Augustus, Elector of Saxony

August ( born July 31, 1526 Freiberg, † February 11, 1586 in Dresden), who called himself Augustus and with reference to his paternal position popularly called also father August was, from 1553 until his death Elector of Saxony. He followed his without a male heir in the Battle of Sievershausen fallen brother Moritz on the throne.

  • 3.1 ancestors
  • 3.2 siblings
  • 3.3 marriages
  • 3.4 Descendants

Life

Youth

August grew at the imperial court in Innsbruck, where he became a close friend of the future Emperor Maximilian II, and was trained by, among others, the school reformer John Rivius. Other than those provided in the will of the Father, August received from his older brother Moritz initially no territories, but only financial donations and got 1544 the administration of the diocese of Merseburg transferred.

On the occasion of his first marriage August was equipped with its own royal household. Moritz had his brother already in 1546 charged with the defense of Dresden and gave it its own command troops. In 1552 Moritz wore the regency of his brother, who tried to form an alliance with his father-in immediately.

Elector of Saxony

After his brother 's death Moritz August 1553 Elector of Saxony. A Bible from the year 1576 can be seen from August's full title: " Augustus Duke of Saxony / the Holy Roman Empire and Elector Erzmarschalk / Landgraff in Döringen / Margrave of Meissen to / and Burggraff to Magdeburg ".

August built the territorial state politico- military created by Moritz wise, but he resigned in 1554 in Naumburg contract for the benefit of the Ernestine line of the Wettin a large part of its territory. In addition to the offices Altenburg, Eisenberg, Herbe life and Saxony castle belonged to almost all over Thuringia. August but acquired through barter and sale to 1567 domains with a value of more than 700,000 florins, which he put together to new offices.

August 1555 had been elected captains of the Upper Saxon kingdom of the circle. Under his rule the bishopric of Meissen was secularized and the pin Territory 1559 ( Stolpen and Bischofswerda ) or 1581 ( Mügeln ) integrated in the Saxon Electorate.

During the so-called Grumbach Handel 1567 August Gotha could conquer the outlawed Ernestiner Johann Friedrich II capture and acquire in this way some Thuringian offices. Due to the guardianship of the children of Johann Wilhelm of Saxe- Weimar and the profit of the Vogtland and a part of the county of Henneberg posted August more enormous territorial gains.

In the kingdom, he was the leader of the Lutheran estates. August initiated and signed the Formula of Concord of 1577 and the Book of Concord of 1580 and was serving as guardian well as the signatures for the Dukes Frederick William I of Saxe- Weimar, Johann III. of Saxe- Weimar, Johann Casimir of Saxe- Coburg and Johann Ernst of Saxe- Eisenach. Successfully he was intent on balancing the Catholic emperors of the house of Habsburg, front with which he made together against the Calvinists.

Died August 1586 in Dresden and was buried in the Freiberg Cathedral.

Importance

August promoted agriculture and laid the foundation stone for the art and science collections of the Dresden court. The Albertine Saxony experienced during his reign (1553-1586) an economic and social bloom. Domestically, he tried to make a large extent by the Saxon country stands independently. He built from the sovereign administrative structures and regulated the judicial system again. As part of its comprehensive reforms he reorganized and coinage. The elector close all country coins and moved them into a single coin to Dresden in the immediate vicinity of his residence castle to watch better about the accuracy of meal and grain can. The Landeshauptmünzstätte Freiberg had to suspend its operation in 1556 despite protest of the Freiberg Council. The Anna Berger mint moved the Elector in 1557, first in the local convent until 1558 he also united with Dresdner coin. Schneeberger mint was in operation until 1571. That long- dormant mint Leipzig put the Elector in 1571 still. This Dresdner coin was only mint in the Electorate of Saxony.

August was one of the few European princes, who succeeded in the 16th century to save through the efforts of his chamber master Hans Harrer an extensive public treasury.

Family

Drive up

Elector Frederick I of Saxony (1370-1428) ∞ 1402 Catherine of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1395-1442)

Duke Ernst the Iron (1377-1424) ∞ 1412 Cimburgis of Mazovia ( 1394/97-1429 )

Viktorin of Podiebrad (1403-1427) Anna von Wartenberg (1403-1427)

Nobles Smil von Sternberg ( -1431 ) Barbara of Pardubice ( -1433 )

Duke John IV of Mecklenburg (1370-1422) ∞ 1416 Catherine of Saxe-Lauenburg (1400-1450)

Elector Frederick I of Brandenburg (1371-1440) ∞ 1401 Elisabeth of Bavaria (1383-1442)

Wartislaw IX. (1400-1457) ∞ 1420 Sophia of Brunswick- Lüneburg ( -1462 )

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Elector Frederick II (1412-1464) ∞ 1431 Margaret of Austria (1416-1486)

King George of Podiebrad (1420-1471) ∞ 1441 Cunegonde von Sternberg (1425-1449)

Duke Henry IV of Mecklenburg (1417-1477) ∞ 1432 Dorothea of ​​Brandenburg (1420-1491)

Eric II of Pomerania - Wolgast (1425-1474) ∞ 1451 Sophia of Pomerania - Stolp

Duke Albrecht the Brave (1443-1500) ∞ 1464 Sidonie of Bohemia (1449-1510)

Duke Magnus II (1441-1503) ∞ 1478 Sophie of Pomerania (1460-1504)

Duke Henry the Pious (1473-1541) ∞ 1512 Catherine of Mecklenburg (1487-1561)

Augustus of Saxony

Sibling

August was the third son of the Duke Henry of Saxony (1473-1541) from his marriage to Catherine (1487-1561), daughter of Duke Magnus II of Mecklenburg. His older brother was the Saxon Elector Moritz, his sisters were Sibylle, since 1540 Duchess of Saxe- Lauenburg, Aemilia, since 1533 Margravine of Brandenburg -Ansbach and Sidonie, his eldest sister, to which his life he had an especially close relationship and the he supported in their difficult marriage with Duke Erich II of Brunswick. Another brother, Severinus, died as a child.

Marriages

On October 7, 1548 married August in Torgau Anna ( 1532-1585 ), daughter of King Christian III. of Denmark.

On January 3, 1586, three months after the death of his first wife, married August, only 12 - year-old Agnes Hedwig von Anhalt, daughter of Prince Joachim Ernst von Anhalt. He died six weeks after the wedding.

Progeny

From his first marriage to Anne of Denmark and Norway (1532-1585) August had 15 children:

  • Johann Heinrich ( * / † 1550), Elector of Saxony
  • Eleonore (1551-1553)
  • Elisabeth (1552-1590)
  • Alexander (1554-1565), Elector of Saxony
  • Magnus (1555-1558)
  • Joachim (* / † 1557)
  • Hector (1558-1560)
  • Christian I. (1560-1591), Elector of Saxony
  • Marie (1562-1566)
  • Dorothea (1563-1587)
  • Amalie ( * / † 1565)
  • Anna (1567-1613)
  • August (1569-1570)
  • Adolf (1571-1572)
  • Friedrich (1575-1577)

An illegitimate daughter:

  • Sybilla Katharina (1584-1658), married in 1620 with Friedrich von Mägendhoff.
Maurice, Elector of Saxony Bishopric of Merseburg Herbsleben John William, Duke of Saxe-Weimar Frederick William I, Duke of Saxe-Weimar John II, Duke of Saxe-Weimar John Ernest, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach Obverse and reverse Frederick I, Elector of Saxony Ernest, Duke of Austria John IV, Duke of Mecklenburg Catherine of Saxe-Lauenburg, Duchess of Mecklenburg Frederick I, Elector of Brandenburg Wartislaw IX, Duke of Pomerania Kunigunde of Sternberg Henry IV, Duke of Mecklenburg Eric II, Duke of Pomerania Albert III, Duke of Saxony Magnus II, Duke of Mecklenburg Sophie of Pomerania, Duchess of Mecklenburg Henry IV, Duke of Saxony Sibylle of Saxony Emilie of Saxony Principality of Ansbach Sidonie of Saxony Severinus of Saxony Agnes Hedwig of Anhalt Joachim Ernest, Prince of Anhalt Christian I, Elector of Saxony Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie Neue Deutsche Biographie Integrated Authority File
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