John, Prince of Schleswig-Holstein

John
Duke of Holstein
Born	(1583-07-09)9 July 1583
Died	28 October 1602(1602-10-28) (aged 19)
House	Oldenburg
Father	Frederick II of Denmark and Norway
Mother	Sofie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

Johan of Schleswig-Holstein (9 July 1583 – 28 October 1602) was the youngest son of Frederick II of Denmark and Norway and Sophia of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. He went to Russia in 1602 as the bridegroom of Boris Godunov's daughter Ksenia (Xenia), but fell ill and died before the marriage could take place. It is possible that Boris Godunov's ministers may have poisoned him. The cancelled marriage between John and Ksenia was an attempt to ally Denmark-Norway with the Russian Empire.

Other notable facts

• In Alexander Pushkin's chamber drama Boris Godunov and the Mussorgsky opera based on it, Johan is referred to in Boris's monologue "I have attained the highest power":

I thought to make my daughter happy
By wedlock. Like a tempest Death took off
Her bridegroom—and at once a stealthy rumour
Pronounced me guilty of my daughter's grief--
Me, me, the hapless father!

Ancestry

Ancestors of John, Prince of Schleswig-Holstein

16. Christian I of Denmark (=#28) 8. Frederick I of Denmark (=#14) 17. Dorothea of Brandenburg (=#29) 4. Christian III of Denmark 18. John Cicero, Elector of Brandenburg 9. Anna of Brandenburg 19. Margaret of Thuringia 2. Frederick II of Denmark 20. John V of Saxe-Lauenburg 10. Magnus I, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg 21. Dorothea of Brandenburg 5. Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg 22. Henry IV, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg 11. Catherine of Brunswick 23. Catherine of Pomerania-Wolgast 1. John, Prince of Schleswig-Holstein 24. Magnus II, Duke of Mecklenburg 12. Albrecht VII, Duke of Mecklenburg 25. Sophie of Pomerania-Wolgast 6. Ulrich, Duke of Mecklenburg 26. Joachim I Nestor, Elector of Brandenburg 13. Anna of Brandenburg 27. Elizabeth of Denmark 3. Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow 28. Christian I of Denmark (=#16) 14. Frederick I of Denmark (=#8) 29. Dorothea of Brandenburg (=#17) 7. Elizabeth of Denmark 30. Bogislaw X, Duke of Pomerania 15. Sophie of Pomerania 31. Anna of Poland

Other sources

• "The Muscovite Embassy of 1599 to Emperor Rudolf II of Habsburg," by Isaiah Gruber (1999): page 86 (with footnote 3)
• Büsching, Anton Friedrich (1773). Magazin für die neue Historie und Geographie, VII Theil: VII Archiv-Nachrichten von alten Unterhandlungen welche zwischen dem russischen und danischen hofe von 1554 bis 1677. Halle: Johann Jacob Curt. pp. 316–317.
• Büsching, Anton Friedrich (1773). Magazin für die neue Historie und Geographie, VII Theil: Johannis des jüngern, Herzogs von Denmark Reussische Reise und Einzug zu Moskau 1602. Halle: Johann Jacob Curt. pp. 255–298.

External links

• Boris Godunov: a drama in verse at Project Gutenberg
• The Muscovite Embassy of 1599 to Emperor Rudolf II of Habsburg (pdf) by Isaiah Gruber