Joachim Ernest of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Plön (29 August 1595 – October 5, 1671), also Joachim Ernest of Schleswig-Holstein-Plön, was the first Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Plön, which emerged from a division of the Duchy of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg.
Joachim Ernest was born on 29 August 1595 in Sønderborg, the second youngest son of Duke John of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg and Agnes Hedwig of Anhalt. As a teenager he went on an educational tour of Europe, as was typical for young noblemen at that time. This took him to Holland, England, France and Italy. In 1617 he participated in the Uskok War. When his father, the first of the so-called abgeteilte Herren (titular dukes who were not recognised by local landlords), died in 1622, the duchy was divided amongst the sons, resulting in five even smaller dukedoms. Joachim Ernest received Schleswig-Holstein-Plön. In addition to the new residence town of Plön his estate included Ahrensbök and Reinfeld.
On 1 January 1671, shortly before his death, he was honoured in Copenhagen by the King of Denmark as a Knight of the Elephant (122nd bearer). He died on 5 October 1671 in Plön.
Family
Joachim Ernest and Dorothea Augusta (born 12 May 1602; died 13 March 1682) had eight children:
John Adolphus, also known as Hans Adolf (b 1634; d 1704), Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Plön, married Dorothea of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
