John Sigismund, Elector of Brandenburg
John Sigismund was a Prince-elector of the Margraviate of Brandenburg from the House of Hohenzollern. He became the Duke of Prussia through his marriage to Duchess Anna, the eldest daughter of Duke Albert Frederick of Prussia who died without sons. Their marriage resulted in the potential creation of Brandenburg-Prussia, which became a reality after Poland's leader appointed John Sigismund in charge of Prussia in regency and, shortly thereafter, Albert Frederick died without an able, direct male heir.
Portrait (unknown artist, c. 1610)
Margraviate of Brandenburg
The Margraviate of Brandenburg was a major principality of the Holy Roman Empire from 1157 to 1806 that played a pivotal role in the history of Germany and Central Europe.
Slavic territories pre-Brandenburg, c. 1150
Siegesallee statue of Albert the Bear, flanked by Bishop Wigger of Brandenburg and Bishop Otto of Bamberg
The Holy Roman Empire from 1273 to 1378: Habsburg lands Luxembourg lands Wittelsbach lands
Religion in Central Europe, c. 1618. Electoral Brandenburg is striped, indicating that its ruler was a Calvinist, while most of his subjects remained Lutheran. Lutherans Calvinists Zwinglians Hussites/Bohemian Brethren Roman Catholics Greek Orthodox Muslims