John Albert I, Duke of Mecklenburg
| John Albert I, Duke of Mecklenburg | |
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John Albert I, Duke of Mecklenburg
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| Spouse(s) | Anna Sophia of Prussia |
| Noble family | House of Mecklenburg |
| Father | Albrecht VII, Duke of Mecklenburg |
| Mother | Anne of Brandenburg |
| Born |
23 December 1525 Güstrow |
| Died | 12 February 1576 (aged 50) Schwerin |
John Albert I, Duke of Mecklenburg, in older literature known as John or Johann (23 December 1525 in Güstrow – 12 February 1576 in Schwerin), was the reigning Duke of Mecklenburg-Güstrow from 1547 to 1556 and of Mecklenburg-Schwerin from 1556 to 1576. In 1549 John Albert I saw to it that the parliament of Mecklenburg carried through the Reformation for the entire Duchy.
John Albert was the eldest son of the Duke Albrecht VII of Mecklenburg-Güstrow and his wife Anne of Brandenburg. Until the age of 13, he was educated by the "papist vicar" Johann Sperling. In 1539, his father sent him to the court of his uncle, the protestant Elector Joachim II of Brandenburg, where he was educated together with the Elector's son John George. From 1541 to 1544, they attended the newly founded University of Frankfurt an der Oder together. John Albert was a devout supporter of Protestantism when he returned to Mecklenburg. Nevertheless, he fought on the imperial side in the Schmalkaldic War, at his father's request.
When his father died in 1547, John Albert and his brothers Ulrich III and George were jointly invested with the Duchy of Mecklenburg-Güstrow by Emperor Charles V. Initially, John Albert administered the Mecklenburg-Güstrow part of the Duchy alone, while Ulrich administered the Bishopric of Schwerin from 1550 as successor to his cousin Magnus III and George fought in the Schmalkaldic War and fell in 1552 before Frankfurt am Main.
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