John, Elector of Saxony

John
John
	Portrait by Lucas Cranach the Elder, 1526
Elector of Saxony
Reign	5 May 1525 – 16 August 1532
Predecessor	Frederick III
Successor	Johann Frederick I
Born	30 June 1468; Meissen, Electorate of Saxony, Holy Roman Empire
Died	16 August 1532 (aged 64); Schweinitz, Electorate of Saxony, Holy Roman Empire
Burial	Schlosskirche, Wittenberg
Spouse	; Sophie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (m. 1500; died 1503) ; Margaret of Anhalt-Köthen (m. 1513; died 1521)
Issue; Detail	Johann Frederick I, Elector of Saxony ; Maria, Duchess of Pomerania; John Ernest, Duke of Saxe-Coburg
House	House of Wettin
Father	Ernest, Elector of Saxony
Mother	Elisabeth of Bavaria
Religion	Roman Catholic (1468–1525); Lutheran (1525–1532)

John (30 June 1468 – 16 August 1532),^[1] known as John the Steadfast or John the Constant (Johann, der Beständige), was Elector of Saxony from 1525 until 1532 from the House of Wettin.

He is notable for organising the Lutheran Church in the Electorate of Saxony from a state and administrative level. In that, he was aided by Martin Luther, whose "Saxon model" of a Lutheran church was also soon to be implemented beyond Saxony, in other territories of the Holy Roman Empire. Luther turned to the Elector for secular leadership and funds on behalf of a church largely shorn of its assets and income after the break with Rome.^[2]

He played a part in the Protestation at Speyer.

^ One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "John, Elector of Saxony". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 15 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 446.
^ Brecht, 2:260–63, 67; Mullett, 184–86.

[EB1911-1] One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "John, Elector of Saxony". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 15 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 446.

[2] Brecht, 2:260–63, 67; Mullett, 184–86.

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