Henry IV, Duke of Saxony

Henry IV
Duke of Saxony Margrave of Meissen Lord of Friesland
Portrait of Henry IV by Lucas Cranach the Elder.
Duke of Saxony; Margrave of Meissen
Reign	17 April 1539 – 18 August 1541
Predecessor	George
Successor	Maurice
Born	16 March 1473 Dresden
Died	18 August 1541 (aged 68) Dresden
Spouse	Catherine of Mecklenburg
Issue	Sybille, Duchess of Saxe-Lauenburg Emilie, Margravine of Brandenburg-Ansbach Sidonie, Duchess of Brunswick-Kalenberg Maurice, Elector of Saxony Prince Severinus Augustus, Elector of Saxony
Full name Heinrich der Fromme
House	House of Wettin Albertine Line
Father	Albert III, Duke of Saxony
Mother	Sidonie of Poděbrady
Religion	Lutheranism

Henry IV the Pious, Duke of Saxony (German: Heinrich der Fromme) (Dresden, 16 March 1473 – Dresden, 18 August 1541) was a Duke of Saxony from the House of Wettin.

Biography

Heinrich was the second son of Albert, Duke of Saxony, and his wife Sidonie Podiebrad, princess of Bohemia. When Albert died in 1500, his eldest son Georg succeeded to the Duchy of Saxony, and Heinrich became Lord of Friesland.

Saxon rule of Friesland was disturbed by constant revolts. Consequently Heinrich, who was of a rather inert disposition, gave up his title there. In 1505 Heinrich ceded Friesland to Georg, in return for an annuity and the districts of Wolkenstein and Freiberg, where Heinrich made his residence.

In 1517, Martin Luther started the Protestant Reformation in Germany, and a few years later Heinrich converted to Lutheranism. Georg remained a devout Catholic. Both of Georg's sons predeceased him without issue.

When Georg's second son died in 1539, Heinrich (a Protestant) became heir presumptive to the Duchy under the Act of Settlement of 1499. To prevent a Protestant succession, Georg tried to override his father's will, disinherit Heinrich, and bequeath the Duchy to Ferdinand, brother of Charles V. But Georg died only two months later, and Heinrich succeeded to the Duchy.

He was then 66 years old, and reigned for only two years. Heinrich made Lutheranism the state religion of the Duchy of Saxony.

Marriage and children

In Freiberg, on 6 July 1512, Heinrich married Catherine of Mecklenburg, daughter of Duke Magnus II of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. They had six children:

• Sybille (b. Freiberg, 2 May 1515 – d. Buxtehude, 18 July 1592), married on 8 February 1540 to Duke Francis I of Saxe-Lauenburg.
• Emilie (b. Freiberg, 27 July 1516 – d. Ansbach, 9 March 1591), married on 25 August 1533 to Georg, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach.
• Sidonie (b. Meissen, 8 March 1518 – d. Kloster Weissenfels, 4 January 1575), married on 17 May 1545 to Eric II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (Calenberg).
• Maurice (b. Freiberg, 21 March 1521 – d. of wounds received in action at Sievershausen, 11 July 1553), later Elector of Saxony.
• Severinus (b. Freiberg?, 28 August 1522 – d. Innsbruck, 10 October 1533).
• Augustus (b. Freiberg, 31 July 1526 – d. Dresden, 11 February 1586).

Ancestry

Ancestors of Henry IV, Duke of Saxony

16. Frederick III, Landgrave of Thuringia               8. Frederick I, Elector of Saxony                       17. Catherine of Henneberg               4. Frederick II, Elector of Saxony                             18. Henry the Mild, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg               9. Catherine of Brunswick-Lüneburg                       19. Sophie of Pomerania               2. Albert, Duke of Saxony                                   20. Leopold III, Duke of Austria               10. Ernest, Duke of Austria                       21. Viridis Visconti               5. Margaret of Austria-Styria                             22. Siemowit IV, Duke of Masovia               11. Cymburgis of Masovia                       23. Alexandra of Lithuania               1. Henry IV, Duke of Saxony                                         24. Boček II of Poděbrady               12. Victor of Kunštát and Poděbrady                       25. Anna Lipa of Duba               6. George of Kunštát and Poděbrady, King of Bohemia                             26. Johann of Wartenberg, Burgrave of Glatz               13. Anna of Wartenberg                       27. Anna of Wolharticz               3. Sidonie Podiebrad                                   28. Udalrich of Sternberg               14. Smil of Sternberg                       29. Margarethe of Seeberg               7. Kunigunde of Sternberg                             30. Smilo Flaschka of Richenburg or Zdenic Pardubic of Pardubicz               15. Barbara Flaschka of Richenburg or Barbora of Pardubic                       31. Anna of Wartenberg

External links

• (German) Article in the ABD