Johann, King of Saxony

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Kingdom of Saxony: The rulers of the Electorate of Saxony of the House of Wettin had held the title of Elector for several centuries. Friedrich August III, Elector of Saxony was not involved in the establishment of the Confederation of the Rhine, which brought about the end of the Holy Roman Empire. Staying out of the politics, he was drawn in when Napoleon advanced into German territory, siding with Prussia. The Saxony forces suffered significant losses and Friedrich August soon surrendered. He was forced to join the Confederation of the Rhine and had to cede territory to the Kingdom of Westphalia. However, the trade-off was Saxony’s elevation to a kingdom. So on December 20, 1806, Friedrich August became King Friedrich August I of Saxony. On November 13, 1918, the last King of Saxony, Friedrich August III formally abdicated the Saxony throne, bringing about the end of the monarchy. Today, the land that was once the Kingdom of Saxony is located in the German state of Saxony, in the east of Germany, bordering Poland and the Czech Republic.

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Johann, King of Saxony – source: Wikipedia

King Johann of Saxony reigned from 1854 until 1873. He was born in Dresden, Electorate of Saxony, now in Saxony, Germany on December 12, 1801, the third son and fifth child of Prince Maximilian of Saxony and Princess Caroline of Parma. He was given the names Johann Nepomuk Maria Joseph Anton Vincenz Aloys Franz de Paula Stanislaus Bernhard Paul Felix Damasus. Johann had five siblings:

Initially, Johann was far enough down the line of succession that there seemed little chance he would ever inherit the throne. However, by the time his brother became King Friedrich August II in 1836, Johann was his heir presumptive. He received an education intended to prepare him for his possible future role, and took an active part in the government, serving in the First Chamber of the Saxon Parliament after the new Constitution was passed in 1831.

Amalie Auguste of Bavaria; Credit – Wikipedia

Johann married Princess Amalie Auguste of Bavaria in Dresden, Kingdom of Saxony on November 21, 1822. She was the daughter of King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria and Princess Karoline of Baden. The couple had nine children:

Johann became King of Saxony upon his brother’s death on August 9, 1854. His reign saw much progress within Saxony, including extending the railroad network, introducing free trade – including a commercial treaty with France – and establishing the Judiciary Organization. Under King Johann’s oversight, Saxony became one of the most modern and progressive of the German states.

In 1866, Johann aligned Saxony with Austria and fought alongside them in the Austro-Prussian War. After being defeated, Saxony joined the North German Confederation, and later the German Empire in 1871.

Johann was an avid student of literature, and under a pseudonym, published numerous translations into German, including Dante’s Divine Comedy.

King Johann died at Pillnitz Castle in Dresden, Kingdom of Saxony, now in Saxony, Germany on October 29, 1873. He is buried in the Wettin Crypt at the Dresden Cathedral, formerly known as the Katholische Hofkirche (Catholic Church of the Royal Court of Saxony).

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Saxony Resources at Unofficial Royalty