John, Prince of Schleswig-Holstein explained

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.^[1] 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!

Other sources

• "The Muscovite Embassy of 1599 to Emperor Rudolf II of Habsburg," by Isaiah Gruber (1999): page 86 (with footnote 3)
• Book: Büsching, Anton Friedrich . 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. Anton Friedrich Büsching. 1773 . Johann Jacob Curt. Halle . 316–317 .
• Book: Büsching, Anton Friedrich . Magazin für die neue Historie und Geographie, VII Theil: Johannis des jüngern, Herzogs von Denmark Reussische Reise und Einzug zu Moskau 1602 . Anton Friedrich Büsching. 1773 . Johann Jacob Curt. Halle . 255–298 .

External links

• • The Muscovite Embassy of 1599 to Emperor Rudolf II of Habsburg (pdf) by Isaiah Gruber

Notes and References

1. Web site: Hans, 1583-1602, yngste Søn af Kong Frederik II og Dronning Sophie . Dansk biografisk Lexikon. Carl Frederik Bricka . June 1, 2018.