John Frederick, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg

John Frederick
Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg Prince of Calenberg
John Frederick, c. 1675, by Johann Hulsman
Spouse(s)	Benedicta Henrietta of the Palatinate
Noble family	Hanover
Father	George, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Mother	Anne Eleonore of Hesse-Darmstadt
Born	25 April 1625 Herzberg am Harz
Died	18 December 1679 (aged 54) Augsburg

Funeral thaler for John Frederick, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1679)

John Frederick (German: Johann Friedrich; 25 April 1625 in Herzberg am Harz – 18 December 1679 in Augsburg) was duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and ruled over the Principality of Calenberg, a subdivision of the duchy, from 1665 until his death.

The third son of George, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, John converted to the Roman Catholic Church as the only member of his family in 1651. He received Calenberg when his elder brother George William inherited the Principality of Lüneburg. In 1666, he had a palace built in Herrenhausen near Hanover that was inspired by the Palace of Versailles and is famous for its gardens, the Herrenhausen Gardens.

In 1676, John Frederick employed Leibniz as Privy Councillor and librarian of the important ducal library. Thus began Leibniz's 40-year association with the House of Hanover, which resulted in three generations of Hanovers being patrons to one of the most eminent philosophers and mathematicians of Europe.

He employed the Venetian architect Girolamo Sartorio as his master builder in 1667, who designed many buildings in the town including the Neustädter Kirche and was instrumental in the expansion of the Herrenhausen Gardens.

Children

His middle daughter, Charlotte Felicitas

John Frederick, ca. 1670, after Jean Michelin

John Frederick married Benedicta Henrietta of the Palatinate (14 March 1652 – 12 August 1730), daughter of Edward, Count Palatine of Simmern and Anna Gonzaga, on 30 November 1668. They had four daughters:

• Anne Sophie (10 February 1670 – 24 March 1672)
• Charlotte Felicitas (8 March 1671 – 29 September 1710), married Rinaldo III, Duke of Modena
• Henriette Marie (9 March 1672 – 4 September 1757)
• Wilhelmina Amalia (1673 – 10 April 1742), married Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor

Ancestry

Ancestors of John Frederick, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg

16. Henry I of Lüneburg               8. Ernest I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg                       17. Margaret of Saxony               4. William, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg                             18. Henry V, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin               9. Sophia of Mecklenburg-Schwerin                       19. Ursula of Brandenburg               2. George, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg                                   20. Frederick I of Denmark               10. Christian III of Denmark                       21. Anna of Brandenburg               5. Dorothea of Denmark                             22. Magnus I, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg               11. Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg                       23. Catherine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel               1. John Frederick, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg                                         24. Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse               12. George I, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt                       25. Christine of Saxony               6. Louis V, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt                             26. Bernhard VIII, Count of Lippe               13. Magdalene of Lippe                       27. Catherine of Waldeck-Eisenberg               3. Anne Eleonore of Hesse-Darmstadt                                   28. Joachim II Hector, Elector of Brandenburg               14. John George, Elector of Brandenburg                       29. Magdalena of Saxony               7. Magdalena von Brandenburg                             30. Joachim Ernest, Prince of Anhalt               15. Elisabeth of Anhalt-Zerbst                       31. Agnes of Barby-Mühlingen

References

• Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie, vol. 14, p. 177-181
• At the House of Welf site