The House of Wettin split into two ruling branches in 1485: the Ernestine branch and the Albertine branch. The Albertine branch, while less prominent, ruled most of Saxony and briefly ruled Poland. The Albertine branch converted to Roman Catholicism in order to gain the Polish throne and has remained Roman Catholic ever since.
The first King of Saxony succeeded his father as Friedrich August I, Elector of Saxony and held that position from 1763 to 1806. As Elector of Saxony, Friedrich August was not involved in the establishment of the Confederation of the Rhine, which brought about the end of the Holy Roman Empire. Staying out of the politics, he was drawn in when Napoleon advanced into German territory, siding with Prussia. The Saxony forces suffered significant losses and Friedrich August soon surrendered. He was forced to join the Confederation of the Rhine and had to cede territory to the Kingdom of Westphalia. However, the trade-off was Saxony’s elevation to a kingdom. So on December 20, 1806, Friedrich August became King Friedrich August I of Saxony.
The last King of Saxony, Friedrich August III became King upon his father’s death on October 15, 1904. Much more popular than his father had been, he worked to strengthen the Saxony economy, and increase the right to vote for all citizens. By the end of World War I, unrest had reached most of the major cities in Saxony. Unlike many of his peers, Friedrich August refused to suppress the uprisings by military force. Instead, on November 13, 1918, he released the allegiance of his military, and formally abdicated the Saxony throne, bringing about the end of the monarchy. Today, the land that was once the Kingdom of Saxony is located in the German state of Saxony, in the east of Germany, bordering Poland and the Czech Republic.
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Below is an indexed listing with links to biographical articles about the Saxony Royal Family at Unofficial Royalty. Also listed below are links to Saxony Miscellaneous Articles and Saxony Content Areas.
House of Wettin, Albertine Branch – Dukes, Electors, and Kings of Saxony (1464 – 1918)
Kingdom of Saxony (1806 – 1918)
Family of Friedrich August I, King of Saxony
- Friedrich August I, King of Saxony (reigned as Elector of Saxony 1763 – 1806, King of Saxony 1806 – 1827)
- Amalie of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld, Queen of Saxony (had one daughter)
Family of Anton, King of Saxony
- Anton, King of Saxony (brother of Friedrich August I, reigned 1827 – 1836)
- Maria Carolina of Savoy, Electoral Princess of Saxony (1st wife, no issue)
- Maria Theresa of Austria, Queen of Saxony (2nd wife, no surviving issue)
Family of Friedrich August II, King of Saxony
- Friedrich August II, King of Saxony (nephew of Anton, reigned 1836 – 1854)
- Maria Karoline of Austria, Crown Princess of Saxony (1st wife, no issue)
- Maria Anna of Bavaria, Queen of Saxony (2nd wife, no issue)
Family of Johann, King of Saxony
- Johann, King of Saxony (brother of Friedrich August II, reigned 1854 – 1873)
- Amalie Auguste of Bavaria, Queen of Saxony
- Notable Issue: Albert, King of Saxony (see below)
- Notable Issue: Georg, King of Saxony (see below)
- Notable Issue: Maria Anna of Saxony, Grand Duchess of Tuscany
Family of Albert, King of Saxony
- Albert, King of Saxony (reigned 1873 – 1902)
- Carola of Vasa, Queen of Saxony (no issue)
Family of Georg, King of Saxony
- Georg, King of Saxony (reigned 1902 – 1904)
- Maria Ana of Portugal, Princess George of Saxony
- Notable Issue: Friedrich August III, King of Saxony (see below)
- Notable Issue: Maria Josepha of Saxony, Archduchess of Austria
Family of Friedrich August III, King of Saxony
- Friedrich August III, King of Saxony (reigned 1904 – 1918, monarchy abolished)
- Luise of Austria, Crown Princess of Saxony (had issue)
Pretenders to the Throne
- LAST REIGNING: King Friedrich August III of Saxony
- Former: Friedrich Christian, Margrave of Meissen
- Former: Maria Emanuel, Margrave of Meissen
- Former: Albert, Margrave of Meissen
- Current: Prince Alexander of Saxe-Gessaphe, Margrave of Meissen
- Current: Rudiger, Duke of Saxony, Margrave of Meissen
Other Saxony Royals
- Anna of Saxony, Princess of Orange (daughter of Maurice, Elector of Saxony)
- Christina of Saxony, Queen of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden (daughter of Ernst, Elector of Saxony)
- Maria Amalia of Saxony, Queen of Spain, Queen of Naples and Sicily (daughter of Friedrich August II, Elector of Saxony)
- Maria Ferdinanda of Saxony, Grand Duchess of Tuscany (granddaughter of Friedrich Christian, Elector of Saxony)
- Maria Josepha Amalia of Saxony, Queen of Spain (granddaughter of Friedrich Christian, Elector of Saxony)
- Maria Anna of Saxony, Grand Duchess of Tuscany (granddaughter of Friedrich Christian, Elector of Saxony)
- Maria Josepha of Saxony, Dauphine of France (daughter of Augustus III, Elector of Saxony, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania)