Kingdoms of Germany


Saxony At the time of the late Roman Empire, the Saxon tribes could be found occupying a large swathe of territory between the North Sea coast of northern Germany, bordering on Frisia, over to what became the eastern march counties, such as the North March. It was from the North Sea coast that many Saxon groups emigrated to Britain in the fifth to early seventh centuries while a loose Saxon state began to form behind them. The Franks under Charlemagne slowly conquered the pagan Saxon tribes between 782-804 (the Saxon Wars), subsuming them within the Frankish Empire initially, but they eventually emerged in the form of a kingdom during the Carolingian fragmentation that followed. Subsequent centuries saw the territory divided or dispersed until the only piece which still bore the Saxon name was down in the south-eastern corner, far removed from the former heartland of Saxony at its height.

Early Saxon Leaders The Saxons formed a loose state after the collapse of the Roman Empire, and were relatively important in northern Germany during the Dark Ages.

1st Century AD?	Vegdegg Odinson

	Gelder
fl c.370s	Freawine
fl 400s	Guictglis

fl c.531	Hadugato
fl c.550s	Hulderic
fl c.550s	Alof the Great		Female leader.

early 600s	Boddic
fl c.627	Berthoald / Berthoala
	Sighard
	Dietrich

mid-700s	Wernicke
fl c.743 - 744	Theoderic / Theodoric		Captured in 744.
743 - 744	The Carolingian mayors of the Merovingian palace, Pepin the Short and Carloman, march first against Bavaria and then against the Saxon leader, Theoderic, for his non-payment of annual tribute.

fl c.777 - 810	Widukind / Withukund the Great		Chief antagonist against Charlemagne.
777 - 778	Charlemagne's Frankish Empire subdues the Saxons.
782	The Saxon Wars begin against the Carolingian Empire.
785	After several rebellions against Charlemagne, Widukind accepts Christianity and along with many of his people is baptised at Attigny.
fl c.785 - 811	Abo
790 - 804	The Saxons rebel against Carolingian overlordship.
804 - c.832	The Saxon Wars come to an end with the Carolingian Empire annexing the Saxon state.


Dukes of Saxony (Hattonids) c.AD 832 - 840 Banzleib of the Hattonid family was a mid-ninth century Frankish magnate in the Carolingian Empire. When north-western Germany was organised as the duchy of Saxony, he was appointed by Louis the Pious as the count and margrave of the Saxon people, but he later supported the wrong side in the civil war which arose between Louis' sons. Banzleibs was dispossessed in 840 and may have been killed in battle.
832? - 840	Banzleib		Count of Maine (832).
840	The county is granted to Warin, Abbot of Corvey. He presumabley holds the title until c.850.


Duchy & Kingdom of Saxony (Ottonians / Liudolfings) c.AD 850 - 962
c.850	Liudolf
after 852 - 880	Bruno
880 - 912	Otto the Illustrious
888 - 918	Under Otto, Saxony emerges as one of the more powerful stem duchies in East Francia (under the kings of Germany), once the formal split is made between East and West Franks. The Otto seizes the throne of East Francia and creates what comes to be known the Holy Roman Empire.
912 - 936	Henry I the Fowler		King of the Saxons (918-936).
936 - 973	Otto I the Great		King. First emperor of the German Roman Empire (962-973).
962 -1024	Otto's line continues as Holy Roman Emperors.


Duchy of Saxony (Billungs) AD 962 - 1106
962 - 973	Hermann Billung
973 - 1011	Bernard I
1011 - 1059	Bernard II
1059 - 1072	Ordulf
1072 - 1106	Magnus


Duchy of Saxony (Supplinburgs) AD 1106 - 1127
1106 - 1127	Lothar II of Germany		HRE (1125-1137).


Duchy of Saxony (Welfs) AD 1127 - 1138 There came to be some conflict in Saxony between the Hohenstaufen and Welf dukes. The former went on to become HREs while the latter seemed to lose out and were granted the Duchy of Brunswick as compensation.
1127 - 1138	Henry II (IV) Welf, the Proud		Duke Henry XI of Bavaria.


Duchy of Saxony (Ascanians) AD 1138 - 1142
1138 - 1142	Albert I the Bear		Gained the margraviate of North March & formed Brandenburg.


Duchy of Saxony (Welfs) AD 1142 - 1180
1142 - 1180	Henry III (V) Welf, the Lion		Duke Henry XII of Bavaria.
1180	Henry refuses to follow his cousin, HRE Frederick Barbarossa, into war in Lombardy. The duchy is reduced in punishment for this. Westphalia falls to the archbishop of Cologne, while the duchies of Brunswick and L�neburg remain under the control of the Welfs. The Ascanian dukes have their base further east in Lusatia and Thuringia, near the Elbe, resulting in the name of Saxony migrating eastwards.


Duchy of Saxony (Ascanians) AD 1180 - 1272
1180 - 1212	Bernard III
1212 - 1260	Albert II		Margrave of Brandenburg (1205-1260).
1260 - 1272	John I		Son. Ruled Saxe-Lauenberg from after 1272.
1260 - 1298		Albert III	Brother. Ruled jointly. Ruled Saxe-Wittenberg from after 1272.
1272 - 1356	At some point after 1272, John and Albert divide their Saxony between them. Saxe-Lauenberg is formed in the west while Saxe-Wittenberg is formed in the east. The combined duchy is the seat of one of the prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire, so there is some conflict between the two divisions as to who should retain the position. In 1314 they are on opposite sides of a double election and eventually the Saxe-Wittenbergers under Rudolf II succeed in gaining the upper hand. To distinguish Rudolf from other, now lesser, dukes of Saxony, he uses the title of Elector of Saxony.


Duchy of Saxe-Lauenberg AD 1272 - 1689 Following the division of the duchy of Saxony by John I and Albert III, Saxe-Lauenberg formed the western half of the territory while Saxe-Wittenberg formed the eastern half. Both duchies claimed the title of prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire until the Saxe-Lauenbergers gained the upper hand in 1314. A further division fractured the duchy even further.
1272 - 1285	John I		Former duke of Saxony.
1285 - 1305	John II		Son. Ruled Saxe-M�lln-Bergedorf from 1305.
1296 - 1305		Albrecht III	Brother. Ruled jointly. Ruled Saxe-Ratzeburg from 1305.
1296 - 1305		Erich I	Brother. Ruled jointly. Ruled Saxe-Ratzeburg from 1305.
1305	In 1305 the three brothers divide their territory into Saxe-M�lln-Bergedorf and Saxe-Ratzeburg.

DUCHY OF SAXE-M�LLN-BERGEDORF Saxe-M�lln-Bergedorf and Saxe-Ratzeburg were created in 1305 from a division of lands within the already-reduced duchy of Saxe-Lauenberg.
1305 - 1321	John II		Former duke of Saxe-Lauenberg.
1321 - 1343	Albrecht IV
1343 - 1356	John III
1356 - 1370	Albrecht V
1370 - 1401	Erich III
1401	This senior Lauenberg line becomes extinct with the death of Erich, and the territory is joined with that of Saxe-Ratzeburg.

DUCHY OF SAXE-RATZEBURG Saxe-M�lln-Bergedorf and Saxe-Ratzeburg were created in 1305 from a division of lands within the already-reduced duchy of Saxe-Lauenberg.
1305 - 1308	Albrecht III		Former duke of Saxe-Lauenberg.
1305 - 1361		Erich I	Brother. Ruled jointly until his brother's death.
1361 - 1368	Erich II
1368 - 1401	Erich IV		Ruled a reunited Saxe-Lauenberg from 1401.
1401	The line of dukes in Saxe-M�lln-Bergedorf dies out and the territory is rejoined to Saxe-Ratzeburg.

DUCHY OF SAXE-LAUENBERG (SAXE-RATZEBURG) Saxe-M�lln-Bergedorf and Saxe-Ratzeburg were rejoined in 1401 under the latter line of dukes.
1401 - 1412	Erich IV		Former duke of Saxe-Ratzeburg.
1412 - 1436	Erich V
1412 - 1436		John IV	Ruled jointly.
1436 - 1463	Bernhard III
1463 - 1507	John V
1507 - 1543	Magnus I
1543 - 1581	Franz I
1581 - 1603	Magnus II
1603 - 1619	Franz II
1619 - 1656	August
1656 - 1665	Julius Heinrich
1665 - 1666	Franz Erdmann
1666 - 1689	Julius Franz
1689	The duchy passes out of Saxon hands to the Welfs in the form of Georg Wilhelm, duke of Brunswick, elector of Hanover, and father of the future George I of England.
1814	The duchy is united with the kingdom of Denmark within the German Confederation.
1865	The territory is secured by Prussia.


Duchy of Saxe-Wittenberg AD 1272 - 1356 Following the division of the duchy of Saxony by John I and Albert III, Saxe-Lauenberg formed the western half of the territory while Saxe-Wittenberg formed the eastern half. Both duchies claimed the title of prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire until the Saxe-Lauenbergers gained the upper hand in 1314.
1272 - 1298	Albert III		Former duke of Saxony.
1298 - 1356	Rudolf I
1356	Rudolf I's successor, Rudolf II, gains the title of prince-elector and his duchy is accordingly raised in its level of importance to become the electorate of Saxony.


Electorate of Saxony (Saxe-Wittenberg) AD 1356 - 1806 The title of the duchy of Saxony had passed to the margraves of Meissen, a march county between the original Saxon lands and Poland. Later Saxony was situated east and south of the original duchy, while the former territory eventually became known as Upper Saxony, and was subsumed within Westphalia. The later lands around the Lower Elbe became Lower Saxony, and this is where the name survived until the end of the German Empire. As with many German states, territory continued to be divided with formal and permanent divisions between heirs, and some of these were never undone by succeeding generations. In fact, there could sometimes be as many dukes as there were heirs. The complicated divisions and swapping of territory and names are not covered in detail here but are covered in brief, below.
1356 - 1370	Rudolf II		Former duke of Saxe-Wittenberg.
1370 - 1388	Wenzel / Wenceslaus
1388 - 1419	Rudolf III		Died 1419.
1419 - 1422	Albert III

ELECTORATE OF SAXONY (WETTINS)
1423 - 1428	Frederick I the Warlike		Duke & elector.
1428 - 1464	Frederick II the Gentle		Elector. Ruled in absentia?
1445 - 1482		William III	In Thuringia. Rival duke of Luxemburg (1439-1482).
1464 - 1485	Ernest		Elector. Founder of the Ernestine Line in Saxe-Thuringen.
1464 - 1485		Albert the Bold	Duke. Founder of the Albertine Line in Saxe-Meissen.
1485	The electorate's territory is divided between Ernest and Albert. Ernest's line, in Saxe-Thuringen, holds the electorship for a few generations before the Albertines gain precedence in Saxe-Meissen. Saxe-Altenberg is also created in 1602, and is part of Saxe-Gotha between 1672-1826, when it regains its autonomy and survives until the end of World War I in 1918. Saxe-Gotha and Saxe-Weimar are divisions of Saxe-Thuringen created in 1553.

ELECTORATE OF SAXONY (SAXE-THURINGEN) Duke Ernest was the senior of the two Wettins who divided the electorate in 1485, with his branch holding the title of prince-elector (although only for a few generations.
1485 - 1486	Ernest		Elector. Founder of the Ernestine Line.
1486 - 1525	Frederick III the Wise		Elector.
1525 - 1532	John the Constant		Elector.
1532 - 1547	John Frederick the Magnanimous		Elector.
1542 - 1553		John Ernest	In Coburg.
1547	The Albertines in Saxe-Meissen gain the electorship from the Ernestines and retain it permanently.
1553	Saxe-Thuringen is divided into Saxe-Gotha and Saxe-Weimar.
1572	Saxe-Gotha is partitioned to form Saxe-Coburg and Saxe-Eisenach.
1602	After one generation Saxe-Eisenach's holdings are handed out to the newly created Saxe-Altenberg and Saxe-Weimar.
1633	Saxe-Coburg doesn't outlive its sole duke, going Saxe-Eisenach.
1640 - 1680	Saxe-Gotha re-emerges (for two generations of dukes). Saxe-Eisenach also re-emerges for just four years before being divided up between Saxe-Weimar and Saxe-Gotha.
1656	Saxe-Merseburg, Saxe-Weissenfels, and Saxe-Zeitz are created.
1662	Saxe-Eisenach reappears (for two generations) out of Saxe-Weimar. Both Saxe-Jena (which lasts for two generations), and Saxe-Marksuhl are also partitioned out of Saxe-Weimar.
1671	Saxe-Eisenach goes to Saxe-Marksuhl.
1680	Saxe-Eisenberg is created for one generation. Saxe-Meiningen is also created. Saxe-Gotha re-emerges (for two generations of dukes) and is partitioned between (and into) Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (1680-1825), Saxe-Coburg (which re-emerges under one duke only), Saxe-Meiningen, Saxe-R�mhild, Saxe-Eisenberg, Saxe-Hildburghausen (1680-1826), and Saxe-Saalfeld.
1686	Saxe-Eisenach reappears (for three generations).
1690	Saxe-Jena is divided between Saxe-Weimar and Saxe-Eisenach.
1699	Saxe-Coburg and Saxe-Saalfeld are merged, becoming Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.
1707	Saxe-Eisenberg goes to Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg.
1710	Saxe-R�mhild goes to Saxe-Meiningen.
1718	Saxe-Zeitz goes to the electorate of Saxony.
1738	Saxe-Merseburg goes to the kingdom of Saxony.
1741	Saxe-Eisenach goes to Saxe-Weimar, which is renamed Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. It survives until 1918.
1826 - 1918	Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld is renamed Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, and survives until 1918. Saxe-Meiningen gains Saxe-Hildburghausen and is renamed Saxe-Meiningen-Hildburghausen. It also survives until 1918.

ELECTORATE OF SAXONY (SAXE-MEISSEN) Duke Albert was the junior of the two Wettins who divided the electorate in 1485, with his branch gaining the title of prince-elector after a few generations had passed.
1485 - 1500	Albert the Bold		Duke. Founder of the Albertine Line.
1500 - 1539	George the Bearded
1473 - 1541	Henry the Pious
1541 - 1553	Maurice / Moritz		Elector of Saxony from 1547.
1547	The Albertines gain the electorship from the Ernestines in Saxe-Thuringen and retain it permanently.
1553 - 1586	Augustus
1586 - 1591	Christian I
1591 - 1611	Christian II
1611 - 1656	John George I
1656	Saxe-Meissen is partitioned by John George's successors into a smaller Saxe-Weissenfels, Saxe-Merseburg, and Saxe-Zeitz. Now reduced, Saxe-Meissen continues to retain the electorship.
1656 - 1680	John George II
1680 - 1691	John George III
1691 - 1694	John George IV
1694 - 1734	Frederick Augustus I		Also Augustus II the Strong, first Saxon king of Poland.
1718	The electorate gains Saxe-Zeitz.
1734 - 1763	Frederick Augustus II		Son. Also king of Poland.
1738	The electorate gains Saxe-Merseburg.
1746	The electorate gains Saxe-Weissenfels.
1763 - 1806	Frederick Augustus III Christian Leopold		Son.
1806	The electorate is elevated to a kingdom by France's Napoleon Bonaparte on 11 December.


Kingdom of Saxony AD 1806 - 1918
1806 - 1827	Frederick Augustus I Christian Leopold		Kingdom halved by Prussia in 1814.
1815	By this time there exists alongside the kingdom of Saxony, the grand duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, and the duchies of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, Saxe-Meiningen, Saxe-Hildburghausen, and Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. Saxe-Merseburg, Saxe-Weissenfels and Saxe-Zeitz are taken by Prussia.
1826	The wife of the duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld is heiress to Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, so the latter title falls to Saxe-Coburg as Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. The duke's son, Albert, marries (in 1839) to Queen Victoria of England, and one of his sons later inherits the title. Saxe-Altenburg is detached from Saxe-Gotha and passes to Saxe-Hildburghausen. The latter duke exchanges this for his old territory, which passes to Saxe-Meiningen.
1827 - 1836	Anthony Clement
1836 - 1854	Frederick Augustus II
1854 - 1873	John / Johann
1871	The kingdom annexed as part of the German Empire by Prussia. Ironically, Prussia itself was originally created out of the margraviate of Brandenburg, which the original dukes of Saxony helped create. Saxony now occupies the position of a sub-kingdom.
1873 - 1902	Albert the Good
1902 - 1904	George
1904 - 1918	Frederick Augustus III		Last king of Saxony.
1918	All German monarchies are abolished upon the defeat of the German Empire in World War I.


Hereditary Kings of Saxony (Wettins) AD 1918 - Present Day
1918 - 1932	Friedrich Augustus III
	George		Eldest son.
1932 - 1968	Frederick Christian		Second son. Margrave of Meissen.
1968 - Present	Maria Emanuel		Son. Margrave of Meissen.

European Kingdoms

Central Europe