Frederick II, Elector of Saxony
Encyclopedia
Frederick II (Leipzig
, 22 August 1412 – 7 September 1464 in Leipzig
) was Elector of Saxony (1428–1464) and was Landgrave of Thuringia (1440–1445).
, and Catherine of Brunswick and Lunenburg
.
After the death of his father in 1428 he took over the government together with his younger brothers William III, Henry and Sigismund. In 1433 the Wettins
finally concluded peace with the Hussites. In 1438 it was considered the first federal state parliament of Saxony. The parliament received the right to find together in case of innovations in fiscal matters also without summoning by the ruler.
After Henry's death in 1435, and Sigismund was forced to renounce and became a bishop in (1440), Frederick and William divided their possessions. In the Division of Altenburg
in 1445, William III received the Thuringian and Frankish part, and Frederick got the Eastern part of the principality. The mines remained common possessions. Disputes over the distribution led however in 1446 to the Saxon Brother War, which found an end only on 27 January 1451 with the peace of Naumburg
. In the Treaty of Eger
in (1459), elector Frederick, Duke William III and the king of Bohemia George of Podebrady
fixed the borders between Bohemia
and Saxony
, at the height of the Erzgebirge and the middle of the Elbe
which still holds today. It belongs therefore to the oldest still existing borders of Europe.
After the death of Frederick, both of his sons, Ernest
and Albert
, first took over the government together. After Duke William III died in 1482, Thuringia returned to Frederick's line.
on 3 June 1431 Frederick married Margarete of Austria, the daughter of Ernest of Austria and Cymburgis of Masovia
. They had eight children:
Leipzig
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...
, 22 August 1412 – 7 September 1464 in Leipzig
Leipzig
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...
) was Elector of Saxony (1428–1464) and was Landgrave of Thuringia (1440–1445).
Biography
Frederick was the eldest of the seven children of Frederick I, Elector of SaxonyFrederick I, Elector of Saxony
Frederick IV of Meissen and Elector of Saxony was Margrave of Meissen and Elector of Saxony from 1381 until his death. He is not to be confused with his cousin Frederick IV, Landgrave of Thuringia, the son of Balthasar, Landgrave of Thuringia...
, and Catherine of Brunswick and Lunenburg
Catherine of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Catherine of Brunswick-Lüneburg was a member of the House of Welf, a princess of Brunswick-Lüneburg and by marriage, the Electress of Saxony.- Life :...
.
After the death of his father in 1428 he took over the government together with his younger brothers William III, Henry and Sigismund. In 1433 the Wettins
Wettin (dynasty)
The House of Wettin is a dynasty of German counts, dukes, prince-electors and kings that once ruled the area of today's German states of Saxony, the Saxon part of Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia for more than 800 years...
finally concluded peace with the Hussites. In 1438 it was considered the first federal state parliament of Saxony. The parliament received the right to find together in case of innovations in fiscal matters also without summoning by the ruler.
After Henry's death in 1435, and Sigismund was forced to renounce and became a bishop in (1440), Frederick and William divided their possessions. In the Division of Altenburg
Division of Altenburg
The Division of Altenburg was the division of the Meissen lands of Altenburg between the two brothers Frederick II, Elector of Saxony and Duke Wilhelm III in 1445. The division caused hostilities between Frederick and Wilhelm...
in 1445, William III received the Thuringian and Frankish part, and Frederick got the Eastern part of the principality. The mines remained common possessions. Disputes over the distribution led however in 1446 to the Saxon Brother War, which found an end only on 27 January 1451 with the peace of Naumburg
Naumburg
Naumburg is a town in Germany, on the Saale River. It is in the district Burgenlandkreis in the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt. It is approximately southwest of Leipzig, south-southwest of Halle, and north-northeast of Jena....
. In the Treaty of Eger
Treaty of Eger
The Treaty of Eger was concluded on 25 April 1459 in Eger . The treaty established the border between Bohemia and the Electorate of Saxony on the heights of the Ore Mountains and the middle of the River Elbe. This border remains largely unchanged today...
in (1459), elector Frederick, Duke William III and the king of Bohemia George of Podebrady
George of Podebrady
George of Kunštát and Poděbrady , also known as Poděbrad or Podiebrad , was King of Bohemia...
fixed the borders between Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
and Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
, at the height of the Erzgebirge and the middle of the Elbe
Elbe
The Elbe is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Krkonoše Mountains of the northwestern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia , then Germany and flowing into the North Sea at Cuxhaven, 110 km northwest of Hamburg...
which still holds today. It belongs therefore to the oldest still existing borders of Europe.
After the death of Frederick, both of his sons, Ernest
Ernest, Elector of Saxony
Ernst, Elector of Saxony was Elector of Saxony from 1464 to 1486.-Biography:Ernst was founder of the Ernestine line of Saxon princes, 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...
and 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....
, first took over the government together. After Duke William III died in 1482, Thuringia returned to Frederick's line.
Ancestry
Family and issue
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 3 June 1431 Frederick married Margarete of Austria, the daughter of Ernest of Austria and Cymburgis of Masovia
Cymburgis of Masovia
Cymburgis of Masovia in January 1412 became the second wife of the Habsburg Duke Ernest the Iron of Austria and thus a Duchess/Archduchess of the Inner Austrian line in Styria, Carinthia and Carniola.Cimburgis was born at Warsaw in the Duchy of Masovia to Duke...
. They had eight children:
- Amalia (b. Meissen, 4 April 1436 - d. Rochlitz, 19 October 1501), married on 21 March 1452 to Louis IX, Duke of BavariaLouis IX, Duke of BavariaLouis IX , was Duke of Bavaria-Landshut from 1450. He was a son of Henry XVI the Rich and Margaret of Austria.-Biography:Louis succeeded his father in 1450...
. - Anna (b. Meissen, 7 March 1437 - d. Neustadt am Aisch, 31 October 1512), married on 12 November 1458 to Albert III Achilles, Elector of Brandenburg.
- Frederick (b. Meissen, 28 August 1439 - d. Meissen, 23 December 1451).
- Ernest, Elector of SaxonyErnest, Elector of SaxonyErnst, Elector of Saxony was Elector of Saxony from 1464 to 1486.-Biography:Ernst was founder of the Ernestine line of Saxon princes, 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...
(b. Meissen, 24 March 1441 - d. Colditz, 26 August 1486). - Albert, Duke of SaxonyAlbert, Duke of SaxonyAlbert 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....
(b. Grimma, 31 July 1443 - d. Emden, 12 September 1500). - Margaret (b. Meissen?, 1444 - d. Seusslitz?, ca. 19 November 1498), Abbess of Seusslitz.
- Hedwig (b. Meissen?, 31 October 1445 - d. Quedlinburg, 13 June 1511), Abbess of QuedlinburgQuedlinburg AbbeyQuedlinburg Abbey was a house of secular canonesses in Quedlinburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It was founded in 936 on the initiative of Saint Mathilda, the widow of Henry the Fowler, as his memorial...
(1458). - Alexander (b. Meissen, 24 June 1447 - d. Meissen, 14 September 1447).