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Electors of Saxony in Luther’s Time: John Frederick the Magnanimous

© John L. Hoh, Jr.

Succeeding John the Steadfast as Elector of Saxony was his oldest son, John Frederick I. He was known as the "Magnanimous elector of Saxony." Of the three electors, John Frederick was perhaps the most partisan Lutheran who had a great admiration for Martin Luther. Standing on Lutheran principle, he signed the Augsburg Confession at the Diet of Augsburg. On account of his strictly Lutheran convictions John Frederick was involved in difficulties with the Landgrave of Hesse, who favored a union with the Swiss and Strasburg Evangelicals.

John Frederick was born in Torgau on 30 June 1503. He was 14 when Luther nailed the 95 Theses and hence his education would take on a decidedly Lutheran flavor. John Frederick was educated by Spalatin (whom he highly esteemed). He had a comprehensive knowledge of history. John Frederick's library extended over all sciences and was one of the largest libraries in Germany. No doubt John Frederick was influenced to value education by his uncle, Frederick the Wise.

John Frederick at a young age began to correspond with Luther, beginning in the days when the bull of excommunication was hurled against Luther. He had a vivid interest in the Reformation movement. Not only did John Frederick read Luther's writings, he urged the printing of the first complete (Wittenberg) edition of his works. In his later years John Frederick promoted the compilation of the Jena edition of Luther's Works.

In 1527 John Frederick married Sibylla, the daughter of John III., duke of Cleves. Together they had three sons.

At the age of twenty-one John Frederick succeeded his father as Elector of Saxony, giving him one of seven votes in the Holy Roman Empire. In the beginning he reigned with his stepbrother, John Ernest, but in 1542 became sole ruler.

Politically, John Frederick was aligned with the League of Smalcald, although he tended to be more pacifist. He sought to bring peace between the emperor, Charles V, and his colleagues in the league.

However, events tended to conspire against John Frederick. He surrendered Coburg in 1542 to his brother, John Ernst. And despite seeking peace, the emperor declared war against the league in July 1546. In September John Frederick was placed under the imperial ban. In November Maurice (of Ducal Saxony) invaded the electorate. Hastening from southern Germany, John Frederick drove Maurice from the land and took Maurice's ally, Albert Alcibiades (prince of Bayreuth) prisoner at Rochlitz. John Frederick then overran ducal Saxony, where he was checked by the advance of Charles V.