John Sigismund, Elector of Brandenburg: Difference between revisions

John Sigismund
John Sigismund
	Portrait (unknown artist, c. 1610)
Elector of Brandenburg
Reign	18 July 1608 – 23 December 1619
Predecessor	Joachim Frederick
Successor	George William
Duke of Prussia
Reign	28 August 1618 – 23 December 1619
Predecessor	Albert Frederick
Successor	George William
Born	8 November 1572; Halle, Archbishopric of Magdeburg, Holy Roman Empire
Died	23 December 1619 (aged 47); Berlin, Electorate of Brandenburg, Holy Roman Empire
Burial	Berlin Cathedral
Spouse	Anna of Prussia (m. 1594)
Issue; more...	George William, Elector of Brandenburg; Anne Sophia, Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg; Maria Eleonora, Queen of Sweden; Catherine, Princess of Transylvania; Joachim Sigismund of Brandenburg;
House	Hohenzollern
Father	Joachim Frederick, Elector of Brandenburg
Mother	Catherine of Brandenburg-Küstrin
Religion	Lutheran (until 1613); Calvinist (since 1613)
Signature

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John Sigismund (German: Johann Sigismund; 8 November 1572 – 23 December 1619) was a Prince-elector of the Margraviate of Brandenburg from the House of Hohenzollern. He became the Duke of Prussia through his marriage to Duchess Anna, the eldest daughter of Duke Albert Frederick of Prussia who died without sons. Their marriage resulted in the potential creation of Brandenburg-Prussia, which became a reality after Poland's leader appointed John Sigismund in charge of Prussia in regency and, shortly thereafter, Albert Frederick died without an able, direct male heir.

Elector of Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia

John Sigismund was born in Halle an der Saale to Joachim III Frederick, Elector of Brandenburg, and his first wife Catherine of Brandenburg-Küstrin. He succeeded his father as Margrave of Brandenburg in 1608. In 1611, John Sigismund traveled from Königsberg to Warsaw, where on 16 November 1611 he gave feudal homage to Sigismund III Vasa, King of Poland (the Duchy of Prussia was a Polish fief at the time). He officially became Duke of Prussia in 1618, although he had served as regent on behalf of the mentally-disturbed Albert Frederick, Duke of Prussia, for several years prior. He suffered a stroke in 1616 from which he didn't recover and died in 1619.

John Sigismund gave the Reichshof Castrop to his teacher and educator Carl Friedrich von Bordelius, whereas he received the territories of Cleves, Mark, and Ravensberg in the Treaty of Xanten in 1614.

Religious policy

John Sigismund's most significant action was his conversion from Lutheranism to Calvinism, after he had earlier equalized the rights of Catholics and Protestants in the Duchy of Prussia under pressure from the King of Poland. He was probably won over to Calvinism during a visit to Heidelberg in 1606, but it was not until 25 December 1613 that he publicly took communion according to the Calvinist rite. The vast majority of his subjects in Brandenburg, including his wife Anna of Prussia, remained deeply Lutheran, however. After the Elector and his Calvinist court officials drew up plans for mass conversion of the population to the new faith in February 1614, as provided for by the rule of Cuius regio, eius religio within the Holy Roman Empire, there were serious protests, with his wife backing the Lutherans. Resistance was so strong that in 1615, John Sigismund backed down and relinquished all attempts at forcible conversion. Instead, he allowed his subjects to be either Lutheran or Calvinist according to the dictates of their own consciences. Henceforward, Brandenburg-Prussia would be a bi-confessional state.^[1]

Family and children

On 30 October 1594, John Sigismund married Anna of Prussia, daughter of Albert Frederick, Duke of Prussia (1553–1618). She was the elder sister of his stepmother. They were parents to eight children:

George William of Brandenburg (13 November 1595 – 1 December 1640). His successor.
Anne Sophia of Brandenburg (15 March 1598 – 19 December 1659). Married Frederick Ulrich, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg.
Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg (11 November 1599 – 28 March 1655). Married Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden. They were parents of Christina of Sweden.
Catherine of Brandenburg (28 May 1602 – 27 August 1644). Married first Gabriel Bethlen, Prince of Transylvania and secondly Franz Karl of Saxe-Lauenburg.
Joachim Sigismund of Brandenburg (25 July 1603 – 22 February 1625).
Agnes of Brandenburg (31 August 1606 – 12 March 1607).
John Frederick of Brandenburg (18 August 1607 – 1 March 1608).
Albrecht Christian of Brandenburg (7–14 March 1609).

Ancestry

Ancestors of John Sigismund, Elector of Brandenburg

8. Joachim II Hector, Elector of Brandenburg

4. John George, Elector of Brandenburg

9. Magdalena of Saxony

2. Joachim Frederick, Elector of Brandenburg

10. Frederick II, Duke of Legnica

5. Sophie of Legnica

11. Sophie of Brandenburg-Ansbach-Kulmbach

1. John Sigismund, Elector of Brandenburg

12. Joachim I Nestor, Elector of Brandenburg

6. John, Margrave of Brandenburg-Küstrin

13. Elizabeth of Denmark

3. Catherine of Brandenburg-Küstrin

14. Henry V, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg

7. Catherine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel

15. Maria of Württemberg

References

^ Christopher Clark The Iron Kingdom: The Rise and Downfall of Prussia 1600-1947 (Penguin, 2007) pp. 115–121

External links

Theodor Hirsch (1881), "Johann Sigismund", Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (in German), vol. 14, Leipzig: Duncker & Humblot, pp. 169–175
Settlement of Dortmund between Brandenburg and Palatinate-Neuburg and the conflict of succession in Jülich, in full text
"Brandenburg, Confession of" . Encyclopedia Americana. 1920.

Regnal titles
John Sigismund, Elector of Brandenburg House of Hohenzollern Born: 8 November 1572 Died: 23 December 1619
Preceded by Joachim Frederick	Elector of Brandenburg 1608–1619	Succeeded by George William
Preceded by Albert Frederick	Duke of Prussia 1618–1619	Succeeded by George William
Vacant Treaty of Xanten Title last held by John William	Duke of Cleves, Count of Mark, Count of Ravensburg 1614–1619	Incorporated into Brandenburg

[1] Christopher Clark The Iron Kingdom: The Rise and Downfall of Prussia 1600-1947 (Penguin, 2007) pp. 115–121

[1]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|Elector of Brandenburg from 1608 to 1619}}
-{{Refimprove|date=April 2017}}
+{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
+{{More citations needed|date=April 2017}}
 {{infobox royalty
 | name         = John Sigismund
-| title        = Elector of Brandenburg<br>Duke of Prussia
+| image        = Johann Sigismund Grunewald.jpg
+| caption      = Portrait (unknown artist, c. 1610)
-| image        = Johann Sigismund 02 IV 13 2 0026 01 0318 a Seite 1 Bild 0001.jpg
-| caption      = John Sigismund, Elector of Brandenburg
 | succession   = [[Elector of Brandenburg]]
-| reign        = 1608–1619
+| reign        = 18 July 1608 – 23 December 1619
 | predecessor  = [[Joachim Frederick, Elector of Brandenburg|Joachim Frederick]]
 | successor    = [[George William, Elector of Brandenburg|George William]]
 | succession1  = [[Duke of Prussia]]
-| reign1       = 1618–1619
+| reign1       = 28 August 1618 – 23 December 1619
 | predecessor1 = [[Albert Frederick, Duke of Prussia|Albert Frederick]]
 | successor1   = [[George William, Elector of Brandenburg|George William]]
-| royal family = [[House of Hohenzollern]]
+| father       = [[Joachim Frederick, Elector of Brandenburg]]
-| father       = [[Joachim III Frederick, Elector of Brandenburg]]
 | house        = [[Hohenzollern]]
 | mother       = [[Catherine of Brandenburg-Küstrin]]
-| spouse       = [[Anna, Duchess of Prussia]]
+| spouse       = {{marriage|[[Duchess Anna of Prussia|Anna of Prussia]]|30 October 1594}}
+| issue        = {{plainlist|
-| issue        = [[George William, Elector of Brandenburg|George William]]<br>Anne Sophia<br>[[Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg|Maria Eleonora]]<br>[[Catherine of Brandenburg|Catherine]]<br>Joachim Sigismund<br>Agnes<br>John Frederick<br>Albrecht Christian
+*[[George William, Elector of Brandenburg]]
-| religion     = [[Lutheran]] ''(until 1613)''<br>[[Calvinist]] ''(since 1613)''
+*Anne Sophia, Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg
+*[[Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg|Maria Eleonora, Queen of Sweden]]
+*[[Catherine of Brandenburg|Catherine, Princess of Transylvania]]
+*Joachim Sigismund of Brandenburg
+}}
+| issue-link   = #Issue
+| issue-pipe   = more...
+| religion     = [[Lutheran]] (until 1613)<br/>[[Calvinist]] (since 1613)
 | birth_date   = {{birth_date|1572|11|8|df=yes}}
-| birth_place  = [[Halle, Saxony-Anhalt|Halle]]
+| birth_place  = [[Halle, Saxony-Anhalt|Halle]], [[Archbishopric of Magdeburg]], [[Holy Roman Empire]]
 | death_date   = {{death date and age|1619|12|23|1572|11|8|df=yes}}
-| death_place  = [[Berlin]]
+| death_place  = [[Berlin]], [[Electorate of Brandenburg]], Holy Roman Empire
+| burial_place = [[Berlin Cathedral]]
+| signature    = John Sigismund signature.svg
 }}
-'''John Sigismund''' ({{lang-de|Johann Sigismund}}; 8 November 1572 – 23 December 1619) was a [[Prince-elector]] of the [[Margraviate of Brandenburg]] from the [[House of Hohenzollern]]. He became the [[Duchy of Prussia|Duke of Prussia]] through his marriage to [[Anna, Duchess of Prussia|Duchess Anna]], the eldest daughter of [[Albert Frederick, Duke of Prussia|Duke Albert Frederick of Prussia]] who died without sons. Their marriage resulted in the creation of [[Brandenburg-Prussia]].
+'''John Sigismund''' ({{lang-de|Johann Sigismund}}; 8 November 1572 – 23 December 1619) was a [[Prince-elector]] of the [[Margraviate of Brandenburg]] from the [[House of Hohenzollern]]. He became the [[Duchy of Prussia|Duke of Prussia]] through his marriage to [[Anna, Duchess of Prussia|Duchess Anna]], the eldest daughter of [[Albert Frederick, Duke of Prussia|Duke Albert Frederick of Prussia]] who died without sons. Their marriage resulted in the potential creation of [[Brandenburg-Prussia]], which became a reality after Poland's leader appointed John Sigismund in charge of Prussia in regency and, shortly thereafter, Albert Frederick died without an able, direct male heir.
 ==Elector of Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia==
+John Sigismund was born in [[Halle, Saxony-Anhalt|Halle an der Saale]] to [[Joachim III Frederick, Elector of Brandenburg]], and his first wife [[Catherine of Brandenburg-Küstrin]]. He succeeded his father as [[Margrave of Brandenburg]] in 1608. In 1611, John Sigismund traveled from [[Königsberg]] to [[Warsaw]], where on 16 November 1611 he gave [[Homage (feudal)|feudal homage]] to [[Sigismund III Vasa]], [[King of Poland]] (the Duchy of Prussia was a Polish fief at the time). He officially became Duke of Prussia in 1618, although he had served as regent on behalf of the mentally-disturbed [[Albert Frederick, Duke of Prussia]], for several years prior. He suffered a stroke in 1616 from which he didn't recover and died in 1619.
-[[File:Johann Sigismund Grunewald.jpg|thumb|right|John Sigismund, Duke of Prussia]]
-John Sigismund was born in [[Halle, Saxony-Anhalt|Halle an der Saale]] to [[Joachim III Frederick, Elector of Brandenburg]], and his first wife [[Catherine of Brandenburg-Küstrin]]. He succeeded his father as [[Margrave of Brandenburg]] in 1608. In 1611, John Sigismund traveled from [[Königsberg]] to [[Warsaw]], where on 16 November 1611 he gave [[Homage (feudal)|feudal homage]] to [[Sigismund III Vasa]], [[King of Poland]] (the Duchy of Prussia was a Polish fief at the time). He officially became Duke of Prussia in 1618, although he had served as regent on behalf of the mentally-disturbed [[Albert Frederick, Duke of Prussia]], for several years prior. John Sigismund died in the following year.
 John Sigismund gave the Reichshof [[Castrop]] to his teacher and educator Carl Friedrich von Bordelius, whereas he received the territories of [[Duchy of Cleves|Cleves]], [[County of Mark|Mark]], and [[County of Ravensberg|Ravensberg]] in the [[Treaty of Xanten]] in 1614.
 ==Religious policy==
+John Sigismund's most significant action was his conversion from [[Lutheranism]] to [[Calvinism]], after he had earlier equalized the rights of Catholics and Protestants in the Duchy of Prussia under pressure from the King of Poland. He was probably won over to Calvinism during a visit to [[Heidelberg]] in 1606, but it was not until 25 December 1613 that he publicly took [[Eucharist|communion]] according to the Calvinist rite. The vast majority of his subjects in Brandenburg, including his wife [[Anna, Duchess of Prussia|Anna of Prussia]], remained deeply Lutheran, however. After the Elector and his Calvinist court officials drew up plans for mass conversion of the population to the new faith in February 1614, as provided for by the rule of ''[[Cuius regio, eius religio]]'' within the [[Holy Roman Empire]], there were serious protests, with his wife backing the Lutherans. Resistance was so strong that in 1615, John Sigismund backed down and relinquished all attempts at forcible conversion. Instead, he allowed his subjects to be either Lutheran or Calvinist according to the dictates of their own consciences. Henceforward, Brandenburg-Prussia would be a bi-confessional state.<ref>Christopher Clark ''The Iron Kingdom: The Rise and Downfall of Prussia 1600-1947'' (Penguin, 2007) pp. 115–121</ref>
-John Sigismund's most significant action was his conversion from [[Lutheranism]] to [[Calvinism]], after he had earlier equalized the rights of Catholics and Protestants in the Duchy of Prussia under pressure from the King of Poland. He was probably won over to Calvinism during a visit to [[Heidelberg]] in 1606, but it was not until 1613 that he publicly took [[Eucharist|communion]] according to the Calvinist rite. The vast majority of his subjects in Brandenburg, including his wife [[Anna, Duchess of Prussia|Anna of Prussia]], remained deeply Lutheran, however. After the Elector and his Calvinist court officials drew up plans for mass conversion of the population to the new faith in February 1614, as provided for by the rule of ''[[Cuius regio, eius religio]]'' within the [[Holy Roman Empire]], there were serious protests, with his wife backing the Lutherans. Resistance was so strong that in 1615, John Sigismund backed down and relinquished all attempts at forcible conversion. Instead, he allowed his subjects to be either Lutheran or Calvinist according to the dictates of their own consciences. Henceforward, Brandenburg-Prussia would be a bi-confessional state.<ref>Christopher Clark ''The Iron Kingdom: The Rise and Downfall of Prussia 1600-1947'' (Penguin, 2007) pp.115-121</ref>
 ==Family and children==
-On 30 October 1594, John Sigismund married [[Anna, Duchess of Prussia|Anna of Prussia]], daughter of [[Albert Frederick, Duke of Prussia]] (1553–1618). They were parents to eight children:
+On 30 October 1594, John Sigismund married [[Anna, Duchess of Prussia|Anna of Prussia]], daughter of [[Albert Frederick, Duke of Prussia]] (1553–1618). She was the elder sister of his stepmother. They were parents to eight children:
-* [[George William, Elector of Brandenburg|George William]] (13 November 1595 – 1 December 1640). His successor.
+* [[George William, Elector of Brandenburg|George William of Brandenburg]] (13 November 1595 – 1 December 1640). His successor.
 * Anne Sophia of Brandenburg (15 March 1598 – 19 December 1659). Married [[Frederick Ulrich, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg]].
 * [[Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg]] (11 November 1599 – 28 March 1655). Married [[Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden]]. They were parents of [[Christina of Sweden]].
@@ Line 58: / Line 65: @@
 | boxstyle_3 = background-color: #ffc;
 | boxstyle_4 = background-color: #bfc;
-| boxstyle_5 = background-color: #9fe;
 | 1 = 1. '''John Sigismund, Elector of Brandenburg'''
-| 2 = 2. [[Joachim III Frederick, Elector of Brandenburg]]
+| 2 = 2. [[Joachim Frederick, Elector of Brandenburg]]
 | 3 = 3. [[Catherine of Brandenburg-Küstrin]]
 | 4 = 4. [[John George, Elector of Brandenburg]]
@@ Line 70: / Line 76: @@
 | 10 = 10. [[Frederick II of Legnica|Frederick II, Duke of Legnica]]
 | 11 = 11. [[Sophie of Brandenburg-Ansbach-Kulmbach]]
-| 12 = 12. [[Joachim I Nestor, Elector of Brandenburg]] (=#16)
+| 12 = 12. [[Joachim I Nestor, Elector of Brandenburg]]
-| 13 = 13. [[Elizabeth of Denmark, Electress of Brandenburg|Elizabeth of Denmark]] (=#17)
+| 13 = 13. [[Elizabeth of Denmark, Electress of Brandenburg|Elizabeth of Denmark]]
 | 14 = 14. [[Henry V, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg]]
 | 15 = 15. Maria of Württemberg
-| 16 = 16. [[Joachim I Nestor, Elector of Brandenburg]] (=#12)
-| 17 = 17. [[Elizabeth of Denmark, Electress of Brandenburg|Elizabeth of Denmark]] (=#13)
-| 18 = 18. [[George, Duke of Saxony]]
-| 19 = 19. [[Barbara Jagiellon]]
-| 20 = 20. [[Frederick I of Liegnitz|Frederick I, Duke of Legnica]]
-| 21 = 21. [[Ludmila of Poděbrady]]
-| 22 = 22. [[Frederick I, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach]]
-| 23 = 23. [[Sophia Jagiellon, Margravine of Brandenburg-Ansbach|Sophia Jagiellon]]
-| 24 = 24. [[John Cicero, Elector of Brandenburg]]
-| 25 = 25. [[Margaret of Thuringia]]
-| 26 = 26. [[John of Denmark]]
-| 27 = 27. [[Christina of Saxony]]
-| 28 = 28. [[Henry IV, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg]]
-| 29 = 29. [[Catherine of Pomerania, Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg|Catherine of Pomerania]]
-| 30 = 30. [[Henry, Count of Württemberg]]
-| 31 = 31. Eva of Salm
 }}
 ==References==
+{{Reflist}}
-<references/>
 ==External links==
-{{commons category|Johann Sigismund (Brandenburg)}}
+{{Commons category|John Sigismund, Elector of Brandenburg}}
 * {{de-ADB|14|169|175|Johann Sigismund|Theodor Hirsch|ADB:Johann Sigismund}}
 * [http://www.lwl.org/westfaelische-geschichte/portal/Internet/ku.php?tab=que&ID=1215 Settlement of Dortmund between Brandenburg and Palatinate-Neuburg and the conflict of succession in Jülich, in full text]
@@ Line 111: / Line 101: @@
 {{s-break}}
 {{s-vac | last=[[John William, Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg|John William]] |reason=[[Treaty of Xanten]]}}
-{{s-ttl | title=[[Duke of Cleves]],<br>[[Count of Mark]],<br>[[Count of Ravensburg]] |  years=1614–1619}}
+{{s-ttl | title=[[Duke of Cleves]],<br/>[[Count of Mark]],<br/>[[Count of Ravensburg]] |  years=1614–1619}}
 {{s-non | reason=Incorporated into Brandenburg}}
 {{s-end}}
 {{Rulers of Prussia}}
+{{Electors of Brandenburg}}
-{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2012}}
 {{Authority control}}
 [[Category:1572 births]]
 [[Category:1619 deaths]]
+[[Category:17th-century dukes of Prussia]]
 [[Category:People from Halle (Saale)]]
-[[Category:Electors of Brandenburg]]
+[[Category:Prince-electors of Brandenburg]]
 [[Category:House of Hohenzollern]]
 [[Category:German Calvinist and Reformed Christians]]
@@ Line 129: / Line 119: @@
 [[Category:Electoral Princes of Brandenburg]]
 [[Category:Converts to Calvinism from Lutheranism|John Sigismund]]
+[[Category:Burials at Berlin Cathedral]]

v t e Monarchs of Prussia
Duchy of Prussia (1525–1701)	Albert Albert Frederick John Sigismund¹ George William¹ Frederick William¹ Frederick I¹
Kingdom of Prussia (1701–1918)	Frederick I¹ Frederick William I¹ Frederick II¹ Frederick William II¹ Frederick William III¹ Frederick William IV William I² Frederick III² William II²
¹also Elector of Brandenburg; ²also German Emperor

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