JOHN GEORGE I. (1585-1656), elector of Saxony, second son of the elector Christian I., was born on March 5, 1585, suc ceeding his elder brother, Christian II., in 1611. Though a Lutheran, he voted for the election of Ferdinand, archduke of Styria, as emperor in Aug. 1619, an action which nullified the anticipated opposition of the Protestant electors. The new em peror secured the help of John George for the impending cam paign in Bohemia by promising that he should be undisturbed in his possession of certain ecclesiastical lands. John George occupied Silesia and Lusatia, and had thus some part in driving Frederick V., elector palatine of the Rhine, from Bohemia and in crushing Protestantism in that country, the crown of which he had previ ously refused. Gradually his policy veered towards the Protestant side, and when the imperial troops under Tilly began to ravage Saxony, he concluded an alliance with Gustavus Adolphus in 1631. The Saxon troops were present at the battle of Breitenfeld, but were routed by the imperialists. Marching into Bohemia the Saxons occupied Prague, but John George soon began to negotiate for peace, and consequently his soldiers offered little resistance to Wallenstein, who drove them back into Saxony. After the death
of the Swedish king at Liitzen in 1632, John George again nego tiated for peace, and in May 1635 he concluded the treaty of Prague with Ferdinand II. His reward was Lusatia and other additions of territory; the retention by his son Augustus of the archbishopric of Magdeburg; and some concessions with regard to the edict (1629) of restitution of ecclesiastical lands. Almost at once he declared war upon the Swedes, but in Oct. 1636 he was beaten at Wittstock; and Saxony was ravaged impartially by both sides. In Sept. 1645 the elector agreed to a truce with the Swedes, who, however, retained Leipzig; and as far as Saxony was concerned this ended the Thirty Years' War. John George died on Oct. 8, 1656. He was twice married, and in addition to his successor John George II. he left three sons, Augustus (1614 168o), Christian (d. 1691) and Maurice (d. 1680 who founded cadet branches of the Saxon house.