BASICS

FULL NAME: John of Saxony
DOB: 1508 (AU)
POB: Dresden, Saxony
RELIGION: Catholic
TITLE: Crown Prince of Saxony (from the Albertine line of the House of Wettin)
HOMETOWN: Dresden
HAIR COLOR: brown
EYE COLOR: blue


HISTORY

OVERVIEW: John was the son of the Duke George the Bearded, from his marriage to Barbara Jagiellon, daughter of King Casimir IV of Poland. Because of the good relationship between his father to the Habsburg family, he was raised in Brussels, together with Charles V with whom he is friend. John was introduced at an early age to the business of government by his father.

Since the Reformation made its way through Saxony the Albertine realm of this country remained faithful to Rome. This led to some conflicts with John's uncle Henry IV for he converted to Lutheranism. It was not always easy to keep peace between the two brothers, George and Henry, this way John has learned much about diplomacy and the game of policy.

Although John loved philosophy and called himself humanist he has had not much time to follow his own heart. The duty towards his country and father was rooted deep in his heart and kept him bound to his future that was already written down. He would become the next Prince of Saxony and although he was educated all his life to fulfill this fate the burden often threatened to drown him.

His soft and friendly appearance often helped him to deceive his opponents for he was more than he seemed to be. John knew what he wanted, he knew how he could get it and he would do everything to achieve what he wanted. Here and then he would even stop at nothing, regardless what it will cost. But when he sat eyes on something he thought it worth to fight for, he could be stubborn and would fight till the end: either he will win or he will lose.

In terms of his private life John kept himself rather covered. He was no man who jumped from bed to bed, but he was a man after all. When there were bed-stories then very rare and it never lasted long. As long as he was free and not yet bound to another woman he would enjoy his bachelor life. But he was betrothed since he was seven years old; his fiancee was Elisabeth of Hesse but in all honesty, John wasn't eager to marry her, for during all the years he has heard about her changing her confession from Catholic into Lutheran; something he couldn't ignore and the reason why he hadn't married her yet!

Now, that his father has heard about the changes in England, he thought it better to be the first and sent his son as Emissary to King Henry VIII before his Lutheran brother will send a delegation. John didn't know all too much about this country and just had knowledge about Henry and his court through news that have reached the continent. He will make his own impression about country and people.


OTHER FACTS

CLOSE FAMILY

Father: George the Bearded, Duke of Saxony
Mother: Barbara Jagiellon, Princess of Polen

Siblings:Christof *8 September 1497 †5 December 1497
Wolfgang *b. Dresden, 1499 †12 January 1500
Anna *21 January 1500 †23 January 1500
Christof *†27 May 1501
Agnes *7 January 1503 †16 April 1503
Frederick *15 March 1504 †26 February 1539, Hereditary Duke of Saxony; married 1539 to Elisabeth of Mansfeld.
Christine *1505, married on 11 December 1523 to Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse, †15 April 1549
Magdalena *1507, married on 6 November 1524 to Joachim Hector, then Hereditary Elector of Brandenburg, †25 January 1534
Margarete *7 September 1508 †19 December 1510