John Adolf, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp


Johann Adolf of Holstein-Gottorp was a Duke of Holstein-Gottorp.

Life

[file:Johan Adolf, 1575-1616, hertig av Holstein-Gottorp - Nationalmuseum - 14786.tif|thumb|left|upright|Portrait of John X of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp|John Adolf as a child]
He was a third son of Duke Adolf of Holstein-Gottorp and his wife Christine of Hesse-Kassel. He became the first Lutheran Administrator of the Prince-Bishopric of Lübeck and the Administrator of the Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen. He became the Duke after the deaths of his two elder brothers; as Duke of a sovereign state in the early 17th century, he became involved with the religious wars of the time.
After succeeding his brother as Duke in 1590, the Bremian Chapter enforced his resignation in favour of his younger brother John Frederick of Holstein-Gottorp, Prince-Bishop.

Diplomatic efforts

John Adolf entered into a secret treaty with his cousin, King Christian IV, to suppress the nobility, in 1608. He wrote at least one diplomatic letter to Queen Elizabeth I.

Patronages

[file:Johan Adolf, 1575-1616, hertig av Holstein-Gottorp - Nationalmuseum - 15975.tif|thumb|left|upright|Portrait of John Adolf by an anonymous artist, 1601]
He donated to the Hamburg Confraternity of Saint Anne of the Iceland Merchants, which indicated that he was involved in trade with Iceland. He was also a patron of touring English theatre troupes.

Family and children

He was married on 30 August 1596 to Princess Augusta of Denmark, daughter of King Frederick II of Denmark. They had the following children:
  1. Frederick III of Holstein-Gottorp.
  2. Elisabeth Sofie, married on 5 March 1621 to Duke Augustus of Saxe-Lauenburg.
  3. Adolf.
  4. Dorothea Auguste, married in 1633 to Joachim Ernest, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Plön.
  5. Hedwig, married on 15 July 1620 to Augustus, Count Palatine of Sulzbach.
  6. Anna.
  7. John.
  8. Christian, died young in 1609.