John Frederick II, Duke of Saxony

Johann Frederick II, Duke of Saxony (b. Torgau, 8 January 1529 - d. as imperial prissioner at Schloss Steyer, Upper Austria, 19 May 1595), was duke of Saxony, and briefly, Elector of Saxony (1554-1556).

He was the eldest son of Johann Frederick I, Elector of Saxony and Sybille of Cleves.

After the Battle of Mühlberg (24 April 1547) and the capture of his father, Johann Frederick II took over -with his brother Johann Wilhelm- the regency of the small family countries who can retained and, after the death of his father (1554), in agreement with its brothers, he became an exclusive regent of the family possessions. He took his residence in Gotha.

The politics of Johann Frederick II, which were directed to a recuperation of the lands and the title of Elector lost for his father in 1547 (he briefly recovered the Electorate during 1554-1556), as well as by his involving in several intrigues, make the anger of the Emperor Maximilian II. In 1563 his favorite and general, Wilhelm von Grumbach attacked Wurzburg, seized and plundered the city and compelled the chapter and the bishop to restore his lands. He was consequently placed under the imperial ban, but Johann Frederick II refused to obey the order of the emperor Maximilian II to withdraw his protection from him. Meanwhile Grumbach sought to compass the assassination of the Saxon elector, Augustus; proclamations were issued calling for assistance; and alliances both without and within Germany were concluded.

In November 1566 John Frederick was placed under the ban, which had been renewed against Grumbach earlier in the year, and Augustus marched against Gotha. Assistance was not forthcoming, and a mutiny led to the capitulation of the town. Grumbach was delivered to his foes, and, after being tortured, was executed at Gotha on April 18, 1567.

The Emperor finally imposed the Reichsacht (Imperial Ban) over Johann Frederick II, that became Elector of Saxony assigned the Reichsexekution, in which also Johann Wilhelm took part. After a siege of his castle in Gotha, Johann Friedrich was finally defeated in 1566 and came up to the rest of his life as imperial prissioner. His possessions were confiscated by the emperor and handed over to Johann Wilhelm, who became thus in the only ruler of the whole duchy of Saxony.

In Weimar on 26 May 1555 Johann Frederick II married firstly with Agnes of Hesse, Dowager Electress of Saxony. This marriage was childless; Agnes died six months later, on 4 November 1555.

In Weimar on 12 June 1558 Johann Frederick II married secondly with Elisabeth of the Palatinate, daugther of Frederick III, Elector Palatine. They had four sons:

1. Johann Frederick (b. Weimar, 30 November 1559 - d. Weimar,8 August 1560).
2. Frederick Heinrich (b. Heldburg, 3 February 1563 - d. Eisenberg, 4 August 1572).
3. Johann Casimir, Duke of Saxe-Coburg (b. Gotha, 12 June 1564 - d. Coburg, 16 July 1633).
4. Johann Ernst, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach (b. Gotha, 9 July 1566 - d. Eisenach, 23 October 1638).

Later, the Emperor used the two surviving sons of Johann Frederick II against Johann Wilhelm; in 1572 the Division of Erfurt was made. The duchy of Saxony was divided into three parts. The older of the two surviving sons of Johann Frederick II: Johann Casimir, received Coburg, and the younger, Johann Ernst, received Eisenach. Johann Wilhelm retained only the smaller part, the limited region of Weimar, but he can added to his duchy the districts of Altenburg, Gotha and Meiningen. Since has it several ernestine dynasties in Thuringia given this division, the total possession of the Wettins (the duchy of Saxony) became next to each other always thus no more not combined. From Johann William descends the house of Saxe-Weimar and the first house of Saxe-Altenburg, which separated later from Saxe-Weimar (see also Ernestine duchies).