Ernest, Elector of Saxony
Encyclopedia
Ernst, Elector of Saxony (Meissen
, 24 March 1441 – 26 August 1486 in Colditz
) was Elector of Saxony from 1464 to 1486.
s, ancestor of George I of Great Britain
, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, as well as his wife and cousin Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom
, and their cousins Leopold II of Belgium
and Empress Charlotte of Mexico
.
He was the second son (but fourth in order of birth) of the eight children of Frederick II, Elector of Saxony
and Margaret of Austria
, sister of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor
.
The death of his older brother Frederick (1451) made him the new heir apparent to the position of Elector of Saxony.
In 1455 Ernst was kidnapped, along with his brother Albert, by the knight Kunz von Kaufungen
an episode famous in German history as the "Prinzenraub" (i. e. The Stealing of the Princes).
In 1464, he succeeded his father as Elector of Saxony, and annexed Thuringia
in 1482, and three years later (Treaty of Leipzig
, 1485) shared his territory with his brother Albert
, until he arranged the division of the common possession.
According to the Treaty of Leipzig
he received an area around Wittenberg
, the southern Thuringia
n part, the Vogtland
and parts of the Pleissnerland. As a residence he selected Wittenberg
. He provided for the welfare of the country and introduced the constitution.
One year after the division elector Ernest died in Colditz
, at the age of 46 years, the consequence of a fall from a horse.
on 19 November 1460 Ernst married Elisabeth of Bavaria
. They had seven children:
Meissen
Meissen is a town of approximately 30,000 about northwest of Dresden on both banks of the Elbe river in the Free State of Saxony, in eastern Germany. Meissen is the home of Meissen porcelain, the Albrechtsburg castle, the Gothic Meissen Cathedral and the Meissen Frauenkirche...
, 24 March 1441 – 26 August 1486 in Colditz
Colditz
Colditz is a town in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, near Leipzig, located on the banks of the river Mulde. The town has a population of 5,188 ....
) was Elector of Saxony from 1464 to 1486.
Biography
Ernst was founder of the Ernestine line of Saxon princeRulers of Saxony
This article lists Dukes, Electors, and Kings ruling over different territories named Saxony from the beginning of the Saxon Duchy in the 9th century to the end of the Saxon Kingdom in 1918.-Dukes of Saxony:...
s, ancestor of George I of Great Britain
George I of Great Britain
George I was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1 August 1714 until his death, and ruler of the Duchy and Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg in the Holy Roman Empire from 1698....
, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, as well as his wife and cousin Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
, and their cousins Leopold II of Belgium
Leopold II of Belgium
Leopold II was the second king of the Belgians. Born in Brussels the second son of Leopold I and Louise-Marie of Orléans, he succeeded his father to the throne on 17 December 1865 and remained king until his death.Leopold is chiefly remembered as the founder and sole owner of the Congo Free...
and Empress Charlotte of Mexico
Charlotte of Belgium
Charlotte of Belgium is remembered today as Carlota of Mexico as empress consort of Emperor Maximilian I of Mexico, ex-Archduke of Austria.-Princess of Belgium:The only daughter of Leopold I, King of the Belgians by his second wife,...
.
He was the second son (but fourth in order of birth) of the eight children of Frederick II, Elector of Saxony
Frederick II, Elector of Saxony
Frederick II was Elector of Saxony and was Landgrave of Thuringia .-Biography:...
and Margaret of Austria
Margaret of Austria, Electress of Saxony
Margaret of Austria was the elder daughter of Ernest, Duke of Austria and his second wife Cymburgis of Masovia. From her marriage she was Electress of Saxony...
, sister of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick the Peaceful KG was Duke of Austria as Frederick V from 1424, the successor of Albert II as German King as Frederick IV from 1440, and Holy Roman Emperor as Frederick III from 1452...
.
The death of his older brother Frederick (1451) made him the new heir apparent to the position of Elector of Saxony.
In 1455 Ernst was kidnapped, along with his brother Albert, by the knight Kunz von Kaufungen
Kunz von Kaufungen
Kunz von Kaufungen , was a German knight and military commander. A veteran of the Hussite wars, he also fought for Frederick II, Elector of Saxony against Frederick's brother Duke William III during the Saxon Fratricidal War...
an episode famous in German history as the "Prinzenraub" (i. e. The Stealing of the Princes).
In 1464, he succeeded his father as Elector of Saxony, and annexed Thuringia
Thuringia
The Free State of Thuringia is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country.It has an area of and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states....
in 1482, and three years later (Treaty of Leipzig
Treaty of Leipzig
The Treaty of Leipzig was signed on August 26, 1485 between Elector Ernest of Saxony and his younger brother Albert III, sons of Elector Frederick II of Saxony from the House of Wettin....
, 1485) shared his territory with his brother Albert
Albert, Duke of Saxony
Albert III was a Duke of Saxony. He was nicknamed Albert the Bold or Albert the Courageous and founded the Albertine line of the House of Wettin....
, until he arranged the division of the common possession.
According to the Treaty of Leipzig
Treaty of Leipzig
The Treaty of Leipzig was signed on August 26, 1485 between Elector Ernest of Saxony and his younger brother Albert III, sons of Elector Frederick II of Saxony from the House of Wettin....
he received an area around Wittenberg
Wittenberg
Wittenberg, officially Lutherstadt Wittenberg, is a city in Germany in the Bundesland Saxony-Anhalt, on the river Elbe. It has a population of about 50,000....
, the southern Thuringia
Thuringia
The Free State of Thuringia is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country.It has an area of and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states....
n part, the Vogtland
Vogtland
The term Vogtland refers to a region reaching across the German free states of Bavaria, Saxony and Thuringia and into the Czech Republic . The name of the region contains a reference to the former leadership by the Vögte of Weida, Gera and Plauen, which translates approximately to advocates or lord...
and parts of the Pleissnerland. As a residence he selected Wittenberg
Wittenberg
Wittenberg, officially Lutherstadt Wittenberg, is a city in Germany in the Bundesland Saxony-Anhalt, on the river Elbe. It has a population of about 50,000....
. He provided for the welfare of the country and introduced the constitution.
One year after the division elector Ernest died in Colditz
Colditz
Colditz is a town in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, near Leipzig, located on the banks of the river Mulde. The town has a population of 5,188 ....
, at the age of 46 years, the consequence of a fall from a horse.
Ancestry
Children
In LeipzigLeipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
on 19 November 1460 Ernst married Elisabeth of Bavaria
Elisabeth of Bavaria, Electress of Saxony
Elisabeth of Bavaria-Munich was a princess of Bavaria-Munich by birth and by marriage Electress of Saxony.- Life :...
. They had seven children:
- ChristinaChristina of SaxonyChristina of Saxony , was a Saxon princess who became Queen consort of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. She was born a granddaughter of Frederick the Gentle of Saxony, and daughter of Ernest, Elector of Saxony and Elisabeth of Bavaria.-Biography:She was married to John, King of Denmark, Norway and...
(b. Torgau, 25 December 1461 - d. Odense, 8 December 1521), married on 6 September 1478 to King John I of DenmarkJohn I of DenmarkJohn, also known as Hans; né Johannes was King of Denmark , Norway and as John II of Sweden in the Kalmar Union, and also Duke of Schleswig and Holstein...
. - Frederick III, Elector of SaxonyFrederick III, Elector of SaxonyFrederick III of Saxony , also known as Frederick the Wise , was Elector of Saxony from 1486 to his death. Frederick was the son of Ernest, Elector of Saxony and his wife Elisabeth, daughter of Albert III, Duke of Bavaria...
(b. Torgau, 17 January 1463 - d. Lockau, 5 May 1525). - Ernest (b. Meissen, 26 June 1464 - d. Halle, 3 August 1513), Archbishop of Magdeburg (1476–1480), Bishop of Halberstadt (1480–1513).
- Albert (b. Meissen, 8 May 1467 - d. Aschaffenburg, 1 May 1484), Administrator of Mainz.
- Johann, Elector of SaxonyJohn, Elector of SaxonyJohn of Saxony , known as John the Steadfast or John the Constant, was Elector of Saxony from 1525 until 1532...
(b. Meissen, 30 June 1468 - d. Schweinitz, 16 August 1532). - MargareteMargarete of Saxony (1469-1528)Margarete of Saxony was a Saxon princess of the Ernestine line of the house Wettin by birth and by marriage a Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg.- Life :...
(b. Meissen, 4 August 1469 - d. Weimar, 7 December 1528), married on 27 February 1487 to Henry I of LüneburgHenry I of LüneburgHenry the Middle, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg was Prince of Lüneburg from 1486 to 1520.-Life:Henry of Brunswick-Lüneburg, the son of Otto V of Lüneburg and Anna of Nassau, was born in 1468. In 1486, Henry took control of Lüneburg from his mother, who had been regent since the death of Henry’s...
. - Wolfgang (b. Meissen, ca. 1473 - d. Torgau, ca. 1478).