Johannetta of Sayn-Wittgenstein (1632-1701)
| Johannetta of Sayn-Wittgenstein | |
|---|---|
| Duchess consort of Saxe-Marksuhl | |
| Reign | 1662–1671 |
| Duchess consort of Saxe-Eisenach | |
| Reign | 1671–1686 |
| Born |
27 August 1632 Wittgenstein |
| Died | 28 September 1701 (aged 69) Jena |
| Spouse |
John, Landgrave of Hesse-Braubach John George I, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach |
| Issue |
Eleonore Erdmuthe Luise, Margravine of Brandenburg-Ansbach and Electress of Saxony Frederick August, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Eisenach John George II, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach John William, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach Fredericka Elisabeth, Duchess of Saxe-Weissenfels |
| Father | Ernest, Count of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn |
| Mother | Louise Juliane of Erbach |
Johannetta of Sayn-Wittgenstein (27 August 1632 – 28 September 1701), was a German noblewoman member of the House of Sponheim, Sovereign Countess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn-Altenkirchen and by her two marriages Landgravine of Hesse-Braubach and Duchess of Saxe-Marksuhl (later Saxe-Eisenach).
Born in Wittgenstein, she was the sixth and youngest child of Ernest, Count of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn and Countess Louise Juliane of Erbach. She was born three months after her father's death, on 22 May 1632. She was probably named after her paternal aunt Johannetta of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn, by marriage Countess of Erbach-Erbach.
In his will, Count Ernest left his domains to his only son Louis, under the regency of his mother Louise Juliane during his minority. In case he would die prematurely, his two surviving daughters (Ernestine Salentine and Johannetta) would inherited the County.
When Count Louis died four years later (16 July 1636), the male line of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn died out. A violent dispute over his inheritance erupted between the Dowager Countess and the three half-brothers of her late husband (sons of Count William III and his second wife Anna Ottilie of Nassau-Weilburg), who claimed the succession of the whole County. After two months, one of them, Count Louis Albert of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Neumagen, finally forced Louise Juliane to surrender the County to him and his brothers. In the meanwhile, Count Christian, Louis Albert's youngest brother besieged Altenkirchen and the Electorate of Mainz besieged Hachenburg, who was forced to surrender when the food ran out; without options, Louise Juliane and her daughters fled to Freusburg. When the Electorate of Trier prepared to besiege Freusburg, they fled to Friedewald, where they found safety. Louise Juliane sued her in-laws before the Reichskammergericht and the Emperor. She sent her councillors to Münster and Osnabrück where the Peace of Westphalia of 1648 was being negotiated. The rights of Johannetta and Ernestine were recognized and, with Swedish assistance, one part of the county after the other was returned to her.
...
Wikipedia