Frederick Iii Of Saxony
Frederick III of Saxony, also known as Frederick III the Wise (born 17 January 1463 at Torgau - died on 5 May 1525 ) was Duke of Saxony and Elector from 1486 until his death in 1525. Descendant of the House of Wettin , Frederick was the son of Ernest of Saxony and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Albert III of Bavaria.
Summary |
Biography
Deeply religious, Frederick III followed practices Catholics of his time: daily Mass, devotional works, the cult of Mary , the saints and relics. He collected these with a passion and regularly enriches the collection he had begun during his pilgrimage to the Holy Land made in 1493. It was the final possession of the third largest collection of relics. Lucas Cranach the Elder , that Frederick was appointed court painter in 1505, realized in 1509 a detailed woodcut of these relics in the castle of Wittenberg.
Frederick founded the University of Wittenberg in 1502 , which taught including Martin Luther and Philipp Melanchthon. He counted among the German princes who lobbied Maximilian I to reform the institutions of the Holy Roman Empire. Frederick received in 1500 the presidency of the new Council of Regency (Reichsregiment).
Frederick of Saxony has played an important role in the election to the imperial throne in 1519. He was the candidate endorsed by Pope Leo X , the latter wishing neither the King of France Francis I , or Charles V , both considered too dangerous for the Papal States. After the French camp itself was stored at his side, he had the best chance of being elected but declined the election. Charles V had to sign electoral capitulations prepared by Frederick III that increased the power of ruling princes within the Empire to receive its support. Charles V was then unanimously elected June 28, 1519.
Near Luther, the Duke of Saxony that he obtained was interviewed during the Diet of Worms in 1521 , and then made sure that Saxony would be exempted from applying the Edict of Worms , hostile to Lutheranism. Frederick protected Luther against the edict by taking him to Wartburg Castle , following the diet. In 1523 , he consented to put an end to the veneration of relics in the Catholic religion.
Frederick of Saxony died unmarried in Langau , near Annaberg , in 1525. His brother John I of Saxony (1468-1532) , known as "Insured", succeeded him as an elector of Saxony.
See also
Bibliography
- (De) Khnel Klaus Friedrich der Weise, Kurfrst von Sachsen. Eine Biographie, Wittenberg 2004, ( ISBN 3-933028-81-7 ).
- (De) Ingetraut Ludolphy, Friedrich der Weise von Sachsen Kusrfrst. 1463-1525, Gttingen 1984 ( ISBN 3-525-55392-7 ).
Sources
- (De) This article is partially or entirely from the article in German entitled " Friedrich III. (Sachsen) "(see the list of authors )
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