Duke John William of Saxe-Altenburg

Johann Wilhelm of Saxe- Altenburg ( born April 13, 1600 Torgau, † December 2, 1632 in Brieg ) from the House of Wettin Ernestine Duke was of Saxe- Altenburg and Duke of Jülich -Cleves -Berg.

Life

Johann Wilhelm was the second son of Duke Friedrich Wilhelm I of Saxe- Weimar (1562-1602) from his second marriage to Anna Maria (1575-1643), daughter of Duke Philipp Ludwig von Pfalz- Neuburg.

After the death of his father Johann Wilhelm inherited together with his brothers Johann Philipp, Frederick and Frederick William, the Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg. The guardianship of the prince led the Elector of Saxony and their uncle Johann; after his death in 1605 the former alone.

After the Jülich- Klevischer succession dispute the brothers with Jülich, Cleves and Berg had been invested, however, were only nominally Dukes and led the coat of arms. 1612 the brothers went for further training at the University of Leipzig. In 1618 the eldest brother Johann Philipp came of age and ruled independently. The brothers were the elders against the assurance of a Leibgedinges initially limited in time, in a later agreement in 1624 finally permanently the government. With his brother Friedrich Wilhelm Johann Wilhelm undertook his Grand Tour to Italy, Holland, France, England and Hungary.

In the Thirty Years' War, Johann Wilhelm served as a colonel in Saxon services. The field camp before Brieg he died of a fever. He was buried in the church of St. Sophia in Dresden.