Procession of princes (Germany) - description, history, location. Exact address, phone number, website. Reviews of tourists, photos and videos.
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The outer wall of the Stahlhof, a long gallery linking Dresden Castle with the Stables, where the Museum of Transport is now located, is decorated with the "Procession of Princes" - a graphic chronicle of the Wettin family, who ruled Saxony for almost 900 years. First, an open-air fresco in 1876 was painted by Wilhelm Walter in honor of the 8th anniversary of the ruling dynasty, but his creation was quickly spoiled by winds and rains. After 30 years, the masters of the Meissen manufactory transferred the image to the tiles, burned them and laid out the world's largest porcelain panel. American bombing destroyed Dresden, but this wall miraculously survived.
What to see
A walk along the majestic picture is tantamount to a lecture on the history of Saxony. A solemn procession stretched for 101 meters with the participation of 35 counts, electors, kings and another 59 people of the accompanying retinue of heralds, soldiers, students, professors, peasants, miners and artists. The first to speak is the legendary founder of the dynasty, the owner of the Lusatian Mark, Henry I. Historians to this day argue about the time of his reign.
But the rest of the characters are indicated not only by dates and names, but also by popular nicknames. All of them are painted with portrait resemblance, in costumes and with weapons of the corresponding era. The last Saxon king Albert III is not in the picture; when creating the original fresco, he was still small, and when it was transferred to porcelain, he himself forbade changing any details.
The procession is closed by a self-portrait of Wilhelm Walter himself, surrounded by colleagues examining the sketch of the "Procession". Next to him are children, among them a girl in a wreath, the only female in the picture. Who is the artist's daughter? Unknown.
Practical Information
Address: Dresden, Taschenberg, 2.
How to get there: by trams No. 4, 8, 9 to the stop. Theaterplatz.
On the Auguststrasse street from the outside of the Horse Yard. The wall mural, 102 meters long, was made in the sgraffito technique from 1872 to 1876, designed by Wilhelm Walter. In 1907, the painting, poorly stored outdoors, was transferred to a ceramic base of about 25,000 seamlessly laid Meissen porcelain tiles. The panel was miraculously not damaged during the bombing of Dresden at the end of World War II: only 200 tiles had to be replaced.
The picture shows the Margraves, Electors, Dukes and Kings of the House of Wettin who ruled in Saxony and left their marks in its history.
On the left side of the panel is the inscription Ein Furstenstamm Dess Heldenlauf Reicht Bis Zu Unsern Tagen, In Grauer Vorzeit Ging Er Auf Mit Unsres Volkes Sagen. In my amateurish translation - "The family of Princes with glory goes from the time of hoary antiquity to the present day in folk legends."
At the beginning of the procession - heralds, trumpeters, standard-bearers:
Rulers:
1. Conrad the Great. Founder of the Wettin dynasty. Ruled 1123–1156. Margrave of Meissen. In 1125 he received the Royal Warrant for the Margraviate of Meissen.
2. Otto the Rich. Ruled 1156–1190. Margrave of Meissen. Under him, the Freiberg silver mines were first developed. His statue is on market square Freiberg.
3. Albrecht the Proud. Ruled 1190–1195. Margrave of Meissen.
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4. Dietrich I the Oppressed. Ruled 1197–1221. Margrave of Meissen. The elder brother of Albrecht the Proud, when he inherited the throne, was deprived, therefore he received this nickname.
5. Henry III the Most Serene. Ruled 1221–1288. Margrave of Meissen. Under him, the House of Wettin flourished. Received the landgraviate of Thuringia, including the county palatine of Saxony. The first stone bridge across the Elbe was built.
* * *
6. Albrecht II Unfit. Ruled 1288–1307. Margrave of Meissen. Received a nickname for constant wars with his father, brother and his sons from his first marriage.
7. Frederick I the Bitten. Ruled 1307–1323. Margrave of Meissen. He got his nickname because his mother, Margarita, daughter of Emperor Frederick II of Hohenstaufen, running away from her husband (Albrecht II), who treated her cruelly, bit his cheek during parting with her son during convulsive sobs.
8. Frederick II the Serious. Ruled 1323–1349. Margrave of Meissen. Son-in-law of the German King Ludwig of Bavaria. After his death, he received an offer from the German crown, but refused in favor of Charles IV of Luxembourg.
9. Frederick III the Strict. Ruled 1349–1381. Margrave of Meissen.
* * *
10. Frederick I the Warlike. Reigned as Margrave of Meissen 1407–1428, as Elector of Saxony 1423–1428. Also known as Frederick IV the Grumpy, Margrave of Meissen. In 1409 he founded the university in Leipzig. In gratitude for his help in the fight against the Hussite movement, King Sigismund of Bohemia granted him the Duchy of Saxe-Wittenberg, which included the title of Elector (Elector of Emperors) and the position of hereditary Reichsmarschall. In 1423 he received the title of Duke and Elector of Saxony, so the picture is depicted in a hat, cape and with the Elector's sword. When the Saxon army was destroyed by the Hussites, and the Imperial army led by Frederick fled at their sight, Frederick died of grief.
* * *
11. Frederick II the Peaceful. Ruled 1428–1464. Elector of Saxony.
12. Ernst. Ruled 1464-1486 together with his brother Albrecht. Elector of Saxony. He built the Albrechtsburg fortress in Meissen.
13. Albrecht III the Brave. Ruled 1464–1485 with brother Ernst as Elector of Saxony. In 1485, the estates were divided, which led to the formation of two lines of the House of Wettin - Ernestine and Albertine. In 1486-1500 - Duke of Saxony and Margrave of Meissen; residence in Dresden.
* * *
Mottos above:
"The word of God is eternal" (lat. Verbum Domini Manet in Aeternum)
"Praise be to you, God" (lat. Laus Tibi Deo)
“My faith is in God” (lat. Spes mea in Deo est). By the way, this is also the motto of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry
14. Frederick III the Wise. Ruled 1486–1525. Elector of Saxony. Residences in Wittenberg and Torgau. Founded the University of Wittenberg in 1502, supported the Reformation and Martin Luther, gave him refuge in the Wartburg.
15. Johann Solid. Ruled 1525–1532. Elector of Saxony from the Ernestine line. Lived in Wittenberg and Torgau. Leader of the Protestant Schmalkaldic League.
16. Johann Friedrich the Magnanimous. Ruled 1532–1547. Elector of Saxony from the Ernestine line. Lived in Wittenberg and Torgau. Protestant, in 1547 he was captured by the troops of the Emperor and lost the title of Elector and part of the land in favor of the Albertine line.
* * *
Mottos above:
“Blessed be the name of the Lord” (German: der Name des Herrn sei gelobt). Bible: Job 20-22
"God is my help and salvation" (German: Gott is mein Helfer und Erretter). Bible: Psalm 70
17. George I the Bearded. Ruled 1500–1539. Duke of Saxony from the Albertine line. Residence in Dresden. Catholic.
18. Henry V the Pious. Ruled 1539–1541. Duke of Saxony from the Albertine line. Residence in Dresden. Lutheran.
* * *
Mottos above:
“In the end, a good deed wins” (German: Endlich eberwindet die gute Sache)
“The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord” (German: Die Furcht des Herrn ist er Weisheit Anfang). Bible: Proverbs 9:10
"Christ is the goal of my life" (German: Christus meines Lebens Ziel)
19. Moritz. Ruled 1541–1547 as Duke of Saxony, 1548–1553 as Elector of Saxony. Residence in Dresden. He successfully fought on the side of the Catholic Emperor Charles V against the Protestant princes from the Schmalkaldic League. He received lands and the title of Elector for his service. Depicted on the Moritz monument in the upper part of the bastion at the end of the Bryulevskaya terrace, holding out the Emperor's sword to his brother August.
20. August. Ruled 1553–1586. Elector of Saxony. He laid the foundation for the collection of subjects of sciences and arts in the Dresden Castle. He was called "Father August" for his achievements in the field of economy and government, and also for the fact that he had 15 children.
21. Christian I Ruled 1586–1591. Elector of Saxony.
22. Christian II. Ruled 1591–1611. Elector of Saxony.
23. Johann George I Ruled 1611–1656. Elector of Saxony. In the Thirty Years' War, at first, for tactical reasons, he maneuvered between Protestants and Catholics. In 1631 he entered into an alliance with Sweden; in 1635 he got out of the war through the Peace of Prague, acquiring Lower and Upper Lusatia.
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Mottos above:
"God and Fatherland" (German: Gott und der Vaterlande)
“The Lord is my banner” (German: Der Herr ist mein Panier)
24. Johann George II Ruled 1656–1680. Elector of Saxony. A contemporary of the French Sun King Louis XIV, under whom absolutism reached its apogee. Dresden became a cultural center. The Leipzig Fair has become one of the most important European markets.
25. Johann George III. Ruled 1680–1691. Elector of Saxony. He took part in the liberation of Vienna, besieged by the Turks.
26. Johann George IV. Ruled 1691–1694. Elector of Saxony.
27. Friedrich August I Ruled 1694–1733 as Elector of Saxony. Since 1697, the King of Poland and the Grand Duke of Lithuania under the name August II, for which he converted to Catholicism. Under him there was a flourishing of baroque art; Meissen Porcelain Manufactory founded. Dresden reached its architectural climax: the Zwinger was built. He was nicknamed for his great physical strength. The gilded equestrian statue of Augustus is located on the Neustadter Markt in Dresden.
28. Friedrich August II. Ruled 1733-1763 as Elector of Saxony, 1734-1763 as King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania under the name August III. Corruption and the influence of the minister, Count Heinrich von Brühl, spread under him. Saxony sacked by the Prussian forces of Frederick II during the Seven Years' War (1756–1763). He patronized the arts, acquired outstanding works for the art gallery. The Catholic Court Church was built.
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Motto above:
“Remember Providence” (lat. Providentiae Memor). Motto of the Kingdom of Saxony until the end of its existence
29. Friedrich Christian. Ruled 1763. Elector of Saxony. Removed Brühl. Major constitutional reforms have begun.
30. Friedrich August III the Just. Ruled 1763–1827 as Elector of Saxony. He joined Napoleon and joined the Confederation of the Rhine. Received Royal status in 1806 and since then ruled as King Friedrich August I of Saxony. He was defeated in the Battle of the Nations near Leipzig. Lost 2/3 of the territory in favor of Prussia. The monument is located on the Japanese Square in Dresden.
31. Anton Kind. Ruled 1827–1836. King of Saxony. The revolutionary uprisings of 1830-1831 led to the establishment of a constitutional Monarchy.
32. Friedrich August. Ruled 1836–1854. King of Saxony. He freed the peasants from serfdom and hereditary allegiance. In May 1849, with the help of the Prussian troops, the revolution was suppressed.
33. Johann. Ruled 1854–1873. King of Saxony. In 1871 Saxony joined the German Empire. Translated under the pseudonym Filalet into German Divine Comedy Dante. The equestrian statue is located on the Theater Square in Dresden.
34. Albert. Ruled 1873–1902. King of Saxony.
35. Georg. Ruled 1902–1904. King of Saxony.
Not in the picture: 36. Friedrich August III. Ruled 1904–1918. King of Saxony. Abdicated on November 3, 1918 as a result of the revolution.
At the end of the procession are artists, scientists, artisans, miners, peasants, students of the School of the Cross in Dresden, students of the Dresden Higher Technical School and the University of Leipzig. One of the artists depicted in the painting is the Biedermeier master Ludwig Richter, and the most recent is Wilhelm Walter himself.
The inscription completes the picture: Alter Stamm Sei Stets Erneut In Edler Fürsten Reihe, Wie Alle Zeit Dein Volk Dir Weiht Alte Deutsche Treue - “To you, an ancient family that forever continues in a noble row of princes, at all times your people dedicate ancient German loyalty.”
"Procession of Princes", or "Fürstenzug" (German: Fürstenzug), is the world's largest panel created from porcelain tiles. But the panel is famous not only for its size, but for its grandiose ideological concept and its magnificent artistic embodiment.
The masterpiece is located in the capital of Saxony - Dresden, in the castle-residence of the Saxon rulers, on the front side of the Stahlhof (German: Stallhof) - the Stable Yard, which is the only site for knightly tournaments that has survived in Europe since the Middle Ages.
The panel is made of 25,000 Meissen porcelain tiles on the northern wall of the Stahlhof Gallery "Long Run". Sometimes they call the figure 23,000, based on calculations of the area of panels and tiles. If you are interested, you can calculate for yourself: the length of the panel is 101.9 m, the height is 10.5 m; dimensions of square tiles - 20.5 cm by 20.5 cm.
However, a thousand more or less - it becomes completely unimportant when you see a grandiose procession of the Wettins marching through the centuries, millennia - the glorious and sometimes inglorious Saxon princes - and their subjects.
Organizers and rulers of the Saxon land
The porcelain panel depicts a solemn procession in which - Saxon kings, margraves, dukes, bannermen, heralds, scientists, knights, artists, minstrels, artisans, farmers and children "depart" from 1123 and "come" in 1904.
The year 1123 was not chosen by chance as a starting point. At this time, the Margrave of Meissen, Conrad, later called the Great, comes to power. Konrad is the first in this procession, because it was he who increased the Wettin possessions several times, making the family one of the most powerful.
Conrad is followed by Otto, Albrecht I the Proud, Dietrich I and on, on - the entire princely-royal dynasty in strict chronological order. Under each rider there is an inscription with the full name and years of reign, each is depicted in an exact portrait resemblance and in the costume of the era in which he ruled.
The only thing missing in the dynastic gallery is Henry I, Count of Eulenburg, and the last Saxon king, Frederick Augustus III. At the time of the creation of the panel, he was still a child.
The total number of characters on the panel is 94. Among them are 35 rulers of Saxony and 59 subjects. The procession begins with the obligatory participants in the parade processions - the herald and the minstrels, followed by the standard bearers, then the Wettins, in the final group - Dresden gymnasium students, students of the classical university of Leipzig and Technical University Dresden, sculptors Johannes Schilling and Ernst Haenel, artists Ludwig Richter and Julius Hübner, who is holding a sketch of the "Procession of Princes" in his hands. The last of these is depicted as a sign of gratitude to the author of the picture for the order received. The author himself - Wilhelm Walter - goes last, accompanied by his students.
We did not make a reservation: Walter painted exactly the picture. Only a few years later she became porcelain.
The history of the painting that turned into a panel
Porcelain panel - the third image on the wall of Stahlhof. At the end of the 16th century, a fresco adorns the wall. In the 19th century, from 1872 to 1876, Walther worked on the design of the wall: he won an order to create a monumental canvas in honor of the 800th anniversary of the Wettin dynasty. The artist creates a portrait and chronological gallery using the sgraffito technique.
This work is very time consuming and difficult, because the images are created by applying differently colored layers of plaster, which are then scraped off in the right places to get a picture.
However, the graffito technique, famous for its durability, failed this time. The painting quickly began to deteriorate, and in 1904 it was decided to transfer it to ceramic tiles.
The legendary Meissen factory became the manufacturer of the tiles. Its engineers have developed a special composition and a new technology of triple firing at temperatures above 1350°C. The tiles were fixed seamlessly on the wall - and again a magnificent procession moved to the delight of the townspeople, linking times and people.
... During the war, Dresden was subjected to terrible bombardments. But the panel miraculously survived. Only 654 tiles were subsequently replaced, of which 212 were completely destroyed, and the rest - partially.
However, they still feared for the panel - and in 1957 the authorities forbade trucks to pass along a nearby street, so as not to speed up the destruction by vibration.
In 1979 - 1980, the "Procession of Princes" was restored, fixing the tiles and cleaning them from years of urban deposits and traces of the war.
In 2006, Dresden celebrated its 800th anniversary with pomp and pomp. And this date received its own - new - picture, only now - alive. The panel was recreated by the townspeople, dressed up in historical costumes and made up as heroes of the canvas, which has become a symbol and guardian of the city. Now the Rochlitz castle keeps the costumes, where everyone can see them.
The preparation of the living picture also led to unexpected discoveries. A scrupulous study of the “Procession of Princes” turned out that there were not 93 participants in the picture, but 94. Another one is hiding behind a retinue of rulers, betraying the presence only with a flag and a headdress. It is also interesting that there are no women in the picture at all - only a girl. There are two more greyhounds.
It is known that such canvases have always carried a symbolic meaning that goes beyond the plot. Who knows: someday the “Procession of Princes” will present more discoveries, perhaps even prophetic ones.
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The panel on the wall of the royal palace was made in 1871-1876 by Wilhelm Walter, then transferred to porcelain in 1904-1907. Almost did not suffer during the bombing of 1945 and the floods of 2002.
The panel depicts princes and kings from the Wettin dynasty, who ruled Meissen and Saxony from the 12th to the early 20th centuries. Consider history and dynasty (whose descendant is Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, descended from the German princes of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha).
There are no first Wettins on the panel who ruled Meissen - Henry I (1070-1103, from 1089 Meissen), his son Henry II (1103-23) and the last king of Saxony Friedrich-August III (1865-1918, king in 1904- 18), who was a child at the time of the creation of the panel. The first margraves of Meissen are apparently not depicted because they were not the direct ancestors of the kings of Saxony, but came from the same house of the Wettins.
Genealogist of the European nobility Paul Teroff points out: The legendary founder of the dynasty is a certain Wittekind, the leader of one of the Saxon tribes, who converted to Christianity under Charlemagne. The first historically provable representative of the dynasty was Dietrich Count Hassegau, who lived in the tenth century. His great-great-grandson was Henry I, who received the Meissen brand from Emperor Henry IV. To secure the lands, Henry I in 1102 married Gertrude (1060-1117), the heiress of the previous dynasty of rulers of the Margraviate of Meissen. Their son Henry II (1103-23) was born after the death of his father, fought for power with relatives and other German princes, died young, leaving no heirs.
Who continued to rule Saxony and remained depicted on the panel of the royal palace. Let us trace the history of the Saxon monarchs.
The new margrave of Meissen was Henry I's cousin Konrad, nicknamed the Great. He became the direct ancestor of the kings of Saxony and leads the procession of princes. His father, Timo Count Brenna, built Wettin Castle, which gave the dynasty its surname. Wettin is located on the territory of the historical Saxony, now it is the state of Saxony-Anhalt. Since the dynasty in Meissen came from Saxony, this name spread to the territory of Meissen and Lusatia, the Slavic land.
Conrad I the Great (1097-1157) from 1123 became Margrave of Meissen with the support of Emperor Lothair II. He was marked by crusades against the Slavs who inhabited the territory of modern East Germany. In 1156 he abdicated and became a monk.
The following two princes: - Otto II the Rich (1125-90, margrave from 1156), the nickname was given to him by his descendants for his attention to the economic development of the lands, under him the extraction of silver ore began, which brought wealth to the Wettins, cities, monasteries, rural settlements were founded .
- the son of Otto Albrecht the Proud (1158-95), who opposed his father during his lifetime, but was reconciled with him on a historical panel. Albrecht was at enmity with his father and brother, also Emperor Henry VI, and was allegedly poisoned.
Here are the two princes:
- Dietrich "The Oppressed"(1162-1221), according to the plan of his father, Otto II was supposed to become the heir, fought for this right with his older brother (the situation is a bit like our princes Konstantin and Yuri, the children of Vsevolod the Big Nest, who also decided to transfer power to the second son bypassing the first). To get the brand, Dietrich first fought with his brother, then defended his right from the emperors. He then fought for the consolidation of power with the local nobles and the cities of Leipzig and Meissen and also died, presumably from poisoning.
- beside him Henry III the Illustrious(1218-88), Margrave of Meissen from 1221, ruled independently from 1230, tried to expand the boundaries of his principality, supported Emperor Frederick II of Hohenstaufen in the fight against the Pope, in 1247 as heir to his mother Jutta of Thuringia (1182-1235) joined the struggle for power in Thuringia and in 1264 annexed part of Thuringia, and then - according to the custom of the Meissen family - entered into a feud with his own sons.
The following princes:
- Albrecht II, who had the German nickname "Degenerate" (1240-1314, Margrave of Meissen 1265-93), fought with all relatives, expelled his first wife Margarita, daughter of Emperor Frederick II, sold his lands to the Habsburgs and Nassau.
- Frederick I the Bitten(1257-1323), son of Albrecht II and Margaret of Hohenstaufen (1237-70), who was bitten during a quarrel between his parents, defended his rights in the fight against his father and two emperors, finally, in 1317 he established himself in the possessions, but did not rule for long - in 1321 he was paralyzed after a stroke.
- Frederick II the Serious(1310-49), son of Frederick I from his second marriage to Elisabeth Lobdeburg-Arnshak (1286-1359), who ruled Meissen during her son's childhood. Frederick II ruled independently from 1329, although already in 1323, immediately after the death of his father, he was married to Matilda of Bavaria (1313-46), daughter of Emperor Ludwig IV, tried to keep the territory from the encroachments of his neighbors, was nominated in 1347 as a pretender to the imperial crown, but lost it to a powerful neighbor - Charles IV of Luxembourg, King of Bohemia.
- Frederick III the Strict(1332-1381), by decision of the emperor, ruled Meissen together with the brothers Balthazar (1336-1406), Ludwig (1340-82) Bishop of Bamberg and Wilhelm (1343-1407). In 1344 he married Katherine von Henenberg (1334-97), heiress of Coburg. Despite the early marriage, the heirs in the family appeared many years later.
In the next photo, the first one goes -
Frederick IV the Militant or Friedrich I Elector of Saxony(1370-1428). With him begins a new era in the development of Saxony, no longer the Margraviate of Meissen, but precisely the new Saxony. Frederick IV succeeded his father at the age of ten, at first he was under the guardianship of his mother and shared control with his younger brothers - Wilhelm II (1371-1425) and George (1380-1401). For the support of Emperor Sigismund in the Hussite wars, Frederick was awarded the Duchy of Saxe-Wittenberg and the Palatinate of Saxony on January 6, 1423. Since then, the Margraviate of Meissen has merged with the territory of Saxony, and the united territory has received the name of Saxony. In 1409, the University of Leipzig was founded, where many professors and students from Prague came to escape the Gustian wars.
Further, surrounded by sons, the next elector rides, but we will tell about them in chronological order.
So in the center:
- Frederick II the Meek Elector of Saxony (1412-64). Frederick II fought with the Hussites, convened a meeting of estates - lantdag (first parliament), at first shared power with his brothers, Sigismund (1416-71) Bishop of Würzburg, Heinrich (1422-35) and Wilhelm III (1425-82), with whom he did not divided the silver mines, which started a war between the brothers, and one robber kidnapped the sons of Frederick, but in 1451 a truce was concluded between the brothers.
To the left of Frederick, the eldest son Ernst (1441-86), to the right - the second son Albrecht the Courageous(1443-1500). At first, the brothers decided to rule the country jointly, and even built a joint royal palace, but in the end, in 1485, they decided to amicably share the government. Ernst became Elector of Saxony and Duke of Saxe-Wittenberg, and Albrecht Margrave of Meissen, they continued to use the silver mines together. Thus, there was no fratricidal war at this stage, but Saxony was divided into 2 parts. Soon Ernst died, falling from his horse, and Albrecht fought in support of Emperor Maximilian I and received land from him in Friesland. Albrecht opened another silver mine in Schneeberg, where the "silver rush" broke out.
The first (with a slightly forked beard) is depicted -
Frederick III the Wise(1463-1525), son of Ernst, Elector of Saxony since 1486. He was considered an educated person, for which he received his nickname. But this wisdom was of a humanistic direction, not a political one. He founded a university in Wittenberg, where among the teachers were the leaders of the Reformation - Martin Luther and Philip Melanchthon. Although Frederick III was a devoted Catholic, he supported Luther and protected him from persecution by the Pope. Saxony became the center of the Reformation. Frederick III supported the election of Charles of Spain as emperor, who began to persecute the Protestants, uprisings began in Germany, Civil War. And on his deathbed, Frederick III nevertheless accepted Protestantism.
Next in profile -
Johann the Hard (1467-1532), Elector of Saxony, sole ruler from 1525, brother of Frederick III. He was a firm Protestant and in 1527 he founded the Evangelical Lutheran Church led by himself, in 1531 he founded the Schmakalden Union of Protestant Princes of Germany.
Third rides -
Johann Friedrich the Magnanimous(1503-54), Elector of Saxony 1532-47. He was also a consistent supporter of the Protestant faith and headed the Shmakalden Union of Protestant Princes. Defeated by Emperor Charles V at Mühlberg in 1546, he was sentenced to death, which was commuted to life imprisonment. Johann Friedrich handed over the electorship to Prince Moritz, a descendant of Albrecht the Courageous, who betrayed him and went over to the Catholics. After some time, Moritz arranged for him to escape, but did not return the electorship, leaving only Thuringia to his relative. The descendants of Johann Friedrich remained the Dukes of Saxe-Weimar and Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.
Next come the descendants of Albrecht the Courageous, with whom we do not return. much back in time.
- George the Bearded(1471-1539), since 1500 the Duke of Saxony, moved the capital from Meissen to Dresden, was a Catholic, persecuted Protestants. He developed trade in Saxony, mining of silver, increased the fortune of the Dukes of Saxony by 20 times.
- Henry the Pious, (1473-1541), from 1539 Duke of Saxony. , was a Protestant and, becoming the ruler at the age of 66, approved Protestantism as the state religion in Saxony.
First pair:
- Moritz (1521-1553) - the already mentioned prince, who converted from Protestantism to Catholicism and helped the emperor in the battle of Mühlberg, received the electorate of Saxony and united the Saxon lands. Then he betrayed the emperor and returned to the Protestants, contributed to the conclusion of a truce between Catholics and Protestants in Germany in 1552 in Passau. After that, Moritz again served the emperor, fought with the Turks and died on a campaign against one of the Protestant knights.
- August (1526-1586), brother of Moritz, Elector of Saxony from 1553. Under him, Protestantism began to be torn apart by disputes between Lutherans and Calvinists, and the Elector himself leaned first to one side, then to the other, and as a result gathered learned Protestants who compiled the “Formula of Concord”, which outlined the foundations of Protestantism. Augustus did a lot of business in Saxony, published a code of laws "Constitution", began to collect an art collection in Dresden. Augustus supported the imperial power and helped imprison one of Ernst's descendants, Johann Friedrich of Saxe-Weimar, which finally deprived Ernst's descendants of the opportunity to regain power in Saxony.
The following three princes:
- Christian I. (1560-1591), son of August, elector from 1586. He was more interested in court life, and he handed over the political administration of the country to Chancellor Nicholas Krell. At this time, the struggle between Lutherans and Calvinists continued.
- Christian II. (1583-1611), son of Christian I, elector since 1591, at first was under the tutelage of the mother of Princess Sophia of Brandenburg (1568-1622) and a relative from the former electors - the Duke of Saxe-Weimar. Since 1601, he ruled independently, ordered the execution of his father's chancellor Krel, riots took place in Leipzig and Dresden, the Lutherans expelled the Calvinists.
— Johann George I. (1585-1656) - brother of Christian II, elector since 1611, remaining a Protestant, supported the policy of the emperors, tried to maintain neutrality in the Thirty Years' War, switched from one side to the other several times, as a result, Saxony was devastated by the Swedish army. After the Peace of Westphalia, Johann-Georg also reduced the ruined Saxony in territory, allocating independent duchies to his younger sons - Saxe-Weissenfels, Saxe-Merseburg and Saxe-Zeitz.
In the first three:
- Johann George II (1613 -1680), son of Johann George I, elector since 1656, was forced to rebuild the country after the Thirty Years' War. He also alternately supported the Habsburgs, then made alliances against them. Under him there was a cultural flourishing in Dresden.
- Johann George III (1647-1691), son of Johann George II, elector since 1680, developed the army, together with the troops the emperors opposed the Turks, he loved music primarily for beautiful singers. Under him, Dresden was beautifully rebuilt after the fire.
- Johann George IV (1668-1694), son of Johann George III, elector since 1691, during the three years of his short reign he distinguished himself mainly by family quarrels: he tried to kill his wife, who was saved only by the intervention of the younger brother of Elector Friedrich-August; left the army - to come to his mistress, his half-sister, moreover, from whom he contracted smallpox and died.
Next, a couple are the greatest rulers of Saxony:
- Friedrich August I the Strong(1670-1733), Elector of Saxony from 1694, King Augustus II of Poland from 1697. The king received his nickname for his great physical strength. Augustus was a brave military man, although he achieved more success in peaceful affairs. In 1697, Augustus won the election of the king of Poland, but he had to accept Catholicism to rule the Catholic country. Since then, Saxony has had Catholic Monarchs and a Protestant population. August developed the state administration, re-equipped the army, supported the economy and art. Under him, in 1710, a porcelain manufactory appeared in Meissen, jewelry art developed, paintings were bought for the Dresden Gallery. Baroque buildings were built in Dresden and Warsaw. August II was an ally of Peter I and was awarded the Russian Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called. August II was surrounded by the most brilliant women - Aurora Königsmark (1662-1728), Anna-Constance von Cosel (1680-1765), the illegitimate children of August II were the commander Moritz of Saxony (1696-1750), the Saxon general Johann Georg de Sax.
- Friedrich August II(1696-1763), son of Friedrich August I, Elector of Saxony from 1733, King August III of Poland from 1734. His accession to the Polish throne was not as peaceful as that of his father, the votes of the Poles were divided in the elections, there was a war with the participation of Russia, France, Austria. Then Saxony still participated in the wars with Austria, then with Prussia - and lost its power in a dispute with these developing neighbors. During the Seven Years' War, Saxony and Dresden suffered greatly. August III transferred political administration to his first minister, Count Heinrich Brühl (1700-63), while he himself was interested in art and court life. Under Augustus III, the Sistine Madonna was acquired for the Dresden Gallery.
First pair:
- Friedrich Christian(1722-63), Elector of Saxony for 2 months in October-December 1763, tried to restore the country after the Seven Years' War, died of smallpox.
- Friedrich August III The Just (1750-1827), Elector of Saxony from 1763, initially under the tutelage of his mother Maria-Anthony of Bavaria (1724-80) and uncle Franz Xavier of Saxony (1730-1806), from 1768 he ruled independently. Since 1806, he took the title of King Friedrich August I of Saxony. He earned the nickname Just for the reform of the judiciary and the solution of social issues. He received the royal title with the assistance of Napoleon, whose ally he was until 1813. This led to the fact that after the defeat of the Napoleonic troops, Saxony was ruined, the king was held captive in Prussia, and Prussia had the intention of annexing Saxony. But Russia, Austria, France did not allow Prussia to become so strong, in 1815 the king was released and returned to the control of sovereign Saxony. His reign ended with the economic and cultural upsurge of the country.
Next couple:
- Anton (1755-1836), King of Saxony from 1827. He inherited power at the age of seventy. Such a king was inclined to introduce the Constitution in Saxony in 1831 under the influence of political demonstrations. Saxony became a representative monarchy, a bicameral parliament - the Landtag - was formed according to the English model. Further, a judicial reform was carried out, an eight-year school education was introduced, measures were taken to eliminate serfdom and lend to agriculture, support trade, and organize local self-government.
- Friedrich August II.(1797-1854), King of Saxony since 1836, but in fact was the co-ruler of his uncle - King Anton - since 1831, contributed to progressive reforms. Saxony developed successfully economically and culturally. However, in 1848, under the influence of the revolution in France, riots also broke out in Saxony. The king initially tried to promise more freedom, but the unrest turned into a revolutionary uprising. Then the king dissolved parliament and invited the Prussian troops to fight the rebels. The uprising was suppressed, but the king tried to show liberalism to the participants, gradually restore representative bodies of power. in 1854 he died in a horse-drawn carriage accident.
Last in the procession of kings:
- Johann (1801-1873), brother of Friedrich August II, King of Saxony since 1854, sought to continue the previous course of liberal reforms, increased the representation of different segments of the population in the Landtag, and amnestied the participants in the revolution. King Johann supported Austria against the growing influence of Prussia, the Saxon troops were defeated along with the Austrians, Prussia captured Saxony and again there was a threat to sovereignty. In the end, Saxony joined the North German Federal Union, which in 1871 was transformed into the German Empire, headed by the King of Prussia, where Saxony remained an autonomous state.
- Albrecht (1828-1902), King of Saxony from 1873. Before taking the throne, Albrecht studied at the university in Bonn, was fond of history and military affairs, participated in the hostilities in Denmark, commanded the troops of Saxony, successfully fought against France, received the highest awards and military ranks from the monarchs of Prussia and Russia. At the age of 25, he married Princess Carola von Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp (1833-1907), granddaughter of the Swedish King Gustav IV. Carola became the last queen of Saxony, she did a lot of charity work. The reign of King Albrecht was distinguished by stability, a course towards German unity. Leftist and workers' organizations developed in Saxony, but their activity proceeded mainly within the framework of the parliamentary struggle.
- Georg (1832-1904), brother of King Albrecht, King of Saxony since 1902, assumed power at 70 years old. Prior to accession to the throne, he preferred military affairs, had the rank of Saxon field marshal. His wife, Princess Maria Anna of Portugal (1843-84), died before her husband's accession to the throne.
The last king of Saxony is not depicted in the "Procession of Princes" - Friedrich August III. (1865-1932), who ruled 1904-18. The last Saxon king was interested in the army, military affairs, during the 1st World War he visited the front line. As part of the German troops, Saxon soldiers fought in northern France. Friedrich August III abdicated during the German Revolution in November 1918. According to legend, renouncing the throne, the king told the revolutionaries: "Do your own rubbish!" - "Machd doch eiern Drägg alleene!". In general, the king had a sense of humor, and his wife considered him a martinet.
In 1891, Friedrich August married Archduchess Louise of Austria (1870-1947), with whom they had 6 children. The couple divorced in 1903 before his accession to the throne. The reason for the divorce is considered to be conflicts between Princess Louise and her father-in-law King George, accusations of the princess of frivolity. Having become king, Friedrich August did not marry a second time, because the Catholic Church does not recognize divorce.
After abdicating the throne, he lived for 14 years and died at 66 from a heart attack in his castle in Silesia.
In addition to the princes and kings of Saxony, the panel depicts scientists, students, artists, artisans, soldiers, peasants, children, a total of 94 people.
The Wettin dynasty at Paul Teroff's website http://www.angelfire.com/realm/gotha/gotha/wettin1.html
Biographies of the kings on the site about Saxony http://www.die-sachsen-kommen.de/ru/wettinru.htm
Augustus II the Strong: reckless warrior and patron of the arts
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0.3826868.00.html
St. Andrew's Cavalier - King of Saxony Friedrich August Albrecht I von Wettin - http://otechestvo.org.ua/main/20116/2022.htm
The Story of Louise, Crown Princess, by Henry W. Fischer
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/29167/29167-h/29167-h.htm
Also a book by Robert Zagolla was a source of information. Saxony. A short history. Edition q, Berlin-Brandenburg, 2008.
The tiled panel "Procession of the Princes" made of Meissen porcelain depicts an equestrian procession of the rulers of Saxony. Surprisingly, it was practically not damaged during the bombing.
Panel "Procession of Princes" (Fürstenzug), photo Kamerarauschen
From the world's largest panel, the Procession of Princes (Fürstenzug - Fürstenzug) from Meissen porcelain tiles breathes history. It is located in . It depicts a solemn horse procession, which reflects the 1000-year history of the princely house of Wettin, ruling in Saxony. The panel consists of 25,000 tiles measuring 20x20 centimeters. They are laid seamlessly and made by the famous Meissen manufactory.
"Fürstenzug" is located on the outer wall of the gallery, which makes up the northern wall of the stable yard (Stallhof) in the Dresden complex.
The history of the creation of the panel
Details of the panel (August II and August III), photo alshan
In 1589 this wall was decorated with a lime painting. In its place, in the years 1872-1876, a sgraffito painting was created by the famous artist Wilhelm Walter. In order to preserve the masterpiece, in 1904-1907 the image was transferred to porcelain.
It was done this way: first, the picture was divided into many small squares, and then transferred to paper. Then the artists copied the drawings and transferred them to pre-fired tiles using special paints. The tiles were fired again.
During the bombing of Dresden in February 1945, the panel was not damaged. Only 200 tiles had to be replaced.
How to get there
Take tram 4, 8, 9 to the Theaterplatz stop.
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