August the Strong
| Augustus II | |
|---|---|
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Augustus II the Strong
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| Elector of Saxony | |
| Reign | 27 April 1694 – 1 February 1733 |
| Predecessor | Johann Georg IV |
| Successor | Augustus III of Poland |
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King of Poland Grand Duke of Lithuania |
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| Reign | 15 September 1697–1706 |
| Coronation | 15 September 1697 Wawel Cathedral, Kraków, Poland |
| Predecessor | Jan III |
| Successor | Stanisław I |
| King of Poland | |
| Reign | 1709 – 1 February 1733 |
| Predecessor | Stanisław I |
| Successor | Stanisław I |
| Born |
12 May 1670 Dresden, Electorate of Saxony |
| Died | 1 February 1733 (aged 62) Warsaw, Kingdom of Poland |
| Burial | Katholische Hofkirche, Dresden (heart) Wawel Cathedral, Kraków (body) |
| Spouse | Christiane Eberhardine of Brandenburg-Bayreuth |
| Issue more... |
Augustus III of Poland Maurice de Saxe Johann Georg, Chevalier de Saxe Frederick Augustus Rutowsky Maria Anna Katharina Rutowska Anna Karolina, Countess Orzelska |
| House | Wettin |
| Father | Johann Georg II, Elector of Saxony |
| Mother | Princess Anna Sophie of Denmark |
| Religion |
Roman Catholic (since 1697) Lutheran (until 1697) |
| Signature |  |
Augustus II the Strong (German: August II. der Starke; Polish: August II Mocny; Lithuanian: Augustas II; 12 May 1670 – 1 February 1733) of the Albertine line of the House of Wettin was Elector of Saxony (as Frederick Augustus I), Imperial Vicar and became King of Poland (as August II) and Grand Duke of Lithuania (as Augustas II).
Augustus' great physical strength earned him the nicknames "the Strong", "the Saxon Hercules" and "Iron-Hand". He liked to show that he lived up to his name by breaking horseshoes with his bare hands and engaging in fox tossing by holding the end of his sling with just one finger while two of the strongest men in his court held the other end.
In order to be elected King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Augustus converted to Roman Catholicism. As a Catholic, he received the Order of the Golden Fleece from the Holy Roman Emperor.
As Elector of Saxony, he is perhaps best remembered as a patron of the arts and architecture. He established the Saxon capital of Dresden as a major cultural centre, attracting artists from across Europe to his court. Augustus also amassed an impressive art collection and built lavish baroque palaces in Dresden and Warsaw.
His reigns brought Poland some troubled times. He led the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the Great Northern War, which led to the Russian Empire strengthening its influence in Europe, especially within Poland. His main pursuit was bolstering royal power in the Commonwealth, characterized by broad decentralization in comparison with other European monarchies. He tried to accomplish this goal using foreign powers and thus destabilized the state.
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Wikipedia