Albert III, Duke of Saxe-Wittenberg
Encyclopedia
Duke Albert III of Saxe-Wittenberg was the last Wittenberg Ascanian
and prince-elector
of the German Nation
.
was poisoned in 1419 and died, his younger brother Albert III, (first mentioned in 1407), also known as Albert the Poor, took over the running of Saxe-Wittenberg
. Albert III discovered on taking the rule of a land exhausted by many wars and an empty state purse. As a result he could scarcely afford any servants and led a very lonely life.
In order to generate some income he controversially imposed the right to charge stall taxes on markets in the town of Wittenberg in 1421. He got into such conflict with the townsfolk that it almost led to an armed clash, because this right had belonged to the town of Wittenberg for generations. Finally Prince-Elector Frederick of Brandenburg
, was called in to referee the dispute. He decided that the behaviour of the townsfolk to their lord was inappropriate, but supported their market taxation rights on condition that an apology was made to the lord. In the third year of his reign the prince-elector died as a result of an accidental fire in a farmhouse on the Lochau Heath, where he was overnighting with his wife during a hunt. The fire came so close to them that he and his wife, dressed only in nightshirts had to be rescued through a window. Several of his servants died in the flames. The prince-elector was so shocked by this incident that he died a few days later in Wittenberg. He was buried in the Franciscan chapel there. With his death, Ascanian rule in Saxe-Wittenberg
came to an end.
and married Euphemia (Offka) of Oels, the daughter of Duke Conrad II of Oels
on 14 January 1420. This marriage was childless. In 1422 his widow was given the castle in Liebenwerda as an inheritance (Leibgedinge) and married Prince George I of Anhalt-Zerbst in 1432 . She died in 1444.
Ascanian
The House of Ascania was a dynasty of German rulers. It was also known as the House of Anhalt, after Anhalt, its longest-held possession.The Ascanians are named after Ascania Castle, which is located near and named after Aschersleben...
and prince-elector
Prince-elector
The Prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire were the members of the electoral college of the Holy Roman Empire, having the function of electing the Roman king or, from the middle of the 16th century onwards, directly the Holy Roman Emperor.The heir-apparent to a prince-elector was known as an...
of the German Nation
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
.
Life
When Prince-Elector Rudolf IIIRudolf III, Duke of Saxe-Wittenberg
Duke Rudolf III of Saxe-Wittenberg was a member of the House of Ascania and Elector of Saxony. He ruled Saxe-Wittenberg from 1388-1419.- Life :...
was poisoned in 1419 and died, his younger brother Albert III, (first mentioned in 1407), also known as Albert the Poor, took over the running of Saxe-Wittenberg
Saxe-Wittenberg
The Duchy of Saxe-Wittenberg was a medieval duchy of the Holy Roman Empire centered at Wittenberg, which emerged after the dissolution of the stem duchy of Saxony. As the precursor of the Saxon Electorate, the Ascanian Wittenberg dukes prevailed in obtaining the Saxon electoral dignity.-Ascanian...
. Albert III discovered on taking the rule of a land exhausted by many wars and an empty state purse. As a result he could scarcely afford any servants and led a very lonely life.
In order to generate some income he controversially imposed the right to charge stall taxes on markets in the town of Wittenberg in 1421. He got into such conflict with the townsfolk that it almost led to an armed clash, because this right had belonged to the town of Wittenberg for generations. Finally Prince-Elector Frederick of Brandenburg
Frederick I, Elector of Brandenburg
Frederick was Burgrave of Nuremberg as Frederick VI and Elector of Brandenburg as Frederick I. He was a son of Burgrave Frederick V of Nuremberg and Elisabeth of Meissen, and was the first member of the House of Hohenzollern to rule the Margraviate of Brandenburg.- Biography :Frederick entered...
, was called in to referee the dispute. He decided that the behaviour of the townsfolk to their lord was inappropriate, but supported their market taxation rights on condition that an apology was made to the lord. In the third year of his reign the prince-elector died as a result of an accidental fire in a farmhouse on the Lochau Heath, where he was overnighting with his wife during a hunt. The fire came so close to them that he and his wife, dressed only in nightshirts had to be rescued through a window. Several of his servants died in the flames. The prince-elector was so shocked by this incident that he died a few days later in Wittenberg. He was buried in the Franciscan chapel there. With his death, Ascanian rule in Saxe-Wittenberg
Saxe-Wittenberg
The Duchy of Saxe-Wittenberg was a medieval duchy of the Holy Roman Empire centered at Wittenberg, which emerged after the dissolution of the stem duchy of Saxony. As the precursor of the Saxon Electorate, the Ascanian Wittenberg dukes prevailed in obtaining the Saxon electoral dignity.-Ascanian...
came to an end.
Family
He was the son of Duke Wenceslas of SaxonyWenceslas I, Duke of Saxe-Wittenberg
Wenceslas I, Duke of Saxe-Wittenberg from the House of Ascania ruled from 1370 to 1388 and was a prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire as well as Prince of Lüneburg. He was the son of Rudolf I and his 3rd wife, Agnes of Lindow.- Life :In 1370 Wenceslas succeeded his brother Rudolf II...
and married Euphemia (Offka) of Oels, the daughter of Duke Conrad II of Oels
Duchy of Oels
The Duchy of Oels or Duchy of Oleśnica was one of the duchies of Silesia, with the capital in Oleśnica, Poland.Initially part of the Piast Duchy of Wrocław, the Oleśnica area became part of the Duchy of Głogów in 1294, following an armed conflict between Duke Henry III and Henry V the Fat, Duke of...
on 14 January 1420. This marriage was childless. In 1422 his widow was given the castle in Liebenwerda as an inheritance (Leibgedinge) and married Prince George I of Anhalt-Zerbst in 1432 . She died in 1444.