John George IV, Elector of Saxony
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John George IV, Elector of Saxony (18 October 1668 - 27 April 1694) succeeding his father John George III.
At the beginning of his reign his chief adviser was Hans Adam von Schoning (1641-1696), who counselled a union between Saxony and Brandenburg and a more independent attitude towards the emperor. In accordance with this advice certain proposals were put before Leopold I to which he refused to agree; and consequently the Saxon troops withdrew from the imperial army, a proceeding which led the chagrined emperor to seize and imprison Schoning in July 1692. Although John George was unable to procure his minister's release, Leopold managed to allay the elector's anger, and early in 1693 the Saxon soldiers rejoined the imperialists. This elector is chiefly celebrated for his passion for Magdalene Sibylle von Neidschutz (d. 1694), created in 1693 countess of Rochlitz, whom on his accession he publicly established as his mistress. John George left no legitimate issue before his untimely death in April 1694, when he was succeeded as elector by his brother Frederick Augustus I (king of Poland as Augustus II of Poland).
[edit] References
- This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
