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Biography
Born in Meissen, he was the fifth of the seven children of Ernest, Elector of Saxony and Elizabeth of Bavaria-Munich.
The deaths of his older brothers Ernst (1513) and Albrecht (1484) make him the heir of his brother Frederick the Wise; when he died in 1525, Johann inherited the title of Elector. As his nickname "The Steadfast" indicates, he resolutely continued the policies of his brother toward protecting the progress of the Protestant Reformation. In 1527 the Lutheran Church was established as the state church in Ernestine Saxony, with the Elector as Chief Bishop. He was a leader of the Schmalkaldic League of Protestant states formed in 1530 to protect the Reformation.
He died in Schweinitz. After his death he was, like his brother Frederick, buried in the famous Castle Church in Wittenberg with a grave by Hans Vischer. He was succeeded by his eldest son John Frederick.
Marriage and children
In Torgau on 1 March 1500 Johann married firstly Sophie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. They had one son:
- Johann Frederick, Elector of Saxony (b. Torgau, 30 June 1503 – d. Weimar, 3 March 1554).
In Torgau on 13 November 1513 Johann married secondly Margarete of Anhalt-Köthen. They had four children:
- Marie (b. Weimar, 15 December 1515 – d. Wolgast, 7 January 1583), married on 27 February 1536 to Duke Philip I of Pomerania-Wolgast.
- Margarete (b. Zwickau, 25 April 1518 – d. Weimar, 10 March 1535).
- Johann (b. and d. Weimar, 26 September 1519).
- Johann Ernst, Duke of Saxe-Coburg (b. Coburg, 10 May 1521 – d. Coburg, 8 February 1553).
Ancestors
| John, Elector of Saxony | Father: Ernest, Elector of Saxony |
Paternal Grandfather: Frederick II, Elector of Saxony |
Paternal Great-grandfather: Frederick I, Elector of Saxony |
| Paternal Great-grandmother: Catherine of Brunswick |
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| Paternal Grandmother: Margarete of Austria |
Paternal Great-grandfather: Ernest, Duke of Austria |
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| Paternal Great-grandmother: Cymburgis of Masovia |
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| Mother: Elisabeth of Bavaria |
Maternal Grandfather: Albert III, Duke of Bavaria |
Maternal Great-grandfather: Ernest, Duke of Bavaria |
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| Maternal Great-grandmother: Elisabetta Visconti |
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| Maternal Grandmother: Anna of Braunschweig-Grubenhagen-Einbeck |
Maternal Great-grandfather: Albert I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg |
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| Maternal Great-grandmother: Agnes of Braunschweig |
External links
| Preceded by Frederick III |
Elector of Saxony 1525–1532 |
Succeeded by John Frederick |
