Jena

Title

Jena

Description

Beautiful total view of Jena.

ca. 1840

Artist

Anonymus

Historical Description

The first mention of the town dates back to the period from 830 to 850. Urban prosperity was expressed in the new buildings of St. Michael's Church since 1380/1390 and the town hall at the end of the 14th century. From 1423 Jena belonged to the Electorate of Saxony (Electoral Saxony), as the Wettin dynasty received the electoral dignity after the Ascanians died out. The Reformation began in 1523 with the radical theologian Martin Reinhardt, who was expelled after Martin Luther's intervention in 1524. The university remained under pan-Nestinian patronage even after the division of the country in 1572, while the city fell to the Duchy of Weimar. From 1672 to 1690, Jena was the capital of the independent principality of Saxe-Jena, whose dukes lived in the castle mentioned as early as 1471 and expanded in 1662, and whose central authorities worked in the city in part until 1809. During the theological doctrinal disputes of the late 16th century, the university was the center of Lutheran orthodoxy (Matthias Flacius), and after the Thirty Years' War it flourished. In 1806 Napoleon victoriously fought the Prussian and Saxon armies in the Battle of Jena and Auerstedt. In 1815, the Urburschenschaft was founded in Jena, which wore the colors black-red-gold as a sign of the desired unity of a democratized German Confederation. The economic basis in modern times was primarily the university. In addition, the cultivation of fields, vineyards, gardens and hops and the printing of books brought profit.