The
House of Wettin
(
German
:
Haus Wettin
) was a
dynasty
of
German
kings
,
prince-electors
,
dukes
, and
counts
that once ruled territories in the present-day German states of
Saxony
,
Saxony-Anhalt
and
Thuringia
. The dynasty is one of the oldest in
Europe
, and its origins can be traced back to the town of
Wettin, Saxony-Anhalt
. The Wettins gradually rose to power within the
Holy Roman Empire
. Members of the family became the rulers of several
medieval
states, starting with the
Saxon Eastern March
in 1030. Other states they gained were
Meissen
in 1089,
Thuringia
in 1263, and
Saxony
in 1423. These areas cover large parts of
Central Germany
as a cultural area of Germany.
The family divided into two ruling branches in 1485 by the
Treaty of Leipzig
: the Ernestine and Albertine branches. The older Ernestine branch played a key role during the
Protestant Reformation
. Many ruling monarchs outside Germany were later tied to its
cadet branch
, the
House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
. The
Albertine branch
, while less prominent, ruled most of
Saxony
and played a part in
Polish history
.
Agnates
of the House of Wettin have, at various times, ascended the thrones of the
United Kingdom
,
Portugal
,
Bulgaria
,
Poland
,
Saxony
,
Mexico
and
Belgium
. Only the
Belgian
line retains their throne today.
Origins: Wettin of Saxony
edit
Wettin Castle
in Saxony-Anhalt
The oldest member of the House of Wettin who is known for certain is
Theodoric I of Wettin
, also known as
Dietrich
,
Thiedericus
, and
Thierry I of Liesgau
(died c. 982). He was most probably based in the
Liesgau
(located at the western edge of the
Harz
). Around 1000, the family acquired
Wettin Castle
, which was originally built by the local Slavic tribes (see
Sorbs
), after which they named themselves. Wettin Castle is located in
Wettin
in the
Hassegau
(or Hosgau) on the
Saale River
. Around 1030, the Wettin family received the
Eastern March
as a
fief
.
[1]
The prominence of the Wettins in the Slavic Saxon Eastern March (or
Ostmark
) caused
Emperor Henry IV
to invest them with the
March of Meissen
as a fief in 1089. The family advanced over the course of the
Middle Ages
: in 1263, they inherited the
landgraviate
of
Thuringia
(although without
Hesse
) and in 1423, they were invested with the
Duchy of Saxony
, centred at
Wittenberg
, thus becoming one of the
prince-electors
of the
Holy Roman Empire
.
Ernestine and Albertine Wettins
edit
The family split into two ruling branches in 1485 when the sons of
Frederick II, Elector of Saxony
divided the territories hitherto ruled jointly. The elder son
Ernest
, who had succeeded his father as
Prince-elector
, received the territories assigned to the Elector (
Electorate of Saxony
) and
Thuringia
, while his younger brother
Albert
obtained the
March of Meissen
, which he ruled from
Dresden
. As Albert ruled under the title of "Duke of Saxony", his possessions were also known as
Ducal Saxony
.
The older Ernestine branch remained predominant until 1547 and played an important role in the beginnings of the
Protestant Reformation
.
Frederick III
(
Friedrich der Weise
) appointed
Martin Luther
(1512) and
Philipp Melanchthon
(1518) to the
University of Wittenberg
, which he had established in 1502.
[2]
The Ernestine predominance ended in the
Schmalkaldic War
(1546/7), which pitted the Protestant
Schmalkaldic League
against the
Emperor Charles V
. Although itself Lutheran, the Albertine branch rallied to the Emperor's cause. Charles V had promised
Moritz
the rights to the electorship. After the
Battle of Muhlberg
,
Johann Friedrich der Großmutige
, had to cede territory (including Wittenberg) and the electorship to his cousin Moritz. Although imprisoned, Johann Friedrich was able to plan a new university. It was established by his three sons on 19 March 1548 as the
Hohere Landesschule
at
Jena
. On 15 August 1557,
Emperor Ferdinand I
awarded it the status of university.
[2]
The Ernestine line was thereafter restricted to Thuringia and its dynastic unity swiftly crumbled, dividing into a number of smaller states, the
Ernestine duchies
. Nevertheless, with
Ernst der Fromme
, Duke of Saxe-Gotha (1601?1675), the house gave rise to an important early-modern ruler who was ahead of his time in supporting the education of his people and in improving administration. In the 18th century,
Karl August
, Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, established what was to become known as
Weimar Classicism
at his court in Weimar, notably by bringing
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
there.
[2]
It was only in the 19th century that one of the many Ernestine branches, the
House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
, regained importance through marriages as the "stud of Europe", by ascending the thrones of
Belgium
(in 1831),
Portugal
(1853?1910),
Bulgaria
(1908?1946) and the
United Kingdom
(1901-present, though the
relevant marriage
had taken place in 1840) and also providing a consort to the future
Habsburg
Emperor of Mexico
(1857).
[3]
Electors of Saxony
Image
|
Name
|
Began
|
Ended
|
Notes
|
|
Frederick I
Friedrich I
|
6 January 1423
|
4 January 1428
|
Nicknamed "the Warlike." After the Wittenberg line of the
House of Ascania
became extinct, the Electorate was given to Frederick,
Margrave
of
Meissen
and Landgrave of
Thuringia
, of the House of Wettin.
|
|
Frederick II
Friedrich II
|
4 January 1428
|
7 September 1464
|
Nicknamed "the Gentle". Son of Frederick I. Ruled jointly in Saxony with his brothers, but was the sole holder of the Electorate. Father of Ernest and Albert, founders of the Ernestine (continuing below) and Albertine Saxon lines (see
Albertine Dukes of Saxony
).
|
Ernestine line
|
|
Ernest
Ernst
|
7 September 1464
|
26 August 1486
|
Son of Frederick II, divided Saxony with his brother Albert, taking
Wittenberg
, northern Meissen, and southern Thuringia. Inherited
Thuringia
in 1482 and ruled it jointly with Albert until 1485.
|
|
Frederick III
Friedrich III
|
26 August 1486
|
5 May 1525
|
Nicknamed
der Weise
(the Wise). Son of Ernest. Protector of
Martin Luther
, but a lifelong Catholic.
|
|
John
Johann
|
5 May 1525
|
16 August 1532
|
Nicknamed
der Bestandige
(the Steadfast). Brother of Frederick III. Legally established Lutheranism in his territories in 1527.
|
|
John Frederick I
Johann Friedrich I
|
16 August 1532
|
19 May 1547
|
Nicknamed
der Großzugige
(the Magnanimous). Son of John the Steadfast. Deprived of his Electorate by Emperor
Charles V
for his role in the
Schmalkaldic War
. Died 1554.
|
Residences of Ernestine branches
edit
Albertine Wettins' royal coat of arms with the standard arms at the center (
Kings of Saxony
, 1806?1918)
The junior
Albertine branch
maintained most of the territorial integrity of Saxony, preserving it as a significant power in the region, and used small
appanage
fiefs for its cadet branches, few of which survived for significant lengths of time. The Ernestine Wettins, on the other hand, repeatedly subdivided their territory, creating an intricate patchwork of small
duchies and counties
in Thuringia.
The Albertine Wettins ruled as Electors (1547?1806) and
Kings of Saxony
(1806?1918), and also played a role in Polish history ? two Wettins were
Kings of Poland
(between 1697?1763) and a third ruled the
Duchy of Warsaw
(1807?1814) as a satellite of
Napoleon I
. After the
Napoleonic Wars
, the Albertine branch lost about 40% of its lands (the economically less-developed northern parts of the old Electorate of Saxony) to Prussia, restricting it to a territory coextensive with the modern
Saxony
(see
Final Act of the Congress of Vienna
Act IV: Treaty between Prussia and Saxony
18 May 1815).
Frederick Augustus III
lost his throne in the
German Revolution
of 1918.
The role of current head of the Albertine "House of Saxony" is claimed by his great-grandson
Prince Rudiger of Saxony
, Duke of Saxony, Margrave of Meissen (born 23 December 1953). However, the headship of Prince Rudiger is contested by his second cousin,
Alexander
(born 1954), son of Roberto Afif (later by change of name Mr Gessaphe) and Princess Maria Anna of Saxony, a sister of the childless former head of the Albertines,
Maria Emanuel, Margrave of Meissen
(died 2012), who had adopted his nephew and granted him the name Prince of Saxony, contrary to the rules of male descent under the
Salic Law
. Both are however not recognized by the Nobility Archive in Marburg, nor by the Conference of the Formerly Ruling Houses in Germany ? Prince Rudiger because his father Timo was expelled from the House of Wettin, and Prince Alexander because he is not of
agnatic
noble descent (his father was Roberto Afif from Lebanon). Consequently, the Albertine branch of the House of Wettin is officially treated by the German nobility as extinct in its legal succession-line.
Albertine Electors and Kings of Saxony
edit
Image
|
Name
(Life Dates)
|
Relationship to predecessor
|
Title
|
|
Albert III, Duke of Saxony
(1443?1500)
|
Second son of
Frederick II, Elector of Saxony
|
Margrave of Meissen and Duke of Saxony
|
|
George, Duke of Saxony
(1471?1539)
|
Son of the previous
|
Margrave of Meissen and Duke of Saxony
|
|
Henry IV, Duke of Saxony
(1473?1541)
|
Brother of the previous
|
Margrave of Meissen and Duke of Saxony
|
|
Maurice, Elector of Saxony
(1521?1553)
|
Son of the previous
|
Margrave of Meissen and Duke of Saxony, from 1547 Elector of Saxony. Second cousin of
John Frederick
, his Ernestine predecessor as Elector; grandson of
Albert
. Though a Lutheran, allied with
Emperor Charles V
against the
Schmalkaldic League
. Gained the Electorate for the Albertine line in 1547 after Charles V's victory at the
Battle of Muhlberg
.
|
|
Augustus, Elector of Saxony
(1526?1586)
|
Brother of the previous
|
Elector of Saxony; recognized as Elector by the ousted
John Frederick
in 1554.
|
|
Christian I, Elector of Saxony
(1560?1591)
|
Son of the previous
|
Elector of Saxony
|
|
Christian II, Elector of Saxony
(1583?1611)
|
Son of the previous
|
Elector of Saxony
|
|
John George I, Elector of Saxony
(1585?1656)
|
Brother of the previous
|
Elector of Saxony; ruled during the
Thirty Years' War
, during which he was at times allied with the
Emperor
and at times with the
King of Sweden
.
|
|
John George II, Elector of Saxony
(1613?1680)
|
Son of the previous
|
Elector of Saxony
|
|
John George III, Elector of Saxony
(1647?1691)
|
Son of the previous
|
Elector of Saxony
|
|
John George IV, Elector of Saxony
(1668?1694)
|
Son of the previous
|
Elector of Saxony
|
|
Augustus II the Strong
(1670?1733)
|
Brother of the previous
|
Elector of Saxony (as Frederick Augustus I) and King of
Poland
(as Augustus II). The first Albertine ruler since Luther's time to become a Roman Catholic, in order to gain the Polish throne (with the Albertines remaining Catholics ever since). Took the Polish crown 1697, opposed by
Stanisław Leszczy?ski
1704, forced to renounce the throne 1706, returned as monarch 1709 until his death. A patron of the arts and architecture, the most prominent of all Albertine Wettins amassed an impressive art collection and built lavish baroque palaces at and around Dresden and Warsaw.
|
|
Augustus III of Poland
(1696?1763)
|
Son of the previous
|
Elector of Saxony (as Frederick Augustus II) and King of Poland (as Augustus III); converted to Catholicism 1712. King of Poland 1734?1763. Called ""the Fat" or (in Poland) "the Saxon". A weak ruler but an important art collector.
|
|
Frederick Christian, Elector of Saxony
(1722?1763)
|
Son of the previous
|
Elector of Saxony
|
|
Frederick Augustus I of Saxony
(1750?1827)
|
Son of the previous
|
Elector of Saxony, 1806 King of Saxony. His Electorate ceased with the fall of the
Holy Roman Empire
in 1806, and he became
King of Saxony
. Called "the Just". First and only
Duke of Warsaw
French client state established by
Napoleon Bonaparte
in 1807, during the
Napoleonic Wars
.
|
|
Anthony of Saxony
(1755?1836)
|
Brother of the previous
|
King of Saxony
|
|
Frederick Augustus II of Saxony
(1797?1854)
|
Nephew of the previous
|
King of Saxony
|
|
John, King of Saxony
(1801?1873)
|
Brother of the previous
|
King of Saxony
|
|
Albert, King of Saxony
(1828?1902)
|
Son of the previous
|
King of Saxony
|
|
George, King of Saxony
(1832?1904)
|
Brother of the previous
|
King of Saxony
|
|
Frederick Augustus III of Saxony
(1865?1932)
|
Son of the previous.
|
The last king of Saxony. Lost his throne in the
German revolution
of 1918.
|
Residences of the Albertine branch
edit
The House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
edit
House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
The senior (Ernestine) branch of the House of Wettin lost the electorship to the Albertine line in 1547, but retained its holdings in Thuringia, dividing the area into a number of smaller states. One of the resulting Ernestine houses, known as
Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
until 1826 and as
Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
after that, went on to contribute
kings of Belgium
(from 1831) and
Bulgaria
(1908?1946), as well as furnishing consorts to
queens regnant
of
Portugal
(
Prince Ferdinand
) and the
United Kingdom
(
Prince Albert
), and the
Emperor of Mexico
(
Carlota of Mexico
)
[4]
Thus, the British and Portuguese thrones became possessions of persons who belonged to the House of Wettin for a time.
From
King George I
to
Queen Victoria
, the British Royal family was called the
House of Hanover
, being a junior branch of the House of
Brunswick-Luneburg
and thus part of the dynasty of the
Guelphs
. In the late 19th century, Queen Victoria charged the
College of Arms
in England to determine the correct personal surname of her late husband,
Prince Albert
of
Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
?and, thus, the proper surname of the royal family upon the accession of her son. After extensive research, they concluded that it was Wettin, but this name was never used, either by the Queen or by her son (
King Edward VII
) or by her grandson (
King George V
); they were simply Kings of the House of "Saxe-Coburg-Gotha".
Severe anti-German sentiment during
World War I
(1914-1918) led some influential members of the British public (especially radical Republicans such as
H. G. Wells
[5]
) to question the loyalty of the royal family. Advisors to King George V searched for an acceptable surname for the British royal family, but
Wettin
was rejected as "unsuitably comic".
[6]
[7]
[8]
An
Order in Council
legally changed the name of the British royal family to
"Windsor"
(originally suggested by
Lord Stamfordham
) in 1917.
Residences of the family
edit
Branches and titles of the House of Wettin and its agnatic descent
edit
-
Wartburg
near Eisenach (1250?1406: residence of the Wettins)
-
-
Hartenfels Castle in
Torgau
, main residence of the Ernestine Electors since Frederick III, "the Wise", built 1533?40
Existing Ernestine branches
edit
Branch of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
- Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
, extant lines all shared last common ancestor in the person of
William Ernest, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
. However there are only two members of this line left,
Michael, Prince of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
and Prince Wilhelm Ernst of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. Both were born in 1946. Since Prince Michael has no sons, and Prince Wilhelm Ernst; whose only son Prince Georg-Constantin (13 April 1977 ? 9 June 2018), a banker who was married but without issue, was killed in a horse riding accident on 9 June 2018 while riding with Jean Christophe Iseux von Pfetten. Therefore, the Grand Ducal House of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach will most likely become extinct in the male line. These two represent the last non-morganatic descendants of
William, Duke of Saxe-Weimar
Branch of Saxe-Meiningen
In the very likely event of the extinction of these two senior branches, the sole represantation of the Ernestine Wettins will pass to the descendants of
Francis, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
, who are the present
Saxe-Coburg-Gothas
led by
Andreas, Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
(b. 21 March 1943), the
House of Windsor
, the
Royal Family of Belgium
and the
Royal Family of Bulgaria
. Francis and his nephew
Ludwig Frederick Emil von Coburg
are also ancestors to morganatic lines.
- Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
, last common descent from
Francis Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
, further divided into:
- Saxe-Coburg-Gotha
, last common descent from
Francis, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
, further divided into:
- House of Windsor
, last common descent from
Albert, Prince Consort
of the United Kingdom, as in 1863
Edward VII
and his son, the future
George V
renounced his succession rights to the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, the succession fell into the line of the Duke of Albany.
- Mainline (Albany) Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, from
Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
who until 1919 was the Duke of Albany
- House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Kohary
, last common descent from
Prince August of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
- House of Belgium
, all living members share common descent from
Albert II of Belgium
. However as absolute primogeniture is in effect in Belgium, if and on the ascencion of
Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant
to the throne, the ruling house of Belgium will no longer considered agnates to the House of Wettin
- Morganatic line of Rohmann, from
Prince Josias of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
marriage to a commoner, Therese Stroffeck
Extinct Ernestine branches
edit
Catholic members of the Royal Albertine branch of the House of Wettin buried in the crypt chapel of the
Katholische Hofkirche
,
Dresden
Existing Albertine branch
edit
Extinct Albertine branches
edit
Family tree of the House of Wettin
edit
Family tree of the House of Wettin, the royal & ducal house of Saxony, and later Great Britain, Belgium, Portugal, and Bulgaria
- ^
Lexikon des Mittelalters
, vol. IX, col. 50, Munich 1969?1999
- ^
a
b
c
Kellner, Stefanie (February 2016).
"Die freiheitliche Geisteshaltung der Ernestiner pragte Europa"
.
Monumente
(in German). pp.?9?16
. Retrieved
16 February
2016
.
- ^
"Carlota | archduchess of Austria | Britannica"
. 3 June 2023.
- ^
"Carlota | archduchess of Austria | Britannica"
. 3 June 2023.
- ^
Anne Edwards,
Matriarch: Queen Mary and the House of Windsor
(2014), p. 300.
- ^
"We can hazard a guess that Wettin and Wipper, if given an English pronunciation, sounded quite as unsuitably comic in the ears of this sailor King in 1917 as they do to us today."
Elizabeth Longford
,
The Royal House of Windsor
(1984), p. 21.
- ^
"British courtiers thought it sounded 'unsuitably comic' and the cumbersome 'Saxe-Coburg-Gotha' was invariably used." Barry Jones,
Dictionary of World Biography
4th ed. (2017), p. 892.
- ^
"Since the Saxe-Coburg family belonged to the House of Wettin in the District of Wipper,
Wettin
or
Wipper
might be more appropriate. Either one could have passed for an English name, but both were considered 'unsuitably comic.'" Anne Edwards,
Matriarch: Queen Mary and the House of Windsor
(2014),
p. 302
.