List of rulers of Saxony

Coat of arms of Saxony used since the accession of the House of Ascania to dukedom in 1180, comprising the Ascanian crest with an added bendwise crancelin indicating the Saxon ducal rank.

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.

Counts Palatine of Saxony

See Counts Palatine of Saxony

In the 10th century the Emperor Otto I created the County Palatine of Saxony in the Saale-Unstrut area of southern Saxony. The honour was initially held by a Count of Hessengau, then from the early 11th century by the Counts of Goseck, later by the Counts of Sommerschenburg, and still later by the Landgraves of Thuringia.

Dukes of Saxony

The original Duchy of Saxony comprised lands of the Saxon people in the north-western part of present-day Germany, namely, the contemporary German state of Lower Saxony as well as Westphalia and Western Saxony-Anhalt, not corresponding to the modern German state of Saxony.

Early dukes

• Hadugato (fl. c. 531)
• Berthoald (fl. c. 622)
• Theoderic (fl. c. 743–744)
• Widukind (fl. c. 777–810)
• Abo (fl. c. 785–811)

Hattonid Dynasty

• Banzleibs (830s)

Ottonian Dynasty

Dukes of Saxony
Ottonian Dynasty
Image	Name	Date	Notes
	Liudolf I	850 – 12 March 864 or 866
	Bruno	12 March 864 or 866 – 2 February 880
	Otto I the Illustrious	2 February 880 – 30 November 912
	Henry I the Fowler	30 November 912 – 2 July 936	Also German King 919–936
	Otto II the Great	2 July 936 – 961	Also German King 936–973, Emperor 962–973

Billung Dynasty

Dukes of Saxony
Billung Dynasty
Image	Name	Date	Notes
	Hermann	961 – 27 March 973
	Bernard I	27 March 973 – 9 February 1011
	Bernard II	9 February 1011 – 29 June 1059
	Ordulf	29 June 1059 – 28 March 1072
	Magnus	28 March 1072 – 23 August 1106

Supplinburg Dynasty

Dukes of Saxony
Supplinburg Dynasty
Image	Name	Date	Notes
	Lothair I	1106 – 4 December 1137	Also German King 1125–1137, Emperor 1133–1137

Welf Dynasty

Dukes of Saxony
Welf Dynasty
Image	Name	Date	Notes
	Henry II the Proud	4 December 1137 – 20 October 1139	Also Duke of Bavaria as Henry X

Ascanian Dynasty

Dukes of Saxony
Ascanian Dynasty
Image	Name	Date	Notes
	Albert I the Bear	20 October 1139 – 1142	Also Margrave of Brandenburg

Welf Dynasty

Dukes of Saxony
Welf Dynasty
Image	Name	Date	Notes
	Henry III the Lion	1142–1180	Also Duke of Bavaria as Henry XII

With the final removal of the Welfs in 1180, the Duchy of Saxony was sharply reduced in territory. Westphalia fell to the Archbishop of Cologne, while the Duchies of Brunswick and Lüneburg remained with the Welfs. The Ascanian Dukes had their base further east, near the Elbe, resulting in the name Saxony moving towards the east. The post carve-up Saxony is therefore sometimes called the younger Duchy of Saxony. Also the counting of its dukes is discontinued. While the first post carve-up duke is competingly counted as Bernard III—because of two predecessors of the same name before 1180—or as Bernard I with his great-great-great-great grandson Bernard II being counted second. The second post carve-up duke Albert I is already usually counted as the first, although before 1180 he had one predecessor of the same name, being even his grandfather Albert the Bear.

Ascanian or younger Duchy of Saxony

The new dukes replaced the Saxon horse emblem () and introduced their Ascanian family colours and emblem () added by a bendwise crancelin, symbolising the Saxon ducal crown, as new coat-of-arms of Saxony (). The later rulers of the House of Wettin adopted the Ascanian coat-of-arms.

Dukes of Saxony
Ascanian Dynasty
Image	Name	Date	Notes
	Bernard I (or III)	1180–1212	numberings starting with Ascanian rule or continuing after prior dukes of the same name. Father of the following
	Albert I	1212–1260	father of the following two dukes
	John I	1260–1282	joint rule with his brother Albert II until 1282, when John I resigned. Some time after 1272 John I and Albert II divided some competences among each other, however, continued joint rule.
	Albert II	1260–1296	joint rule with his brother until 1282, then fostering John I's minor sons Albert III, Eric I, and John II, who later ascended as co-rulers. In 1296 uncle and nephews partitioned Saxony into the Lauenburg line (Albert III, Eric I, and John II jointly) and the Wittenberg line, where Albert II continued as sole ruler until 1298, then succeeded by his son Rudolf I (see section Dukes of Saxe-Wittenberg below in this article). Uncle of the following three dukes
	Albert III,	1282–1296	joint rule with his uncle Albert II and his brothers Eric I and John II until 1296. In 1296 uncle and brothers partitioned Saxony into the Wittenberg line (Albert II) and the Lauenburg line, where Albert III, Eric I, and John II continued to rule jointly (see section Dukes of Saxe-Lauenburg below in this article). Brother of the following two dukes
	Eric I,	1282–1296	joint rule with his uncle Albert II and his brothers Albert III and John II until 1296. In 1296 uncle and brothers partitioned Saxony into the Wittenberg line (Albert II) and the Lauenburg line, where Albert III, Eric I, and John II continued to rule jointly (see section Dukes of Saxe-Lauenburg below in this article). Brother of the following duke
	John II,	1282–1296	joint rule with his uncle Albert II and his brothers Albert III and Eric I until 1296. In 1296 uncle and brothers partitioned Saxony into the Wittenberg line (Albert II) and the Lauenburg line, where Albert III, Eric I, and John II continued to rule jointly (see section Dukes of Saxe-Lauenburg below in this article)
In 1296 Albert II and his nephews Albert III, Eric I, and John II terminated their joint rule and partitioned Saxony into the Lauenburg line, where Albert III, Eric I, and John II continued to rule jointly until 1303, and the Wittenberg line, where Albert II continued as sole ruler until 1298.

Dukes of Saxe-Lauenburg

Since the Duke of Saxony was considered one of the prince-electors electing a new Holy Roman Emperor, conflict arose between the lines of Lauenburg and Wittenberg over the issue of who should cast Saxony's vote. In 1314 both lines found themselves on different sides in a double election. Eventually, the Dukes of Saxe-Wittenberg succeeded in 1356 after the promulgation of the Golden Bull. To distinguish him from other rulers bearing the title Duke of Saxony, he was commonly called Elector of Saxony.

Duke of Saxe-Bergedorf-Lauenburg Ascanian Dynasty, Lauenburg Younger Line Image Name Date Notes Eric I 1303– 1321 He inherited Saxe-Ratzeburg from his brother Albert III in 1308. Eric I had inherited Saxe-Ratzeburg, with his brother John II he redeployed both their territories in 1321, after Albert's widow, Margaret of Brandenburg-Salzwedel, had died. The branch duchy was then renamed into Saxe-Ratzeburg-Lauenburg.

Duke of Saxe-Ratzeburg Ascanian Dynasty, Ratzeburg Line Image Name Date Notes Albert III 1303– 1308 his widow Margaret of Brandenburg-Salzwedel retained usufruct until her death With Albert's death the Ratzeburg line of Ascania was extinct and Saxe-Ratzeburg was inherited by Eric I of Saxe-Bergedorf-Lauenburg, merging in Saxe-Ratzeburg-Lauenburg.

Duke of Saxe-Mölln Ascanian Dynasty, Lauenburg Elder Line Image Name Date Notes John II 1303– 1321 rivalled as Saxon Prince-Elector by his cousin Rudolf I of Saxe-Wittenberg John II reached a territorial redeployment with Eric I in 1321, after Albert's widow, Margaret of Brandenburg-Salzwedel, had died. John received additionally Bergedorf, forming Saxe-Bergedorf-Mölln since.

Dukes of Saxe-Ratzeburg-Lauenburg Ascanian Dynasty, Lauenburg Younger Line Image Name Date Notes Eric I 1305–1338 Eric I resigned and died only in 1361 Eric II 1338–1368 Eric IV 1368–1412 In 1401 Saxe-Ratzeburg-Lauenburg inherited Saxe-Bergedorf-Mölln from the Ascanian Elder Lauenburg line there extinct upon Eric III's death. The reunited duchy continued under the old name of Saxe-Lauenburg.

Dukes of Saxe-Bergedorf-Mölln Ascanian Dynasty, Lauenburg Elder Line Image Name Date Notes John II 1321–1322 rivalled as Saxon Prince-Elector by his cousin Rudolf I of Saxe-Wittenberg Albert IV 1322–1343 Albrecht in German, ruled with his mother Elisabeth of Schauenburg and Holstein-Rendsburg as regent due to his minority John III 1343–1356 Albert V 1356–1370 Albrecht in German Eric III 1370–1401 In 1401, the Elder Line became extinct and Bergedorf-Mölln merged into the Younger line.

Dukes of Saxe-Lauenburg (1401–1876)

Dukes of Saxe-Lauenburg
Ascanian Dynasty, Lauenburg Younger Line
Image	Name	Date	Notes
	Eric V	1401–1436.	joint rule with his father Eric IV (until 1411), his younger brother John IV (until 1414), and his youngest brother Bernard II (from 1426)
	John IV	1401–1411/1414	joint rule with his father Eric IV (until 1411) and his elder brother Eric V, brother of the following
	Bernard II[1]	1426–1463	joint rule with his brother Eric V until 1436. Father of the following duke
	John V[2]	1463–1507	father of the following duke
	Magnus I	1507–1543	father of the following duke
	Francis I[3]	1543–1571 and again 1573–1581	joint rule with his son Francis II from 1578. Father of the following three dukes
	Magnus II[4]	1571–1573	brother of the following two dukes
	Francis II[5]	1578–1619	vice-regent from 1578, administrator from 1581. Joint rule with his brother Maurice between 1581 and 1612. Father of Augustus and Julius Henry
	Maurice	1581–1612	joint rule with his brother Francis II. Uncle of the following two dukes
	Augustus[6]	1619–1656	brother of the following duke
	Julius Henry [7]	1656–1665	father of the following two dukes
	Francis Erdmann	1665–1666	elder son of Julius Henry and his second wife.
	Julius Francis [8]	1666–1689	younger son of Julius Henry and his third wife.
The male line of the Saxe-Lauenburgish Ascanians was extinguished in 1689. The House of Welf usurped the duchy, preventing the succession of the legitimate heiress, Anna Maria Franziska of Saxe-Lauenburg, and resucceeded with its Brunswick and Lunenburg-Celle line.
Welf Dynasty, Lüneburgish Line
Image	Name	Date	Notes
	George William	1689–1705	He invaded Saxe-Lauenburg with his troops, preventing the ascension of the legitimate heiress, Duchess Anna Maria Franziska of Saxe-Lauenburg; this de facto takeover was imperially legitimised only in 1728. He was a great-great-grandson of Magnus I through his great-grandmother Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg
Welf Dynasty, Hanoverian Line
	George I Louis	1705–1727	He was a nephew and son-in-law of George William.
	George II Augustus	1727–1760	in 1728 Emperor Charles VI enfeoffed George II Augustus with Saxe-Lauenburg, finally legitimating his grandfather's de facto takeover.
	George III	1760–1814	De facto deposed by various occupations in the Napoleonic Wars, he was a grandson of George II Augustus George III's son, Regent George agreed to pass Saxe-Lauenburg to his Danish cousin in a general territorial realignment at the Congress of Vienna
Dukes of Saxe-Lauenburg
Oldenburg Dynasty, Main Line
Image	Name	Date	Notes
	Frederick I	1814–1839	Frederick was a great-grandson of Duke George II Augustus on both sides, through his mother Caroline and through his father. The official colours of Saxe-Lauenburg were changed to red and gold.
	Christian I	1839–1848	half nephew of the former, but not related to the Saxe-Lauenburgish Welfs, however, great-great-great-great-grandson of Duke Francis I
	Frederick II	1848–1863	son of the former
Oldenburg Dynasty, Glücksburg Line
	Christian II	1863–1864	deposed in Second Schleswig War and resigned by Treaty of Vienna. His mother was a cousin of Frederick I and Christian I as well as maternally and paternally a great-granddaughter of George II Augustus.
Dukes of Saxe-Lauenburg
Hohenzollern Dynasty, Berlin Line
Image	Name	Date	Notes
	William	1865–1876	In 1865, the Estates of Saxe-Lauenburg offered him the ducal throne and he accepted. He was a great-great-great-great-grandson of Duke George William. The coat-of-arms of Saxe-Lauenburg was changed to the colours red and silver, with a border in the Prussian colours of black and white. Both duke and estates decided to merge Saxe-Lauenburg into Prussia, as district Duchy of Lauenburg, with effect from 1 July 1876.

The Ascanian Dynasty continued in Saxe-Lauenburg until 1689, but after the Lauenburgish line had finally lost the Saxon Electorate to the Wittenberg line in 1356 and failed to obtain the succession in the Electorate after 1422, recognition of the Dukes of Saxe-Lauenburg as Dukes of Saxony waned.

Dukes of Saxe-Wittenberg

For the predecessor see the section Ascanian or younger Duchy of Saxony above in this article.

Dukes of Saxe-Wittenberg
Ascanian Dynasty
Image	Name	Date	Notes
	Albert II	1296–1298	1260–1296 joint rule of Saxony with his brother John I, Duke of Saxony (till 1282) and thereafter with the latter's sons Albert III, Eric I, and John II. In 1296 uncle and nephews had partitioned Saxony into the Wittenberg line, where Albert II continued as sole ruler, and the Lauenburg line, where his nephews ruled jointly (see section Dukes of Saxe-Lauenburg above in this article). Father of the following duke
	Rudolph I	1298–1356	rivalled as Saxon Prince-Elector by his cousin John II.
In January 1356 the Golden Bull confirmed Rudolf I as the legitimate Saxon Prince-Elector, thus the rulers of Saxe-Wittenberg are conceived as Electors of Saxony since (see section Electors of Saxony below in this article).

Wettin Dukes of Saxony

Albertine Dukes of Saxony

The Albertines were a junior branch of the Wettin dynasty of Electors of Saxony (section below), who ruled in Northern Thuringia and Southern Meissen until they replaced the senior "Ernestine" branch as Electors and rulers of most Saxon territory in 1547.

Dukes of Saxony
Wettin Dynasty, Albertine Line
Image	Name	Date	Notes
	Albert the Bold	1464–1500	Younger son of Frederick II, Elector of Saxony. Divided the Saxon lands, including Thuringia and Meissen, with his brother Ernest in 1485.
	George the Bearded	1500–1539	Son of Albert. Opposed Martin Luther.
	Henry IV the Pious	1539–1541	Brother of George. Introduced Lutheranism to Albertine Saxony.
	Maurice	1541–1553	Son of Henry IV. Became Elector 1547.

Ernestine Dukes of Saxony

Following their displacement by the Albertines, the Ernestine branch of the Wettins continued to rule in southern Thuringia as "Dukes of Saxony", but their lands eventually split up into many different tiny "Ernestine duchies". Of these, Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Saxe-Meiningen, and Saxe-Altenburg lasted until 1918. This article does not list the subsequent Ernestine dukes.

Electors of Saxony

The Golden Bull of 1356 confirmed the right to participate in the election of a Holy Roman Emperor to the Duke of Saxony in the Saxe-Wittenberg line. For the predecessor see the section Ascanian Dukes of Saxe-Wittenberg above in this article.

Electors of Saxony
Ascanian Dynasty
Image	Name	Began	Ended	Notes
	Rudolf I	10 January 1356	11 March 1356	Since 1298 Duke of Saxe-Wittenberg.
	Rudolf II	11 March 1356	6 December 1370	Son of Rudolf I.
	Wenceslaus Wenzel	6 December 1370	15 May 1388	Brother of Rudolf II.
	Rudolf III	15 May 1388	9 June 1419	Son of Wenceslaus.
	Albert III Albrecht II	9 June 1419	12 November 1422	Brother of Rudolf III.
Wettin Dynasty
Image	Name	Began	Ended	Notes
	Frederick I Friedrich I	6 January 1423	4 January 1428	Nicknamed "the Warlike." After the Wittenberg line of the Ascanians 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 section Albertine Dukes of Saxony above in this article).
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 "the Wise." Son of Ernest. Protector of Martin Luther, but a lifelong Catholic.
	John Johann	5 May 1525	16 August 1532	Nicknamed "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 "the Magnanimous." Son of John the Steadfast. Deprived of his Electorate by Emperor Charles V for his role in the Schmalkaldic War. Died 1554.
Albertine Line
	Maurice Moritz	4 June 1547	11 July 1553	Second cousin of John Frederick, 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 Mühlberg.
	Augustus I August I	11 July 1553	12 February 1586	Brother of Maurice. Recognized as Elector by the ousted John Frederick in 1554.
	Christian I	12 February 1586	25 September 1591	Son of Augustus I.
	Christian II	25 September 1591	23 June 1611	Son of Christian I.
	John George I Johann Georg I	23 June 1611	8 October 1656	Brother of Christian II, 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 Johann Georg II	8 October 1656	1 September 1680	Son of John George I.
	John George III Johann Georg III	1 September 1680	22 September 1691	Son of John George II.
	John George IV Johann Georg IV	22 September 1691	27 April 1694	Son of John George III.
	Frederick Augustus I Friedrich August I	27 April 1694	1 February 1733	Brother of John George IV. Converted to Catholicism 1697 in order to compete for the crown of Poland. Took the Polish crown 1697, opposed by Stanisław Leszczyński 1704, forced to renounce the throne 1706, returned as monarch 1709 until his death. Called "the Strong".
	Frederick Augustus II Friedrich August II	1 February 1733	5 October 1763	Son of Frederick Augustus I. Converted to Catholicism 1712. King of Poland 1734–1763. Called ""the Fat" or (in Poland) "the Saxon".
	Frederick Christian Friedrich Christian	5 October 1763	17 December 1763	Son of Frederick Augustus II, raised Catholic.
	Frederick Augustus III Friedrich August III	17 December 1763	20 December 1806	Son of Frederick Christian. His Electorate ceased with the fall of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, and he became King of Saxony. Called "the Just."

Electors of the Holy Roman Empire from 1356 to 1806
Spiritual Mainz Trier Cologne Secular Bohemia Palatine Saxony Brandenburg Added in the 17th century Bavaria (1623) Brunswick-Lüneburg (1692) Added in the 19th century Regensburg Salzburg (1803–1805) Würzburg (1805–1806) Württemberg Baden Hesse

Kings of Saxony

The Holy Roman Empire came to an end in 1806. The Elector of Saxony, allied to Napoleon I, anticipated its dissolution by becoming the ruler of an independent Kingdom of Saxony in 1806.

Kings of Saxony
Wettin Dynasty
Image	Name	Began	Ended	Notes
	Frederick Augustus I Friedrich August I	20 December 1806	5 May 1827	Duke of Warsaw 1807–1813. Called "the Just."
	Anthony Anton	5 May 1827	6 June 1836	Brother of Frederick Augustus I.
	Frederick Augustus II Friedrich August II	6 June 1836	9 August 1854	Nephew of Anthony.
	John Johann	9 August 1854	29 October 1873	Brother of Frederick Augustus II. Became a subordinate ruler in the German Empire after the Unification of Germany in 1871.
	Albert Albert	29 October 1873	19 June 1902	Son of John. Called "the Good".
	George Georg	19 June 1902	15 October 1904	Brother of Albert.
	Frederick Augustus III Friedrich August III	15 October 1904	13 November 1918	Son of George. The last King of Saxony. Abdicated voluntarily in the German Revolution of 1918–19.[9][10]

Heads of the House of Wettin since 1918

The legal line of succession of the house of Wettin has continued to the present, although the house no longer plays any political role. For later rulers, see List of Ministers-President of Saxony.

• King Frederick Augustus III, 1918–1932.
• Margrave Friedrich Christian, 1932–1968.
• Margrave Maria Emanuel, 1968–2012.

  Margrave Albert, 2012 (disputed).

  Margrave Alexander, since 2012 (disputed).

  Margrave Rüdiger, since 2012 (disputed).

See also

• House of Wettin
• Line of succession to the former Saxon thrones
• History of Saxony
• Coat of arms of Saxony

References

External links

• (German) House Laws of the Kingdom of Saxony