Albertine branch

File:Coat_of_arms_of_Wettin_House_Albert_Line.png

The Albertine branch is a German princely family of the House of Wettin. The name derives from the progenitor of the line, Albert III, Duke of Saxony. The Albertine branch ruled from 1485 to 1918 as dukes, electors and kings in Saxony.

History of the Albertine Branch

File:Dresden_Fuerstenzug_Albert_der_Beherzte.jpg, the first Albertine]]

Ernest and Albert of Saxony, the two sons of Frederick II, Elector of Saxony, initially ruled their paternal inheritance for a long time, with Ernest as the eldest being the elector. In 1485, the two brothers divided their countries (Treaty of Leipzig). Albert and his descendants received their own territory with Dresden as the center, which they ruled from now on as the dukes of Saxony.

While Frederick III, Elector of Saxony supported the Reformation, George, Duke of Saxony tried to prevent it in his area. It was not until his brother Henry IV, Duke of Saxony, who succeeded George as duke, that the Reformation was also introduced in Saxony.

Acquisition of the dignity

Although Maurice, Elector of Saxony was also a Protestant, in 1546 he sided with Emperor Charles V against the Protestant princes of the Schmalkaldic League under the leadership of his cousin John Frederick I. After the defeat of the Protestants in the Schmalkaldic War, in 1547 he received the electoral dignity and large parts of the Ernestine lands as a reward for his services. Since then, the Albertine branch have been the leading line of the House of Wettin.

The common minting agreed between the Ernestines and Albertine branch in the main division of Leipzig in 1485 was finally abandoned. The new Albertine Elector Moritz only coins in his own name (Saxon coin separation).Paul Arnold: Kurfürst August (1553–1586) und das sächsische Münzwesen. In Numismatische Hefte. Nr. 20, Dresden 1986, P. 13. (German)

Family tree of the Albertine branch

{{Tree chart | | | | | | | | | | | | | WET | | | | | | | | | WET=House of Wettin}}

{{Tree chart | | | | | | | | | xxx |y| FRI | | | | | | | | | xxx=Margaret of Austria|FRI=Frederick II}}

{{Tree chart | SID |y| ALB | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ERN | SID=Sidonie of Poděbrady|ALB= Albert III|ERN=Ernestine}}

{{Tree chart | KAT |y| HEI | | GEO |~| BAR | | | | | | | | | KAT=Catherine of Mecklenburg|HEI=Henry IV|GEO=George, Duke of Saxony|BAR=Barbara Jagiellon}}

{{Tree chart | ANN |y| AUG | | MOR | | | | | | | | | | | | | ANN=Anne of Denmark|AUG=Augustus, Elector of Saxony|MOR=Maurice, Elector of Saxony}}

{{Tree chart | SOP |y| CHR | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | SOP=Sophie of Brandenburg|CHR=Christian I, Elector of Saxony}}

{{Tree chart | xxx |y| GEO | | CHR | | | | | | | | | | | | | xxx=Duchess Magdalene Sibylle of Prussia|GEO=John George I|CHR=Christian II}}

{{Tree chart | xxx |y| GEO | | AUG | | CHR | | MOR | | | | | xxx=Margravine Magdalene Sibylle of Brandenburg-Bayreuth|GEO=John George II|AUG=Augustus, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels
(Founder of the Weißenfels branch, died out in 1746)|CHR=Christian I
(Founder of the Merseburg branch, died out in 1738)|MOR=Maurice
(Founder of the Zeitz branch, died out in 1718)}}

{{Tree chart | ANN |y| GEO | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ANN=Princess Anna Sophie of Denmark|GEO=John George III}}

{{Tree chart | CHR |y| AUG | | JOH |~| ELE | | | | | | | | | CHR=Christiane Eberhardine of Brandenburg-Bayreuth|AUG=Augustus II the Strong
(born as August II, King of Poland)|JOH=John George IV|ELE=Eleonore Erdmuthe of Saxe-Eisenach}}

{{Tree chart | MAR |y| FRI | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | MAR=Maria Josepha of Austria|FRI=Augustus III of Poland
(born as August III, King of Poland)}}

{{Tree chart | MAR |y| FRI | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | MAR=Duchess Maria Antonia of Bavaria|FRI=Frederick Christian}}

{{Tree chart | CAR |y| MAX | | AUG | | ANT | | | | | | | | | CAR=Princess Carolina of Parma|MAX=Maximilian, Hereditary Prince of Saxony
(renounces the throne in 1830)|AUG=Frederick Augustus I of Saxony
(since 1806 as Friedrich August I. King of Saxony)|ANT=Anthony of Saxony}}

{{Tree chart | xxx |y| JOH | | FRI | | | | | | | | | | | | | xxx=Amalie Auguste of Bavaria|JOH=John of Saxony|FRI=Frederick Augustus II of Saxony}}

{{Tree chart | MAR |y| GEO | | ALB | | | | | | | | | | | | | MAR=Infanta Maria Anna of Portugal|GEO=George, King of Saxony|ALB=Albert of Saxony}}

{{Tree chart | LUI |y| FRI | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | FRI=Frederick Augustus III of Saxony|LUI=Archduchess Louise of Austria}}

{{Tree chart | GEO | | CHR | | ERN | | MAR | | ALI | | ANN | GEO=Georg, Crown Prince of Saxony|CHR=Friedrich Christian, Margrave of Meissen|ERN=Prince Ernst Heinrich of Saxony|MAR=Margarete Carola Wilhelmine|ALI=Maria Alix Luitpolda|ANN=Anna Pia Monika}}

Literature

Konrad Sturmhoefel: Illustrated history of Saxony and their authorities. Volume 2: Illustrated History of Albertine Saxony. Hübel & Denck, Leipzig 1909.

References

External links

[https://web.archive.org/web/20120426005511/http://www.die-sachsen-kommen.de/wetthtm/albertiner.htm About the House of Wettin]
[http://www.udo-eisenmann.de/wettiner/wettiner3.htm Family tree of the House of Wettin]
[http://www.heraldica.org/topics/royalty/HGSachsen-K.htm#1837 Laws of the House of Wettin from 1837]

Category:History of Dresden

Category:German noble families