Her Serene Highness Johanna, Duchess of Saxony, Jülich, Cleve and Berg also Engern and Westphalia, Landgravine in Thuringia, Margravine of Meissen, Princely Countess of Henneberg, Countess of the Mark and Ravensberg, Lady of Ravenstein and Tonna was born on 1 October 1680 at Gotha. She was a daughter of the reigning Duke Friedrich I of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg and his wife Duchess Magdalena Sibylla.
Duchess of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
Duchess Johanna was born into the Ernestine branch of the House of Wettin. Prior to her birth, the 1675 death of her paternal grandfather Duke Ernst I ‘the Pious’ of Saxe-Gotha and Altenburg would see her father and his six brothers become joint rulers of their fathers domains in accordance with their father’s last will and testament.
This arrangement would remain in force until 24 February 1680 when a settlement divided the land between the seven sons of Duke Ernst I, with Duchess Johnna’s father Duke Friedrich, who was the eldest son, becoming ruler of the duchy of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg centred around the towns of Gotha, which became the capital, and Altenburg.
The parents of Duchess Johanna were married in 1669. Her mother was Duchess Magdalena Sibylla of Saxe-Weissenfels, the eldest child of the reigning Duke August of Saxe-Weissenfels and his wife Duchess Anna Maria of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Their marriage was one of love, having been opposed by her father’s father, Duke Ernst I.
Duchess Johanna was the youngest of the seven children of Duke Friedrich I and Duchess Magdalena Sibylla. Her surviving siblings were Duchess Anna Sophie, by marriage the princess of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt; born 1670, Duchess Dorothea Marie, by marriage the duchess of Saxe-Meiningen; born 1674, Duchess Fredericka, by marriage the princess of Anhalt-Zerbst; born 1675, Duke Friedrich; born 1676 and Duke Johann Wilhelm; born 1677. She was predeceased by two sisters Duchess Magdalene Sibylla (1671-1673) and Duchess Elisabeth (1679-1680).
Duchess Johanna was baptised on 2 October 1680, the day after her birth. Her godparents were her mother Duchess Magdalena Sibylla, her aunt Duchess Sophie Hedwig of Saxe-Saalfeld (née of Saxe-Merseburg) who was married to her father’s brother Duke Johann Ernst, Duke Ernst August of Brunswick-Calenberg (later Elector of Hanover) and his wife Duchess Sophia (née Princess of the Palatinate), Duke Johann Adolf of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Plön, Margrave Johann Friedrich of Brandenburg-Ansbach and his stepmother the Dowager Margravine Christine (née of Baden-Durlach), Count Albert Anton of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Count Ludwig Günther II of Schwarzburg-Ebeleben.
Duchess Johanna’s mother had suffered from various medical problems during the pregnancy resulting in the deterioration of her mental condition after the birth of Joanna. Her condition continued to worsen resulting in her death on 7 January 1681, just three months after Duchess Johanna’s birth.
Duchess Johanna’s widowed father remarried on 14 August 1681 to her godmother, the widowed Dowager Margravine Christine of Brandenburg-Ansbach. This marriage would be childless, but Christine took on the role of mother to her young stepchildren. In early 1685 when Duchess Johanna contracted a case of mild smallpox, her stepmother was with her while she received treatment for the disease which had previously claimed the life of her sister Elisabeth.
In 1691 Duchess Johanna’s father Duke Friedrich I died with her brother succeeding as Duke Friedrich II, reigning initially under a regency headed by his uncles on account of his age.
Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
On 8 May 1702 a contract was signed between Duchess Johanna’s brother Duke Friedrich II and their recently widowed great uncle Duke Adolf Friedrich II of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the half-brother of their maternal grandmother Duchess Anna Maria of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, for the marriage to take place between Johanna and Adolf Friedrich II.
The wedding itself between Duchess Johanna and Duke Adolf Friedrich II took place at Strelitz on 20 June 1702. As her husband’s first wife Duchess Marie had died in January 1701 prior his enthronement as duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz on 8 March 1701, Duchess Johanna therefore became the first duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.
Duchess Johanna’s time as duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz would be short-lived however as she died just two years after her wedding, on 9 July 1704 aged just 23. Her marriage to Duke Adolf Friedrich II was childless.
Duchess Johanna’s funeral took place on 19 July 1704, after which she was laid to rest in the Ducal Crypt in Mirow.