Duke John Casimir from Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Amongst other things, Duke John Casimir is remembered for his remarkable buildings in Coburg, including our Casimirianum. He ruled in Coburg at the turn of the 16th to the 17th century. In commemoration of Duke Casimir, his statue at the corner of our building is crowned with two laurel wreaths by students of year 11 on the Friday before the end of the school year.
Duke John Casimir's profile and his biographie
Born: 12th June 1564 in Gotha
Death: 16th July 1633 in Coburg as a consequence of lithiasis
Family:- John Casimir was the third son of his parents
- Father: Duke John Frederick of Saxony (1529-1595)
- Mother: Elisabeth of the Palatinate (1540-1594)
- Older brothers: John Frederick IV and Frederick Henry (died early)
- Younger brother: John Ernest
- Guardian of the brothers from 1567: His uncle John Wilhelm (residence: Ehrenburg Palace)
- 1st wife: Princess Anna of Saxony (marriage for political reasons)
- 1593: Submission of a petition for divorce due to adultery by the princess
- John Casimir held Anna captive until her death in 1613 after he unsuccessfully tried to send her back to her family
- The marriage was childless
- 2nd wife: Margaret of Brunswick-Lüneburg; marriage was childless
- After the death of his guardian, John Casimir and his brother John Ernest inherited territories and significant debts
- Areas: principalities of Eisenach, Gotha and Coburg
- From 1573: excellent education in the Ehrenburg Palace that permitted hardly any spare time
- John Casimir and Ernest were supposed to become responsible local rulers
- 1581: triennial studies ‘fundamenta in studiis’ in Leipzig
- Well-known and appreciated for being a clever counsellor
- Despite the cruel peak of the persecution of witches during his reign, he could save the territory that was entrusted to him from the Thirty Years’ War because of his neutrality among Protestants and Catholics
- In 1631, he joined the King of Sweden Gustav II Adolf for a war against the German Catholic emperor (the reason was his Protestant religious conviction)
- John Casimir died on 16th July 1633 after the siege and the following sacking of Coburg by the elector Maximilian of Bavaria and the field marshal Wallenstein
- Shortly afterwards: occupation and conquest of Coburg Castle (Veste Coburg) by General Lamboy (after the failed attempt by Wallenstein)
- Therewith Coburg was finally at war and became victim of grievous sackings, famines and epidemics
- On account of these troubles it was not possible to bury John Casimir in the main parish church, St. Moriz, until nine month after his death. Today, his tomb is in the prince’s crypt under the choir next to his parents.
- During his lifetime, the Duke managed to reduce the heavy debts he had inherited
- Through collecting taxes and with the help of his revee Nikolaus Zech, he achieved a financial surplus in 1594
- That surplus was invested in cultural efforts such as extensive building activities
- Composition of exemplary church and school regulations, which contributed to an excellent administration
- Armoury
- Town Hall / the Duke's administration building
- Renaissance epitaph in St. Moriz
- “Gymnasium academicum”, the academic secondary school Casimirinaum
- Extension of Ehrenburg Palace
- Attracted to luxury and comfort
- Rather cruel ruler: despite his constant worry about the welfare of his territory, he was not a gracious man
- Used to take ruthless action against alleged deficiencies and crime, which can be seen in the persecution of witches