Prince Johann of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, was the ruling Count of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen from 1606 to 1623.
Background
Johann was the eldest surviving son of Count Karl II of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (1547–1606), from his marriage to Euphrosyne (1552–1590), the daughter of Count Friedrich V of Oettingen-Wallerstein. On 30 June 1602 in Sigmaringen, Johann married the three years younger Countess Johanna (1581–1634), the daughter of Count Eitel Friedrich IV of Hohenzollern-Hechingen. On 8 April 1606, his father died and Johann inherited the county.
Education
He studied law and political sciences at the Universities of Freiburg and Ingolstadt.
Career
He was elevated to the rank of prince in 1623 and so was Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen from 1623 until his death. Unlike their relatives who ruled the Electorate of Brandenburg, the Sigmaringen branch of the House of Hohenzollern had remained Catholic. However, Sigmaringen was located in the immediate vicinity of the Evangelical Duchy of Württemberg, and thus on a prominent position in the escalating confessional conflict.
Johann aligned himself closely to the Duchy of Bavaria, the pioneer of the Catholic League.
Johann"s son and successor, Meinrad I, was even born in Munich in 1605. In 1634, the Hohenzollern-Haigerloch line died out and its territory fell to Johann.
His financial situation allowed Johann to make substantial donations to the churches and monasteries in his territory and to further expand his Sigmaringen Castle. Sigmaringen was affected by the devastation of the Thirty Years" War.
In 1632, Sigmaringen Castle was conquered by Sweden.
In 1633, it was liberated by imperial troops. However, during the fighting it burned down. Johann fled to Braunau am Inn, together with Duke Maximilian, whom he served as secret councillor.
After Johann resigned from Maximilian"s service, he received the Lordship of Schwabegg from the Duke.
Earlier that year, he had been elevated to the rank of Imperial Prince, in other words, he had received a seat in the college of princes in the Imperial Diet. Meinrad I (1605–1681), Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
married in 1635 to Countess Anna Maria Toerring-Seefeld (1613–1682)
Marie (1606–1674), married:
in 1625 to Count Paul Andreas of Wolkenstein (1595–1635)
to Baron Rudolph Georg of Haßlang (died after 1676)
Euphrosyne Sibylle (1607–1636)
married in 1628 to Count Ernst Benno of Wartenberg (1604–1666).