John George IV

Johann Georg IV, Elector of Saxony (b. Dresden, 18 October 1668 - d. Dresden, 27 April 1694) was Elector of Saxony and a member of the House of Wettin.

He was the eldest son of the Elector Johann Georg III and Anna Sophie of Denmark.

Johann Georg succeded his father as Elector when he died, on 12 September 1691.

At the beginning of his reign his chief adviser was Hans Adam von Schoning (1641-1696), who counselled a union between Saxony and Brandenburg and a more independent attitude towards the emperor. In accordance with this advice certain proposals were put before Leopold I to which he refused to agree; and consequently the Saxon troops withdrew from the imperial army, a proceeding which led the chagrined emperor to seize and imprison Schöning in July 1692. Although Johann Georg was unable to procure his minister's release, Leopold managed to allay the elector's anger, and early in 1693 the Saxon soldiers rejoined the imperialists.

In Leipzig on 17 April 1692, Johann Georg married with Eleonore Erdmuthe of Saxe-Eisenach, Dowager Margravine of Brandenburg-Ansbach. This marriage was only political with the only purprose to had legitimate heirs to the Electorate. By this time, Johann Georg had an affair with Magdalene Sibylle of Neidschutz.

The late Elector Johann Georg III tried to separate the couple because he was frightened for the "close" relationship between them -apparently, Magdalene Sybille was the illegitimate daughter of the Elector and Ursula Margarethe of Haugwitz; by order of the Elector, Ursula married with the Colonel Rudolf of Neidschutz, who officially appears as the father of their daughter [1]-.

Probably Johann Georg never knew the close blood relationship with Magdalene Sibylla or regarded this fact as bad-willing rumors. Immediately after he assumed the Electorate, he oppenly lived to Magdalene Sybille, who became in the first Official Mistress (Favoritin) of one Elector of Saxony ever had.

His wife, the Electress Eleonore Erdmuthe, humilliated every day since his wedding for him, was relegated to the Hofe (the official residence of the Elector) and Johann Georg moved with Magdalene Sybille to other place.

Desperate to marry his mistrees, Johann Georg tired to murdered his wife; this only could prevent by the action of his younger brother, Frederick August: when Johann Georg tried to stabbed Eleonore with a sword, the unarmed Frederick with his hand turned the impact away, which brought in a lifelong handicap for him.

After a high bribery sum from the Elector, on 20 February 1693 Magdalene Sybille was created Countess of Rochlitz (Reichgrafïn von Rochlitz) by Imperial Decree. Shortly before, she gave birth the only daughter of the couple, Wilhelmina Maria. Despite his illegitimacy, the English King and Queen were her godparents.

But the happiness ended soon: Magdalene Sybille contracted smallpox and died on 4 April 1694, in the arms of the Elector, who also is infected of the disease.

Johann Georg died twenty-three days later, on 27 April. He was buried in the Cathedral of Freiberg.

Because he died without legitimate issue, was succeeded as Elector by his brother Frederick Augustus I (king of Poland as Augustus II of Poland). The new Elector took the guardianship of the little orphan Wilhelmina Maria and raised in the court. He recognized the girl as her niece and gave a important dowry when she married with a Polish Count.

References

• This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)