August, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels

.

He was the fourth (fifth in order of birth) but second surviving son of Johann Georg I, Elector of Saxony and his second wife Magdalene Sybille of Prussia.

Early life

On 23 January 1628, with only 13 years, August was appointed by the Chapter as the new Administrator of Magdeburg, in order to replace the present holder of that title, Christian Wilhelm of Brandenburg. By that time, August was already three years as Coadjutor. Nevertless, he can't assume his post: on 20 May 1631, and after seven months of siege and plundering, the city of Magdeburg was taken for the Imperial troops; the catholic competitor of the Diocese, Archduke Leopold William of Austria, assume the title of Archbishop and Administrator of Magdeburg. The Peace of Prague (1635) confirm his government of the city; but three years later (1638), the Swedish troops expelled the Habsburg army and restored August as Administrator on 19 October of that year.

Secured by a neutrality treaty with the Swedish Generalissimo Lennart Torstenson, on 31 December 1642 August finally took the full control over Magdeburg and began the reconstruction of the city.

In 1643 August was accepted in the Fruitbearing Society by the Prince Ludwig I of Anhalt-Köthen.

Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels

The Elector Johann Georg I, in his will (20 July 1652) ordered the division of the albertine territory, which was carried out on 22 April 1657 in Dresden. August inherited the towns of Weissenfels and Querfurt, became his first duke.

Also, he increased his incomes taking the administration of the County of Barby, during the minority of the count August Ludwig; but on 17 October 1659, the young count died shortly before his majority of age. With him, the line of Barby was extinct, and began a dispute over his lands who was resolved in favor of August seven years later (1666). In his will, the duke left Barby to his son Heinrich.

On 25 July 1660, August put the first rock who started the construction of his official residence, the Schloss Neu-Augustusburg in Weissenfels. This castle was build in the same place of the old, who was devastated by the Swedish troops. The duke died before the castle was finished.

On 15 July 1667, the sons of the late Duke Wilhelm of Saxe-Weimar offered to August the Presidency of the Fruitbearing Society. He accepted this office and the duty of protect the artists and scientits works. This was the reason to the deep indebtedness of his descendants.

Marriages and Issue

In Schwerin on 23 November 1647 August married firstly with Anna Maria of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. They had twelve children:

#Magdalene Sibylle (b. Halle,2 September 1648 - d. Gotha, 7 January 1681), married on 14 November 1669 to Duke Frederick I of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg. She was an ancestor of the Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom.
#Johann Adolf I, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels (b. Halle, 2 November 1649 - d. Weissenfels, 24 May 1697).
#August (b. Halle, 3 December 1650 - d. Halle, 11 August 1674), Provost of Magdeburg; married on 25 August 1673 to Charlotte of Hesse-Eschwege. Their only son was stillborn (24 April 1674).
#Christian (b. Halle, 25 January 1652 - killed in action, Mainz, 24 August 1689), General Field Marshal of the Saxonian Electorate Army.
#Anna Maria (b. Halle, 28 February 1653 - d. Halle, 17 February 1671).
#Sophie (b. Halle, 23 June 1654 - d. Zerbst, 31 March 1724), married on 18 June 1676 to Prince Karl Wilhelm of Anhalt-Zerbst. Like his older sister Magdalene Sybille, she was an ancestor of the Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom.
#Katharine (b. Halle, 12 September 1655 - d. Halle, 21 April 1663).
#Christine (b. Halle, 25 August 1656 - d. Eutin, 27 April 1698), married on 21 June 1676 to August Friedrich of Holstein-Gottorp, Prince-Bishop of Lübeck.
#Heinrich (b. Halle, 29 September 1657 - d. Barby, 16 February 1728); he inherited Barby.
#Albrecht (b. Halle, 14 April 1659 - d. Leipzig, 9 May 1692).
#Elisabeth (b.Halle, 25 August 1660 - d. Halle, 11 May 1663).
#Dorothea (b. Halle, 17 December 1662 - d. Halle, 12 May 1663).

In Halle on 29 January 1672, two years after the death of his first wife, August married Johanna Walpurgis of Leiningen-Westerburg. They had three sons:

# Frederick (b. Halle, 20 November 1673 - d. Dahme, 16 April 1715), married on 13 February 1711 to Emilie Agnes of Reuss-Schleiz. This marriage was childless.
#Maurice (b. Halle, 5 January 1676 - d. Szegedin, Hungary, 12 September 1695).
#Stillborn son (1679).