John I, Duke of Saxony
John I, Duke of Saxony (* 1249, † July 30, 1285 in Wittenberg ) was a German sovereign of the race of Ascanians.
Life
The son of Duke Albert I of Saxony of his third wife Helena, daughter of Duke Otto the Child of Brunswick, was, as it is established by a certificate of Archbishop Conrad II of Magdeburg, born in 1249. So he was at his father's death († 1261 ), only twelve years old. Although this is nowhere explicitly reported, yet seems to have led the guardianship of him and his brother Albert II to the coming of age of young dukes his mother. In 1263, Helena urkundet with the consent of her sons, in 1268 put the latter independently of a certificate. Together, the brothers Johann Vogt of Lübeck and were therefore supported the efforts of the city.
They seem to have initially made the government collectively, until they decided later to a division of his father's heritage. When this took place, is not certain: In the year 1272 they still lead the common seal on which they both appear side by side. In the thus made later Johann inheritance received those areas of the old by Henry the Lion's Duchy of Saxony fall shattered, which had claimed the Ascanian house in the storms of time on the lower Elbe. The most important place of this area was the location on the Elbe, once built by the grandfather of John, Duke Bernhard of Saxony, festivals Lauenburg, so that after the division of the Duchy of Saxony of his sons ( 1296 ) the newly created Duchy called after their name was (Sachsen -Lauenburg ). So John was the founder of the Lauenburg line of askanischen Dukes of Saxony. Also Aken on the middle Elbe, where he founded a collegiate in 1270, it seems to be devolved from the paternal inheritance. Other remained also the two brothers together. In conjunction with his brother in 1269 from the Archbishopric of Magdeburg there Burggrafenamt and added since his title to those of a viscount of Magdeburg added.
In return, the dukes contributed to the Archbishop Belzig, Ranis and Wittenberg fief. Also, they left in 1276 the Archbishop Konrad II, with which they had in 1272 an alliance against the Margrave of Brandenburg closed against takeover of their debts cities Staßfurt and Aken, the location in the latter Castle Gloworp and advocacies on Richow as well as the monasteries God's grace in calbe and Neuwerk front of Hall. In the election of Rudolf of Habsburg as German King John has been present in all probability: at least we find him four weeks later in Rudolf's escort when he received the crown of Charles the Great in Aachen. Either he did so his option exercised on that occasion in company with his brother or as a representative of the oldest branch of the Dukes of Saxony - later known to the right of the cure for a long time between the two lines of Saxe-Lauenburg and Saxe- Wittenberg, the subject of bitter strife been.
Already in 1282 he stepped from his manorial rights to his three sons, who had divided the title "Duke of Saxony" with her uncle Albrecht. Nevertheless, he remained active with the 1282 acquired special possession of the nordalbingischen country. In 1283 he was elected to Rostock by the princes, knights and stalls for ten years as a judge and captain. His job was to ensure the protection of peace and to defend the established covenant. In this role, he tried to stop the English contact with Norway.
John retired to Wittenberg and joined the local Franciscan monastery, whose chief he was. He died on 30 July 1285th
Progeny
His wife Inge Burg ( † 1302), a sister of the Duke Erik Birgersson in Sweden (son of Birger Jarl ), gave birth to him except four daughters four sons. Is known:
- John II († 1322)
- Albrecht III. († 1308)
- Erich I († 1359 )
- Elisabeth of Saxe- Lauenburg married in 1287 Duke Valdemar IV of Schleswig ( † 1312) (House Estridsson )
- Helene von Sachsen -Lauenburg married in 1297 Count Adolf VI of Holstein -looking castle († 1315)