Background
He was the son of John II of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg and his wife Elizabeth of Brunswick-Grubenhagen.
He was the son of John II of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg and his wife Elizabeth of Brunswick-Grubenhagen.
When his father died in 1622, he inherited the area around the Norburg on the island of Als and thus became the first Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Norburg. He went to Rome to study from 1596 to 1597, like his father had done. He was engaged to Maria Hedwig, a daughter of Duke Ernest Louis of Pomerania-Wolgast.
However, she died in 1606, before a marriage could take place.
John Adolph died in 1624.