Saxony

Duchy of Saxony (531-1296, 1485-1547), Electorate of Saxony (1356-1485, 1547-1806), Kingdom of Saxony (1806-1918)

Independent State (531-804, 1813-1871), State of the Holy Roman Empire (804-1296, 1485-1806), State of the Confederation of the Rhine (1806-1813), State of the German Empire (1871-1918)

Location: Northeast Germany

Capital City: Marklo (531-804), Allstedt (804-1296), Wittenberg (1356-1485), Dresden (1485-1918)

Government type: Monarchy (531-1296, 1356-1806), Absolute Monarchy (1806-1831), Constitutional Monarchy (1831-1918)

Main languages: German

Main religions: Protestant Christianity

Chronology

531:Saxon Duchy established by Duke Hadugato

804: End of the Saxon wars and incoprotation of Saxony into the Frankish Empire

1296: Partitioned into Saxe-Lauenburg and Saxe-Wittenberg

1356: Saxe-Wittenberg becomes the Electorate of Saxony

1485: Split into the Albertine Duchy and Ernestine Electorate

1547: Albertines gain electoral title

1697-1704: Personal Union with Poland-Lithuania

1709-1733: Personal Union with Poland-Lithuania

1734-1763: Personal Union with Poland-Lithuania

1756-1763: Occupied by Prussia

1806: Elector becomes King with the end of the HRE

1806-1813: Part of the Confederation of the Rhine

1807-1815: Personal Union with Warsaw

1871: State of the German Empire

Note: From 1485-1572, there were two states called Saxony, one styled as an electorate, the other as a duchy. In 1485, The Electorate, established in 1356, was split by the Treaty of Leipzig between the sons of Elector Friedrich II, Ernst and Albrecht. Ernst, the elder brother, recieved the western part, which had the electoral title, and Albrect recieved the eastern part, and the title of Duke of Saxony, these are known as Ernestine Saxony and Albertine Saxony after the founders of the two lines. In 1547, as a result of the Schmalkaldic War, the Ernestine Elector Johann Friedrich I was made to sign the Capitulation of Wittenberg, passing the electoral title to the Albertine line's Duke Moritz, who in turn gave the ducal title to Johann Friedrich, effectivley swapping the titles of the two states. In 1572, Ernestine Saxony would be split up into what became the Ernestine Duchies, leaving Albertine Saxony as the only remaining state with the name. After the date of the Treaty of Leipzig in 1485, This page deals with just Albertine Saxony.

Currency

Denier (973-1296)

Pfennig (1356-1492)

1 Pfennig = 2 Heller • 1 Spitzgroschen = 6 Pfennige • 1 Groschen = 12 Pfennige

First Thaler (1492-1805)

1 Thaler = 24 Groschen = 96 Dreier = 120 Kreuzer = 288 Pfennige = 576 Heller • 1 Ducat = 3.5 Thaler

Second Thaler (1805-1839)

1 Thaler = 24 Groschen = 288 Pfennige

Third Thaler (1839-1871)

1 Thaler = 30 Neugroschen = 300 Pfennige

Coins from Saxony in the collection

Albertine Electorate (1547-1806)

•1/24 Thaler, 1763 (Elector Friedrich August II (1733-1763), billon, Leipzig mint, KM#946)

Kingdom (1806-1918)

•2 Pfennig, 1864 (King Johann I (1854-1873), copper, Dresden mint, KM#1217)

•1/6 Thaler, 1851 (King Friedrich August II (1836-1854), silver (.521), Dresden mint, KM#1176)