke of Saxe-Weimar (Johann Maria Wilhelm) (b. Weimar, 22 May 1570 - d. Weimar, 18 July 1605), was a Duke of Saxe-Weimar and Jena.

Royal house

House of Wettin

Biography

He was the second son of Johann Wilhelm, Duke of Saxe-Weimar and Dorothea Susanne of Simmern.

His father died in 1573, when Johann was only three years old. Since at the time his older brother Frederick Wilhelm I was also under age, the duchy of Saxe-Weimar (originally appointed to Johann) was governed by a regency. In 1586 his older brother reached adulthood and took full control of the duchy, including Weimar. However, he died in 1602 and the full duchy was inherited by Johann, because his nephews (the sons of his deceased brother) were under age.

Johann was more interested in natural sciences and art than politics, and therefore only against his will took over the regency of the duchy on behalf of his nephews. But when they demanded their own inheritance in 1603, he resisted their demands. Finally, Johann and his nephews made a treaty dividing the duchy: Altenburg was taken by the sons of Frederick Wilhelm I, and Weimar-Jena was retained by Johann.

This line of Saxe-Altenburg became extinct in 1672, and all the inheritance passed by marriage to the line of Saxe-Weimar, the descendants of Johann.

Links

• The Peerage
• Geneall
• Wikipedia
• Duke of Saxe-Weimar and Jena: Reign 1602–1605

Predecessor: Frederick Wilhelm I Successor: Johann Ernst I in Saxe-Weimar Albrecht VI in Saxe-Eisenach Ernst I in Saxe-Gotha

---

• Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: Dec 16 2020, 23:04:46 UTC