Friedrich August III, King of Saxony

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Kingdom of Saxony: The rulers of the Electorate of Saxony of the House of Wettin had held the title of Elector for several centuries. Friedrich August III, Elector of Saxony 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 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. On November 13, 1918, the last King of Saxony, Friedrich August III 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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Friedrich August III, King of Saxony- Source: Wikipedia

Friedrich August III, King of Saxony

King Friedrich August III was the last King of Saxony, reigning from 1904 until 1918. He was born Friedrich August Johann Ludwig Karl Gustav Gregor Philipp on May 25, 1865, in Dresden, Kingdom of Saxony, now in the German state of Saxony, the eldest son of King Georg of Saxony and Infanta Maria Ana of Portugal. He had seven siblings:

Archduchess Luise of Austria. source: Wikipedia

Friedrich August began his military career at age 12, entering the Saxony Army as a second lieutenant, and serving with various regiments over the next 27 years before his accession to the throne. On November 21, 1891, he married Archduchess Luise of Austria, Princess of Tuscany, the daughter of Ferdinando IV, Grand Duke of Tuscany and Princess Alicia of Bourbon-Parma. They had seven children:

The marriage quickly broke down, as Luise was unwilling to conform to the strict protocols of the Saxony court, and Friedrich August failed to stand up for her or support her. She began an affair with their children’s tutor and caused quite a scandal. Friedrich August’s father threatened to have her interned at a mental asylum in 1902, which led to Luise fleeing the country while pregnant with their youngest child. The marriage ended in divorce, by royal decree of King Georg in 1903.

Friedrich August became King of Saxony 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.

Friedrich August III with his children, c1914. source: Wikipedia

Friedrich August retired to Sibyllenort Castle in Lower Silesia (now Poland) where he would live the rest of his life. He spent his time hunting and traveling around the world. King Friedrich August III died at Sibyllenort on February 18, 1932, after suffering a stroke. His remains were brought to Dresden where he was buried in the Wettin Crypt at the Dresden Cathedral, formerly known as the Katholische Hofkirche (Catholic Church of the Royal Court of Saxony), Dresden, Saxony, Germany.

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