George | |
---|---|
Portrait by Lucas Cranach the Elder
|
|
Duke of Saxony; Margrave of Meissen | |
Reign | 12 September 1500 – 17 April 1539 |
Predecessor | Albert III & IV |
Successor | Henry IV |
Born |
Meissen |
27 August 1471
Died | 17 April 1539 Dresden |
(aged 67)
Spouse | Barbara Jagiellon |
Issue more... |
John, Hereditary Duke of Saxony Frederick, Hereditary Duke of Saxony Christine, Landgravine of Hesse Magdalena, Electoral Princess of Brandeburg |
House |
House of Wettin Albertine Line |
Father | Albert III, Duke of Saxony |
Mother | Sidonie Podiebrad |
Religion | Roman Catholicism |
George the Bearded, Duke of Saxony (Meissen, 27 August 1471 – Dresden, 17 April 1539), was duke of Saxony from 1500 to 1539.
Duke George was a member of the Order of the Golden Fleece.
His father was Albert the Brave of Saxony, founder of the Albertine line of the Wettin family, his mother was Sidonie, daughter of George Podiebrad, King of Bohemia. Elector Frederick the Wise, a member of the Ernestine branch of the same family, known for his protection of Luther, was a cousin of Duke George.
George, as the eldest son, received an excellent training in theology and other branches of learning, and was thus much better educated than most of the princes of his day.
As early as 1488, when his father was in East Frisia fighting on behalf of the emperor, George was regent of the ducal possessions, which included the Margraviate of Meissen with the cities of Dresden and Leipzig.
George was married at Dresden, on 21 November 1496, to Barbara Jagiellon, daughter of Casimir IV, King of Poland and Elisabeth, daughter of Albrecht II of Hungary. They had ten children, but all, with the exception of a daughter, died before their father:
Sidonie of Bohemia
Barbara Duchess of Saxony