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Joachim Friedrich von BrandenburgElector of Brandenburg, representative of the Hohenzollern dynasty
Date of Birth: 27.01.1546
Country:  Germany |
Content:
- Joachim Frederick of Brandenburg
- Kurfürst of Brandenburg and Family Matters
- Regency and Inheritance in Prussia
- Territorial Acquisitions and Education
- Legacy and Succession
Joachim Frederick of Brandenburg
Early Life and AccessionJoachim Frederick was born in 1546 as a member of the Hohenzollern dynasty. He was the grandson of Joachim II and the son of Elector Johann Georg of Brandenburg. In 1566, he became the ruler of Magdeburg.
Kurfürst of Brandenburg and Family Matters
Upon ascending to the position of Kurfürst in 1598, Joachim Frederick defied his father's will that called for the division of Brandenburg. Instead, he established a family pact in 1599 that maintained the indivisibility of their lands. Internally, he faced resistance from the nobility, whose privileges he was forced to confirm in 1602. His second marriage was to Eleanor of Prussia, daughter of Duke Albrecht Friedrich of Prussia.
Regency and Inheritance in Prussia
In 1603, Joachim Frederick became regent of Prussia and guardian of Duke Georg Friedrich I, who suffered from mental illness. He later secured Poland's consent to inherit Prussia. In return, he paid a sum to the Polish treasury and granted concessions to Prussian Catholics. However, he was prohibited from visiting Prussia without the approval of the Polish king.
Territorial Acquisitions and Education
Following the death of Georg Friedrich I without an heir in 1603, Joachim Frederick received the Duchy of Jägerndorf in Silesia. He transferred it to his son Johann Georg in 1606. In 1607, he established the Joachimsthal Grammar School for gifted boys, which moved to Berlin in 1636 and Templin in 1912.
Legacy and Succession
Joachim Frederick died in 1608 from an apoplectic stroke during a journey from Storkow to Berlin. He was succeeded by his son Johann Sigismund.
