William, Duke of Saxe-Weimar

Wilhelm of Saxe- Weimar ( born April 11, 1598 Altenburg, † May 17, 1662 in Weimar) was from 1620 until his death Duke of Saxe- Weimar. He came from the family of Wettin Ernestine. In the series Wettin dynasty prince he is sometimes referred to as Wilhelm IV counted.

Life

Duke William IV was the son of Duke John of Saxony -Weimar and his wife Dorothea Maria of Anhalt, a sister of Prince Ludwig I of Anhalt- Köthen. The Dukes Frederick of Saxony -Weimar, Johann Ernst of Saxe- Weimar, the Younger, Albrecht of Saxe- Eisenach, Johann Friedrich of Saxe- Weimar, Ernst I of Saxe- Gotha and Bernhard of Saxe- Weimar were his brothers, with whom he is also a member of the Fruchtbringende society should be later.

Like his brothers Johann Ernst the Younger and Friedrich Wilhelm Herzog studied at the University of Jena. Then he accompanied his brother, the Duke Friedrich, whose Cavalierstour. This began in late August 1617 and led by France, Britain and the Netherlands. In 1619 he returned with his brother again back home.

Shortly before, on August 24, 1617, the Fruitful Society was founded. Here, Duke William took part and was even in 1651 their second head. As he was Member of the Delicious and as an emblem of a pear ' awarded hangend with the wasp and its engraving on the tree; as foreign exchange recognized goodness is intended. In Köthener society book, Herzog Wilhelm entry takes place under the No. 5

At the age of 23 years, Duke Wilhelm co-founded with friends the Order of the resistance. At the turn of 1622/23, he founded a patriotic federal, Fried German Confederation, for safeguarding the Estates and religious liberty. This Fried covenant was supported financially extremely generous of Prince Ludwig I of Anhalt- Köthen.

During this time, Duke Wilhelm followed his brothers in the Bohemian war. As a colonel he served under Count Ernst von Mansfeld and the Margrave of Durlach. Later he was promoted to General under Christian of Halberstadt.

In the division of the regencies in 1641 fell to Duke Wilhelm, among other Weimar and Jena, according to Duke Albrecht's death on December 20, 1644 also Eisenach.

His early advocacy of King Gustav II Adolf of Sweden was the rapid career of Duke William extremely beneficial. But after the death of the king, the Swedish chancellor Axel Oxenstierna successfully prevented an appropriate command of Duke William as a lieutenant general. Therefore it is not surprising that he joined the Peace of Prague in 1635.

As 1650 Prince Ludwig I of Anhalt- Köthen died on January 7, members of the Fruchtbringende society were agreed that William should be his successor. After the obligatory year of mourning, he was elected on May 8, 1651 as the new leader for life. In contrast to his predecessor, but he was limited mainly to ceremonial duties.

At the age of 64 years, Duke William died on 17 May 1662 at Weimar.

Progeny

On May 23, 1625 married Duke William Princess Eleonore Dorothea of Anhalt- Dessau ( 1602-1664 ), a daughter of Prince Johann Georg I of Anhalt -Dessau. With her he had nine children:

  • Wilhelm ( * / † 1626 ), Prince
  • Johann Ernst II (1627-1683), Duke of Saxe- Weimar
  • Johann Wilhelm (1630-1639)
  • Adolf Wilhelm (1632-1668), Duke of Saxe- Eisenach
  • Johann George I (1634-1686), Duke of Saxe- Mark Suhl and later of Saxe- Eisenach
  • Wilhelmine Eleonore (1636-1653)
  • Bernhard (1638-1678), Duke of Saxe- Jena
  • Friedrich (1640-1656)
  • Dorothea Maria (1641-1675) - married to Duke Moritz of Saxe- Zeitz

Works

  • Song " Lord Jesus Christ, you wendb to us, Str 1-3 (attributed, but controversial ), eg In: Lutheran Hymnal No. 155, No. 516 praise of God, celebrate and praise No. 87
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