Johann (Saxony)

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King John I of Saxony
Portrait from 1831

Johann von Sachsen , full name Johann Nepomuk Maria Joseph Anton Xaver Vincenz Aloys Luis de Gonzaga Franz de Paula Stanislaus Bernhard Paul Felix Damasus , (born December 12, 1801 in Dresden , † October 29, 1873 in Pillnitz ) ruled after the death of his brother Friedrich August II. From 1854 as King John the Kingdom of Saxony . He also worked as a translator under the pseudonym Philalethes .

Family and education

Johann was born the sixth of seven children of Prince Maximilian of Saxony and his first wife Caroline of Bourbon-Parma (1770-1804). His father was the youngest son of the Saxon Elector Friedrich Christian, who died in 1763 . His mother Caroline, born Princess of Parma, was a granddaughter of the Empress Maria Theresa . Soon Johann was trained in the administration of the kingdom and took on important tasks, including in the finance college. After the constitution of 1831 was passed, Prince Johann was born a member of Chamber I of the Saxon state parliament and took an active part in its negotiations. During his visit to Leipzig in August 1845, riots broke out because the population demonstrated against him and the military opened fire on the demonstrators ( Leipzig slaughter ).

government

After Johann unexpectedly came to the throne through the accidental death of his older, childless brother in 1854, he took over the constitutional chairmanship of the entire ministry . Thanks to his many years of experience, he oversaw all areas of administration and always formed his own judgment. In fact, he was his own prime minister. At most, the ministers Friedrich Ferdinand von Beust and Johann Paul von Falkenstein gained weight in their own right. The judicial reform of 1855, the expansion of the railway network and the introduction of freedom of trade are mainly due to his suggestions and support. Under him, Saxony transformed into one of the most modern German states. In addition, a trade treaty was concluded with France (1862) and the newly established Kingdom of Italy was recognized. Under the influence of his minister Friedrich Ferdinand von Beust, he campaigned for the Greater German solution to the unification of the empire (including Austria). The Kingdom of Saxony therefore fought on Austria's side in the German War in 1866 . When, after the defeat of Königgrätz, the Prussian Prime Minister Otto von Bismarck persuaded King Wilhelm I to preserve Saxony as an independent state, Saxony finally joined the North German Confederation and in 1871 the German Empire under the hegemony of the Kingdom of Prussia . At the imperial proclamation in Versailles on January 18, 1871, however, he was represented by his son, Prince Georg .

Sarcophagus for Johann in the royal crypt of the Wettiner crypt

He gave special support to schools and universities. The Saxon Academy of Sciences was promoted by him, the Royal Saxon Association for the study and conservation of patriotic antiquities in 1824 and the magazine New archive of Saxon History founded. 1863

Johann died in 1873 and was buried in the Wettiner crypt of the Catholic Court Church in Dresden.

translator

gold 20- mark coin (1872) with the likeness of King John

In addition to his political work, Johann dealt with literature. Under the pseudonym Philalethes ("Friend of Truth", hence his nickname "The Truthful") he translated Dante's Divine Comedy into German as a translation that is still recognized today, substantial parts of it at Weesenstein Castle and Jahnishausen Castle .

family

On November 21, 1822, he married Princess Amalie Auguste of Bavaria in Dresden . The marriage had nine children:

  1. ⚭ 1850 Prince Ferdinand of Savoy , Duke of Genoa (1822–1855)
  2. ⚭ 1856 Marchese Niccolo Rapallo (1825–1882)

  • Maria Augusta

  • Albert

  • Elisabeth

  • serious

  • George

  • Maria Sidonia

  • Anna

  • Margarete

  • Sophie

ancestors

Pedigree of Johann von Sachsen
Great-great-grandparents

King
August II (1670–1733)
⚭ 1693
Christiane Eberhardine of Brandenburg-Bayreuth (1671–1727)

Emperor
Joseph I (1678–1711)
⚭ 1699
Wilhelmine Amalie von Braunschweig-Lüneburg (1673–1742)

Elector
Maximilian II. Emanuel (1662–1726)
⚭ 1695
Therese Kunigunde of Poland (1676–1730)

Emperor
Joseph I (1678–1711)
⚭ 1699
Wilhelmine Amalie von Braunschweig-Lüneburg (1673–1742)

King
Philip V (1683–1746)
⚭ 1714
Elisabetta Farnese (1692–1766)

King
Louis XV (1710–1774)
⚭ 1725
Maria Leszczyńska (1703–1768)

Duke
Leopold Joseph of Lorraine (1679–1729)
⚭ 1698
Élisabeth Charlotte de Bourbon-Orléans (1676–1744)

Emperor
Charles VI. (1685–1740)
⚭ 1708
Elisabeth Christine von Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel (1691–1750)
Great grandparents

King August III. (1696–1763)
⚭ 1719
Maria Josepha of Austria (1699–1757)

Emperor Charles VII (1697–1745)
⚭ 1722
Maria Amalia of Austria (1701–1756)

Duke Philip of Parma (1720–1765)
⚭ 1738
Marie Louise Élisabeth de Bourbon (1727–1759)

Emperor Franz I Stephan (1708–1765)
⚭ 1736
Maria Theresia (1717–1780)
Grandparents

Elector Friedrich Christian of Saxony (1722–1763)
⚭ 1747
Maria Antonia of Bavaria (1724–1780)

Duke Ferdinand von Bourbon (1751–1802)
⚭ 1769
Maria Amalia of Austria (1746–1804)
parents

Maximilian von Sachsen (1759–1838)
⚭ 1792
Caroline von Bourbon-Parma (1770–1804)

Johann of Saxony

Honors

Equestrian statue of the king, created by Johannes Schilling, Theaterplatz Dresden, June 1977.

literature

Web links

Commons : Johann von Sachsen  - Collection of images, videos and audio files
predecessor Office successor
Friedrich August II. King of Saxony
1854–1873 		Albert I.
personal data
SURNAME Johann
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Johann Nepomuk Maria Joseph Anton Xaver Vincenz Aloys Franz de Paula Stanislaus Bernhard Paul Felix Damasus; Philalethes (pseudonym)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION King of Saxony
DATE OF BIRTH December 12, 1801
PLACE OF BIRTH Dresden
DATE OF DEATH October 29, 1873
Place of death Pillnitz