Augustus, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels
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Augustus of Saxe-Weissenfels | |
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Spouse | Anna Maria of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Johanna Walpurgis of Leiningen-Westerburg |
House | Wettin |
Father | John George I, Elector of Saxony |
Mother | Magdalene Sibylle of Prussia |
Augustus of Saxe-Weissenfels (13 August 1614 in
He was the fourth (but second surviving) son of John George I, Elector of Saxony, and his second wife, Magdalene Sibylle of Prussia.
Early life
On 23 January 1628, at the age of 13, August was appointed administrator of the Archbishopric of Magdeburg by its
In 1643 August was accepted into the Fruitbearing Society at the behest of Louis I, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen.
Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels
In his will of 20 July 1652, Elector John George I ordered a division of the Albertine territories that was carried out on 22 April 1657 in Dresden. August inherited the towns of Weißenfels and Querfurt and became their first duke.
August also increased his incomes by taking over the administration of the County of Barby during the minority of Count August Ludwig. On 17 October 1659, however, the young count died shortly before attaining his majority. With him, the line of Barby became extinct. A dispute over his lands was resolved in favor of August seven years later (1666). In his will, the duke left Barby to his son Heinrich.
On 25 July 1660, August laid the first stone for his official residence, Schloss Neu-Augustusburg in Weissenfels. This castle was built in the same place as the old one, which had been devastated by Swedish troops. The duke died before the castle was finished.
On 15 July 1667, the sons of the late Duke
Marriages and issue
In Schwerin on 23 November 1647 August married Anna Maria of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. They had twelve children:
- Halle, 2 September 1648 - d. Gotha, 7 January 1681), married on 14 November 1669 to Duke Frederick I of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg.
- Johann Adolf I (b. Halle, 2 November 1649 - d. Weissenfels, 24 May 1697).
- August (b. Halle, 3 December 1650 - d. Halle, 11 August 1674), Provost of Magdeburg; married on 25 August 1673 to Landgravine Charlotte of Hesse-Eschwege. Their only son was stillborn (24 April 1674).
- Christian (b. Halle, 25 January 1652 - killed in action at Mainz, 24 August 1689), General Field Marshal of the Saxon Electoral Army.
- Anna Maria (b. Halle, 28 February 1653 - d. Halle, 17 February 1671).
- Karl, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst.
- Katharine (b. Halle, 12 September 1655 - d. Halle, 21 April 1663).
- Christine (b. Halle, 25 August 1656 - d. Holstein-Gottorp, Prince-Bishop of Lübeck (son of Frederick III, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp, and his wife Duchess Marie Elisabeth of Saxony).
- Heinrich (b. Halle, 29 September 1657 - d. Barby, 16 February 1728); he inherited Barby.
- Albrecht (b. Halle, 14 April 1659 - d. Leipzig, 9 May 1692).
- Elisabeth (b. Halle, 25 August 1660 - d. Halle, 11 May 1663).
- Dorothea (b. Halle, 17 December 1662 - d. Halle, 12 May 1663).
In
- Frederick (b. Halle, 20 November 1673 - d. Dahme, 16 April 1715), he inherited Dahme.
- Maurice (b. Halle, 5 January 1676 - d. Szeged, Hungary, 12 September 1695).
- Stillborn son (1679).
References
- Johann Christoph von Dreyhaupt: Beschreibung des … Saal-Creyses, insonderheit der Städte Halle; Halle 1749/1751 (Dreyhaupt-Chronik)
- Heinrich Theodor Flathe: August (Herzog von Sachsen-Weißenfels). In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB), vol. 1, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1875, p. 680.
- Klaus Gondermann: Die Mitglieder der Fruchtbringenden Gesellschaft 1617–1650: 527 Biographien, Leipzig, 1985.
- Boje E. Schmuhl (ed.) jointly with Thomas Bauer-Friedrich: Im Land der Palme. August von Sachsen (1614-1680), Erzbischof von Magdeburg und Fürst in Halle. Kunstmuseum Moritzburg, Halle (Saale) 2014 (writings of the Kunstmuseums Moritzburg Halle (Saale), vol. 2).
- Hellmut Kretzschmar: August. In: Neue Deutsche Biographie (NDB). vol. 1, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin 1953. Online [retrieved 10 October 2014].
- Dirk Schleinert: Anna Maria von Mecklenburg (1627-1669) und August von Sachsen (1614-1680) und die Begründung des Hauses Sachsen-Weißenfels. Dynastische Beziehungen zwischen Mecklenburg und Kursachsen im 17. Jahrhundert, in: Mecklenburgische Jahrbücher 123. Jg. (2008), pp. 123–157.
- 300 Jahre Schloß Neu-Augustusburg, 1660–1694 – Residenz der Herzöge von Sachsen-Weißenfels. Festschrift, Weissenfels 1994.
- Andrea Thiele: Residenz auf Abruf? Hof- und Stadtgesellschaft in Halle (Saale) unter dem letzten Administrator des Erzstifts Magdeburg, August von Sachsen (1614-1680). Halle (Saale) 2011 (=research on Halle city's history; nº16).
- Andrea Thiele: Vier Jahrzehnte in Halle - Die Saalestadt als Residenz Augusts von Sachsen, postulierter Administrator des Erzstifts Magdeburg (1614-1680). in: Barocke Fürstenresidenzen an Saale, Unstrut und Elster, pp. 122–132; Michael Imhof ed., Petersberg 2007.
- Joachim Säckl/Andrea Thiele: August von Sachsen, Administrator des Erzstifts Magdeburg, Herzog von Sachsen-Weißenfels (* 13. August 1614 in Dresden, + 4. Juni 1680 in Halle/Saale). In: Mitteldeutsches Yearbook of Culture and History, Vol. 21 (2014), pp. 272–275.