Altranstädt is a village and former municipality in Saxony , Germany , now part of the town Markranstädt in the district of Leipzig . The village is historically famous for two treaties that were concluded there, the Treaty of Altranstädt (1706) and the Treaty of Altranstädt (1707) .
90-490: The 1706 treaty was a peace which Augustus II , king of Poland and elector of Saxony , was forced to ratify on 24 September 1706, with Charles XII of Sweden . The former renounced the throne of Poland in favor of Stanislaus Leszczynski 's treaty which Augustus declared null and void after Charles XII 's defeat at Poltava (8 July 1709). The other treaty was signed on 31 August 1707. Emperor Joseph I guaranteed to Charles XII religious tolerance and liberty of conscience for
180-540: A 2-week celebration. The main banquet was held in a chamber that was transformed into an artificial silver mine to astound the invitees. Apart from exotic dishes, over 500 deer were brought in from the Białowieża Forest for the feast. Approximately 4 million thalers were spent for this occasion. Augustus II died suddenly on 1 February 1733, following a Sejm (Polish parliament) session in Warsaw . Augustus III inherited
270-507: A Protestant monarch. As a consequence, a troubled Augustus II organized a tour of Catholic countries in Europe for his son which he hoped would bring him closer to Catholicism and break the bond between him and his controlling grandmother. In Venice , the Polish entourage thwarted a kidnapping attempt organized by British agents of Queen Anne in order to prevent him from converting. He also witnessed
360-691: A brilliant strategist who attained the highest military ranks in the Kingdom of France . In the War of the Polish Succession he remained loyal to his employer Louis XV , who was married to the daughter of Augustus's rival Stanisław I Leszczyński . Augustus' granddaughter, Maria Josepha of Saxony , later became Dauphine of France through her marriage to the Dauphin Louis , and the mother of three Kings of France ( Louis XVI , Louis XVIII and Charles X ). Augustus
450-570: A certain feeling for art, the king began to transform Dresden into a renowned cultural center with one of Germany's finest art collections, though most of the city's famous sights and landmarks were completed during the reign of his son Augustus III. The most famous building started under Augustus the Strong was the Zwinger . Also known are Pillnitz Castle , his summer residence, Moritzburg Castle and Hubertusburg Castle, his hunting lodges. He greatly expanded
540-570: A promise that as king, Augustus would both renounce any claim to the Austrian succession and continue respecting the Pragmatic Sanction of 1713 . Augustus on his candidacy to the Polish throne was opposed by Stanisław I Leszczyński (Stanislaus I), who had usurped the throne with Swedish support during the Great Northern War . Reigning from 1706 until 1709, Stanisław was overthrown after
630-482: A result, Austria and Russia signed on 19 August 1733 the Löwenwolde's Treaty, named after Karl Gustav von Löwenwolde . The terms of Löwenwolde's Treaty were direct; Russia opted for a quid pro quo – they would provide troops to ensure Augustus III was elected king and in turn, Augustus would recognise Anna Ivanovna as Empress of Russia , thus relinquishing Polish claims to Livonia and Courland . Austria received
720-426: A series of mistresses: Some contemporary sources, including Wilhelmine of Bayreuth , claimed that Augustus had as many as 365 or 382 children. The number is extremely difficult to verify. Perhaps the number refers not to the king's children but to the nights that he spent with his mistresses. Augustus officially recognised only a tiny fraction of that number as his bastards (the mothers of these "chosen ones", with
810-686: A strip of land in Silesia and Lusatia which made the movement of troops even more difficult. Frederick's plans also entailed annexing the Electorate of Hanover , but joining France would trigger an Austro-Russian attack and occupation. On 29 August 1756, the Prussian Army preemptively invaded Saxony, beginning the Third Silesian War , a theatre of the Seven Years' War. Saxony was bled dry and exploited at
900-497: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Augustus II Augustus II the Strong (12 May 1670 – 1 February 1733), was Elector of Saxony from 1694 as well as King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1697 to 1706 and from 1709 until his death in 1733. He belonged to the Albertine branch of the House of Wettin . Augustus' great physical strength earned him
990-725: The Baroque Catholic Church of the Royal Court in Dresden (present-day Dresden Cathedral ) was built, in which he was later buried as one of the few Polish kings buried outside the Wawel Cathedral in Kraków . He greatly expanded the Dresden art gallery , to the extent that in 1747 it was placed in a new location at the present-day Johanneum , where it remained until 1855 when it was moved to
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#17330857003231080-460: The Battle of Kliszów (July 1702), and took Kraków . He defeated another of Augustus' armies under the command of Generalfeldmarschall Adam Heinrich von Steinau at the Battle of Pułtusk in spring 1703, and besieged and captured Toruń . By this time, Augustus was certainly ready for peace, but Charles felt that he would be more secure if he could establish someone with whom he had more influence on
1170-497: The Dresden Cathedral . His only legitimate son, Augustus III of Poland , became king in 1733. Augustus was born in Dresden on 12 May 1670, the younger son of John George III, Elector of Saxony and Princess Anna Sophie of Denmark . As the second son, Augustus had no expectation of inheriting the electorate, since his older brother, John George IV , assumed the post after the death of their father on 12 September 1691. Augustus
1260-588: The Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister . From 1687 to 1689, Augustus toured France and Italy. The extravagant court in Versailles —perfectly tailored to fit the needs of an absolute monarch —impressed him deeply. In accordance with the spirit of the baroque age, Augustus invested heavily in the representative splendor of Dresden Castle , his major residence, to advertise his wealth and power. With strict building regulations, major urban development plans, and
1350-569: The Großsedlitz estate near Dresden, and after expanding the palace and garden complex, in 1727 he organized there the first ever festivities of the Order of the White Eagle. Augustus II was called "the Strong" for his bear-like physical strength and for his numerous offspring (only one of them his legitimate child and heir). The most famous of the king's children born out of wedlock was Maurice de Saxe ,
1440-651: The House of Czartoryski and the Potocki paralyzed the Sejm ( Liberum veto ), fostering internal political anarchy and weakening the Commonwealth. Augustus delegated most of his powers and responsibilities in the Commonwealth to Heinrich von Brühl , who served in effect as the viceroy of Poland. Brühl in turn left the politics in Poland to the most powerful magnates and nobles, which resulted in widespread corruption. Under Augustus, Poland
1530-676: The Imperial vicar of the Holy Roman Empire . His reigns brought Poland some troubled times. He led the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in the Great Northern War , which allowed the Russian Empire to strengthen 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. In order to reduce
1620-534: The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth who belonged to the Albertine branch of the House of Wettin . His mother was Christiane Eberhardine of Brandenburg-Bayreuth , daughter of Christian Ernst, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth . Unlike his father, Christiane remained a fervent Protestant throughout her life and never set foot in Catholic Poland during her 30-year service as queen consort. Despite
1710-810: 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 and established the Order of the White Eagle , Poland's highest distinction. As elector of Saxony , he is perhaps best remembered as a patron of the arts and architecture. He transformed the Saxon capital of Dresden into 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. In 1711 he served as
1800-467: The Pragmatic Sanction of 1713 issued by Charles, a female heir or the eldest daughter would be permitted to inherit the throne of Austria. Augustus II also hoped to place Saxony in a better position should there arise a war of succession to the Austrian territories. The wedding celebration in Dresden was one of the most splendorous and expensive of the Baroque era in Europe. Over 800 guests were invited for
1890-695: The Protestant Saxon aristocracy. Faced with a hereditary Catholic succession for Saxony, Prussia and Hanover attempted to oust Saxony from the directorship of the Protestant body in the Reichstag of the Holy Roman Empire , but Saxony managed to retain the directorship. On 26 September 1714, Augustus was warmly welcomed by Louis XIV of France at Versailles . Louis rejoiced when he heard that Augustus converted to Catholicism and permitted him to stay at
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#17330857003231980-742: The Saxon Palace in Warsaw with the adjacent Saxon Garden , which became the city's oldest public park and one of the first publicly accessible parks in the world. Following the devastation of the Great Northern War he also had the Royal Castle, Warsaw restored and enlarged. He also expanded the Wilanów Palace . He granted composer Johann Adolph Hasse the title of the Royal-Polish and Electoral-Saxon Kapellmeister in 1731. A man of pleasure,
2070-642: The Second Silesian War , which erupted after Prussia proclaimed its support of Charles VII as Holy Roman Emperor and invaded Bohemia on 15 August 1744. The true cause behind the invasion was Frederick's personal expansionist ideas and goals. On 8 January 1745, the Treaty of Warsaw united Great Britain , the Habsburg monarchy, the Dutch Republic and Saxony into what became known as the "Quadruple Alliance", which
2160-577: The Silesian Protestants. Charles was visited in Altranstädt by John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough on behalf of the Grand Alliance against France. During 1707-08 he persuaded Charles not to support France but to leave Germany, never to return. 51°18′52″N 12°10′35″E / 51.31444°N 12.17639°E / 51.31444; 12.17639 This Leipzig location article
2250-604: The Vistula panorama of the Warsaw Old Town . In 1733, the composer Johann Sebastian Bach dedicated the Kyrie–Gloria Mass in B minor, BWV 232 I (early version) , to Augustus in honor of his succession to the Saxon electorate, with the hope of appointment as Court Composer, a title Bach received three years later. Bach's title of Koeniglicher Pohlnischer Hoff Compositeur ( Royal Polish Court Composer , and court composer to
2340-812: The aristocrat Stanisław August Poniatowski , the lover of Catherine the Great. Throughout his reign, Augustus was known to be more interested in ease and pleasure than in the affairs of state; this notable patron of the arts left the administration of Saxony and Poland to his chief adviser, Heinrich von Brühl , who in turn left Polish administration chiefly to the powerful Czartoryski family. Royal titles in Latin : Augustus tertius, Dei gratia rex Poloniae, magnus dux Lithuaniæ, Russiæ, Prussiæ, Masoviæ, Samogitiæ, Kijoviæ, Volhiniæ, Podoliæ, Podlachiæ, Livoniæ, Smolensciæ, Severiæ, Czerniechoviæque, nec non-hæreditarius dux Saxoniæ et princeps elector etc. English translation: August III, by
2430-486: The Commonwealth. Faced with both internal and foreign opposition, however, he achieved little. In 1729 he established the Grand Musketeers Company in Dresden, one of the oldest Polish officers' schools, which in 1730 was relocated to Warsaw. Augustus died at Warsaw in 1733. Although he had failed to make the Polish throne hereditary in his house, his eldest son, Frederick Augustus II of Saxony, succeeded him to
2520-496: The Elector of Saxony) is engraved on the title page of Bach's famous Goldberg Variations . Augustus III was also the patron of composer Johann Adolph Hasse , who was granted the title of the Royal-Polish and Electoral-Saxon Kapellmeister by his father, Augustus II, in 1731, and thanks to Augustus III the same title was obtained in 1716 by composer Johann David Heinichen . In 1732, a French priest named Gabriel Piotr Baudouin founded
2610-548: The Great seized on the opportunity to pose as mediator, threatened the Commonwealth militarily, and in 1717 forced Augustus and the nobility to sign an accommodation favorable to Russian interests, at the Silent Sejm ( Sejm Niemy ). For the remainder of his reign, in an uneasy relationship, Augustus was more or less dependent on Russia (and to a lesser extent, on Austria) to maintain his Polish throne. He gave up his dynastic ambitions and concentrated instead on attempts to strengthen
2700-599: The Habsburgs concentrated their supreme force on Hungary and Italy. They held onto the fortresses of Glogau , Breslau , and Brieg , but abandoned the rest of the region and withdrew into Moravia . This campaign gave Prussia control of most of the richest provinces in the Habsburg monarchy , with the commercial centre of Breslau as well as mining, weaving and dyeing industries. Silesia was also rich in natural resources such as coal, chalk , copper and gold. Saxony joined Austria in
2790-608: The Polish throne as Augustus III of Poland although he had to be installed by the Imperial Russian Army during the War of the Polish Succession . Augustus is perhaps best remembered as a patron of the arts and architecture. He had beautiful palaces built in Dresden , a city that became renowned for extraordinary cultural brilliance. He introduced the first public museums, such as the Green Vault in 1723, and started systematic collection of paintings that are now on display in
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2880-548: The Polish throne to Leszczyński by the Treaty of Altranstädt (October 1706). Meanwhile, Russia's Tsar Peter had reformed his army, and he dealt a crippling defeat to the Swedes at the Battle of Poltava (1709). This spelled the end of the Swedish Empire and the rise of the Russian Empire . The weakened Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth soon came to be regarded as almost a protectorate of Russia. In 1709 Augustus II returned to
2970-553: The Polish throne under Russian auspices . Once again he attempted to establish an absolute monarchy in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, but was faced with opposition from the nobility ( szlachta , see Tarnogród Confederation ). He was handicapped by the mutual jealousy of the Saxons and the Poles, and a struggle broke out in Poland which was only ended when the king promised to limit the number of his army in that country to 18,000 men. Peter
3060-572: The Polish throne. In 1704 the Swedes installed Stanisław Leszczyński and tied the commonwealth to Sweden , which compelled Augustus to initiate military operations in Poland alongside Russia ( an alliance was concluded in Narva in summer 1704). The resulting civil war in Poland (1704–1706) and the Grodno campaign (1705–1706) did not go well for Augustus. Following the Battle of Fraustadt , on 1 September 1706, Charles invaded Saxony , forcing Augustus to yield
3150-562: The Russians at Narva in 1700, thereby allowing him to focus on the struggle with Augustus. However, this war ultimately proved as disastrous for Sweden as for Poland. Charles defeated Augustus' army at Riga in July 1701, forcing the Polish-Saxon army to withdraw from Livonia, and followed this up with an invasion of Poland. He captured Warsaw on 14 May 1702, defeated the Polish-Saxon army again at
3240-472: The Saxon electorate without any problems, but his election to the Polish throne was much more complicated. Shortly before the ailing king died, Prussia, Austria and Russia signed a pact known as the Treaty of the Three Black Eagles , which would prevent Augustus III and Stanisław Leszczyński from inheriting the Polish throne. The royal elections in Poland and the elective monarchy, in general, weakened
3330-518: The Strong orchestrated it to maintain the position of the Saxons within the Holy Roman Empire. The alliance with Catholic Charles would prove fruitful in case of hostile or armed opposition from the Protestant states within the Empire. Ten days earlier, on 10 August 1719, Maria Josepha was forced to renounce her claim to the throne of Austria in favour of her uncle's daughter, Maria Theresa . In accordance with
3420-497: The Swedish defeat at Poltava . Returning from exile in 1733 with the support of Louis XV of France and Spain , Stanisław sparked the War of the Polish Succession . Throughout the spring and summer of 1733, France began mobilizing and stationing forces along its northern and eastern borders, while Austria massed troops on the Polish frontier, reducing garrisons in the Duchy of Milan for
3510-480: The aphorism and phrase od Sasa do Lasa (lit. from the Saxon to Leszczyński) exists in the Polish language and is used when describing two completely opposite things in everyday life. As King, Augustus was uninterested in the affairs of his Polish–Lithuanian dominion, focusing instead on hunting, the opera, and the collection of artwork at the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister . He spent less than three years of his thirty-year reign in Poland, where political feuding between
3600-450: The autonomy of the Commonwealth's subjects he was using foreign powers leading to destabilization of the country. Augustus ruled Poland with an interval; in 1704 the Swedes installed nobleman Stanisław Leszczyński as king, who officially reigned from 1706 to 1709 and after Augustus' death in 1733 which sparked the War of the Polish Succession . Augustus' body was buried in Poland's royal Wawel Cathedral in Kraków , but his heart rests in
3690-565: The breakthrough that had eluded European potters for a century. By the king's decree, the Royal-Polish and Electoral-Saxon Porcelain Manufactory was established in Meissen in 1709. The manufacture of fine porcelain continues at the Meissen porcelain factory. In November 1705 in Tykocin , Augustus founded the Order of the White Eagle, Poland's first and preeminent order of chivalry . In 1723 he bought
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3780-443: The command of Peter Lacy entered Poland to secure Augustus' succession. The election was de jure won by Stanisław, with 12,000 votes. Augustus received 3,000, however, he had the support of Poland's influential, wealthiest and most corrupt magnates , such as Michał Serwacy Wiśniowiecki . The Franco-Spanish coalition declared war on Austria and Saxony on 10 October. The Italian states of Savoy - Sardinia and Parma also joined
3870-507: The coronation of Charles VI in 1711 after the death of his brother and predecessor, Joseph I . Augustus eventually converted to Catholicism in November 1712 while extensively touring Italy , and its cultural and religious heritage. He was then under the supervision of the Jesuits , who certainly contributed to the cause. The public announcement of conversion in 1717 triggered discontent among
3960-787: The country and allowed other powers to meddle in Polish affairs. The neighbouring countries that signed the treaty preferred a neutral monarch like Infante Manuel, Count of Ourém , brother of John V of Portugal , or any living relative of the Piast dynasty . The agreement had provisions for all three powers to agree that it was in their best interest that their common neighbour, the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, did not undertake any reforms that might strengthen it and trigger expansionism. The new king would also have to maintain friendly relations with these countries. The treaty quickly became ineffective as Prussia began to support Leszczyński and allowed him safe passage from France to Poland through German lands. As
4050-457: The death of Polish King John III Sobieski and having converted to Catholicism, Augustus won election as King of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1697 with the backing of Russia and Austria , which financed him through the banker Issachar Berend Lehmann . At the time, some questioned the legality of Augustus' elevation, since another candidate, François Louis, Prince of Conti , had received more votes. Each candidate, Conti and Augustus,
4140-490: The dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, despite the fact that all remaining Electors of Saxony were Catholic. The wife of Augustus, the Electress Christiane Eberhardine, refused to follow her husband's example and remained a staunch Protestant. She did not attend her husband's coronation in Poland and led a rather quiet life outside Dresden, gaining some popularity for her stubbornness. Following
4230-406: The electorate faced a hereditary Catholic succession instead of a return to a Protestant Elector upon Augustus's death. When the conversion became public in 1717, Brandenburg-Prussia and Hanover attempted to oust Saxony from the directorship and appoint themselves as joint directors, but they gave up the attempt in 1720. Saxony would retain the directorship of the Protestant body in the Reichstag until
4320-512: The empire and the two remaining Protestant electors (of Hanover and Prussia ) were anxious to keep Saxony well-integrated in their camp. According to the Peace of Augsburg , Augustus theoretically had the right to re-introduce Roman Catholicism (see Cuius regio, eius religio ), or at least grant full religious freedom to his fellow Catholics in Saxony, but this never happened. Saxony remained Lutheran and
4410-428: The end of his sling by just one finger, with two of the strongest men in his court on the other end. From 1 to 26 June 1730 he held the Zeithain Encampment after reorganizing and reequipping his army. The Prussian king Frederick William I was present, as well as 48 invited European princes with their military officers and envoys of the European powers. It was not only the largest troop show in Europe but also one of
4500-468: The few Roman Catholics residing in Saxony lacked any political or civil rights. In 1717, it became clear just how awkward the situation was: to realize his ambitious dynastic plans in Poland and Germany, it was necessary for Augustus' heirs to become Roman Catholic. After five years as a convert, his son—the future Augustus III—publicly avowed his Roman Catholicism. The Saxon Estates were outraged and revolted as it became clear that his conversion to Catholicism
4590-408: The first orphanage in Poland, situated in Warsaw's Old Town. The facility was later moved to the nearby Warecki Square (now Warsaw Insurgents Square ), and in 1758 Augustus III decreed that the new institution be called Szpital Generalny Dzieciątka Jezus (The General Hospital of Infant Jesus). The newly established hospital expanded its operations into treating not only orphans but also the sick and
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#17330857003234680-446: The friendly French faction and the Habsburg faction of Maria Theresa. Between 1741 and 1742 Saxony was allied with France, but changed sides with the help of Austrian diplomats. In the first days of December 1740, the Prussians assembled along the Oder river and on 16 December, Frederick II invaded Silesia without a formal declaration of war. The Austrian troops which then stationed in Silesia were poorly supplied and outnumbered as
4770-410: The grace of God, King of Poland , Grand Duke of Lithuania , Ruthenia , Prussia , Masovia , Samogitia , Kiev , Volhynia , Podolia , Podlachia , Livonia , Smolensk , Severia , Chernihiv , and also hereditary Duke of Saxony and Prince-Elector , etc. Augustus was born 17 October 1696 in Dresden , the only legitimate son of Augustus II the Strong , Prince-Elector of Saxony and ruler of
4860-434: The imperial troops against the Ottoman Empire in 1695 and 1696 without very much success, Augustus continued the war of the Holy League against Turkey, and during a campaign against the Ottomans, his Polish army defeated a Tatar expedition in the Battle of Podhajce in 1698. Unfortunately on 22 September a conflict between Polish and Saxon troops was narrowly avoided, causing the campaign to end. Victory at Podhajce had
4950-427: The king sponsored lavish court balls, Venetian-style balli in maschera , and luxurious court gatherings, games, and garden festivities. His court acquired a reputation for extravagance throughout Europe. He held a famous animal-tossing contest in Dresden at which 647 foxes, 533 hares , 34 badgers and 21 wildcats were tossed and killed. Augustus himself participated, reportedly demonstrating his strength by holding
5040-425: The larger Saxon Palace and transformed it into a rococo masterpiece, which later became known as the Brühl Palace . Both buildings were completely destroyed by the Nazis during World War II . With the marriage to the Austrian princess Maria Josepha , Augustus was bound to accept the succession of her cousin, Maria Theresa , as Archduchess of Austria and Queen of Hungary and Bohemia . Saxony mediated between
5130-535: The maximum extent to support Prussia's war effort. The Treaty of Hubertusburg signed on 15 February 1763 ended the conflict with Frederick's victory and Saxony renounced its claim to Silesia. In April 1763, Augustus returned ill and frail from Poland to Dresden with his closest advisors, leaving Primate Władysław Aleksander Łubieński behind to take care of the affairs in the Commonwealth. He died suddenly on 5 October 1763 in Dresden from apoplexy (stroke). Unlike his father who rests at Wawel in Kraków, Augustus III
5220-467: The most gigantic baroque festivals of its time, showcasing the high level of Saxon art and culture. Augustus II successfully sponsored efforts to discover the secret of manufacturing porcelain . In 1701 he rescued the young alchemist Johann Friedrich Böttger , who had fled from the court of King Frederick I of Prussia , who had expected that he produce gold for him as he had boasted he could. Augustus imprisoned Böttger and tried to force him to reveal
5310-425: The newly built Semper Gallery . In 1748 he founded the Opera House ( Operalnia ) in Warsaw and the Collegium medico-chirurgicum , the first medical school in Dresden. During his reign, the extension of the Saxon Palace in Warsaw, begun by his father Augustus II, was completed, and the reconstruction of the eastern façade of the Royal Castle was ordered, thus creating the so-called Saxon Façade, an iconic part of
5400-405: 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. He is also notable for fathering a very large number of children . In order to be elected king of
5490-407: The political impact of forcing the Ottoman Empire to return Podolia and Kamieniec Podolski in Treaty of Karlowitz in 1699. An ambitious ruler, Augustus hoped to make the Polish throne hereditary within his family, and to use his resources as elector of Saxony to impose some order on the chaotic Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. He was, however, soon distracted from his internal reform projects by
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#17330857003235580-434: The poor. Augustus remained a charitable man throughout his life and donated to the hospital. His successor, Stanisław Augustus, also contributed to the cause. Despite his charitable manner, Augustus was viewed in Poland as an impotent monarch, obese, plump, ugly and lazy sybarite with no interest in the affairs of the state. Such harsh critique and opinion continues to this day. On the other hand, historian Jacek Staszewski
5670-414: The possibility of external conquest. He formed an alliance with Frederick IV of Denmark and Peter I of Russia to strip the young King Charles XII of Sweden (Augustus' cousin) of his possessions. Poland's reward for participation in the Great Northern War was to have been Swedish Livonia . Charles proved an able military commander, however, quickly forcing the Danes out of the war and then driving back
5760-465: The possible exception of Fatima and Henriette Rénard, were all aristocratic ladies): Augustus III of Poland Augustus III ( Polish : August III Sas – "the Saxon"; Lithuanian : Augustas III ; 17 October 1696 – 5 October 1763) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1733 until 1763, as well as Elector of Saxony in the Holy Roman Empire where he was known as Frederick Augustus II (German: Friedrich August II ). He
5850-446: The pressure from Augustus II, she was never crowned at Wawel in Kraków and purely held a titular title of queen. This move was viewed by the Polish nobility as a provocation and from the beginning the prince was treated with prejudice in Poland. From his early years, Augustus was groomed to succeed as king of Poland-Lithuania; best tutors were hired from across the continent and the prince studied Polish, German, French and Latin. He
5940-511: The prince-elector guaranteed Saxony's religious status quo, Augustus' conversion alienated many of his Protestant subjects. As a result of the enormous expenditure of money used to bribe the Polish nobility and clergy, Augustus' contemporaries derisively referred to the Saxon elector's royal ambitions as his "Polish adventure". His church policy within the Holy Roman Empire followed orthodox Lutheranism and ran counter to his new-found religious and absolutist convictions. The Protestant princes of
6030-496: The purpose of this trip was to understand how cities and villages function. Being brought up in great wealth, Augustus was not entirely aware of how extensive poverty and poor living conditions could be in the countryside. On 20 August 1719, Augustus married Maria Josepha of Austria in Vienna . She was the daughter of the deceased Emperor Joseph I and niece of Charles VI of the Holy Roman Empire , whose coronation young Augustus attended. This marriage wasn't coincidental; Augustus II
6120-467: The purpose. Prince Eugene of Savoy recommended to the emperor a more warlike posture against its longtime rival, France. He suggested that the Rhine valley and northern Italy should be strengthened with more troops, however only minimal steps were taken to improve imperial defences on the Rhine. In July 1733, Augustus agreed to Austria's and Russia's terms per Löwenwolde's Treaty. During the election sejm in August, Russian troops counting 30,000 men under
6210-437: The region of Courland . He was elected king of Poland by a small minority on 5 October 1733 and subsequently banished the former Polish king Stanisław I . He was crowned in Kraków on 17 January 1734. Augustus was supportive of Austria against Prussia in the War of Austrian Succession and again in the Seven Years' War (1756), both of which resulted in Saxony being defeated and occupied by Prussia. In Poland , his rule
6300-447: The royal court and in Paris . The young prince participated in balls, masquerades and private parties that were hosted by the Sun King himself. During this time, Augustus improved his knowledge of the French language and learnt how to approach politics and diplomacy. In June 1715, he departed Versailles and travelled across France, visiting Bordeaux , Moissac , Toulouse , Carcassonne , Marseille and Lyon . Apart from sightseeing,
6390-521: The secret of manufacturing gold. Böttger's transition from alchemist to potter was orchestrated as an attempt to avoid the impossible demands of the king. Being an alchemist by profession rather than a potter, gave Böttger an advantage. He realised that the current approaches, which involved mixing fine white substances like crushed egg shells into clay, would not work. Rather, his approach was to attempt to bake clay at higher temperatures than had ever before been attained in European kilns. That approach yielded
6480-532: The struggle against Austrian rule in northern Italy. Most of the battles took place outside of Poland and the main focus of the war was personal interests and demonstration of superiority. The Russian-Saxon forces chased Stanisław until he was besieged at Gdańsk (Danzig) on 22 February 1734. In June, when the garrisons at Gdańsk surrendered, Stanisław fled to Königsberg and then back to France. The Pacification Sejm in 1736 de facto confirmed Augustus III as King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania. To this day,
6570-527: The throne of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1697, Augustus had to convert to Roman Catholicism . The Saxon electors had traditionally been called "champions of the Reformation ". Christian August of Saxe-Zeitz baptized him and announced his conversion. Saxony had been a stronghold of German Protestantism and Augustus' conversion was therefore considered shocking in Protestant Europe . Although
6660-429: Was 1.76 meters (5 ft 9 in) tall, above average height for that time, but despite his extraordinary physical strength, he did not look big. In his final years he suffered from diabetes mellitus and became obese , at his death weighing some 110 kilograms (240 lb). Augustus II's body was interred in the Wawel Cathedral in Kraków —all but his heart, which rests at the Dresden Cathedral . In 1936 Augustus
6750-460: Was able to find a description of Augustus' character in the Dresden archives in the late 1980s; he was considered an honest and affectionate man, who was widely respected during his reign by both the Saxons and the Poles. In his personal life, Augustus was a devoted husband to Maria Josepha, with whom he had sixteen children. Unlike his father who was a notorious womanizer, he was never unfaithful and enjoyed spending time with his spouse, uncommon among
6840-513: Was aimed at securing the Austrian throne for Maria Theresa. Soon-after Charles VII died of gout in Munich, which weakened the Prussians. However, Prussia still maintained military superiority; the successful battles of Hennersdorf and Kesselsdorf opened the way to Dresden, which Frederick occupied on 18 December. The Treaty of Dresden was eventually completed on Christmas Day (25 December) and Saxony
6930-669: Was also the head of the Saxon court in Dresden and was fond of collectibles, such as gadgets, jewellery and Meissen porcelain , the most famous being the Swan Service composed of 2,200 individual pieces made between 1737 and 1741. It has been described as possibly "the finest table service ever produced" and part of it are exhibited at the National Museum in Warsaw . He also owned the largest collections of watches, vests, wigs and hats in Europe, though this cannot be accurately assessed. Brühl
7020-479: Was buried at Dresden Cathedral and remains one of the few Polish monarchs who were buried outside of Poland. Augustus's eldest surviving son, Frederick Christian , succeeded his father as elector but died two and a half months later. In the Commonwealth, on 7 September 1764, with the small participation of the szlachta initiated by the Czartoryski's and the strong support of Russia, Stanisław August Poniatowski
7110-402: Was depicted by his rivals as a nouveau-riche materialist, who used his wealth to gain support. His lavish spending was immortalized by Augustus' reported question to the viceroy "Brühl, do I have money?" By 1748 Augustus III completed extending the Saxon Palace in Warsaw and made significant contributions in remodelling the Royal Castle . In 1750, von Brühl purchased a residence adjacent to
7200-419: Was elected king of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania. Reigning under the name Stanisław II Augustus, Poniatowski was the son of the elder Stanisław Poniatowski , a powerful Polish noble and a onetime agent of Stanisław I; in youth he was a lover of Catherine II of Russia and as such enjoyed strong support from that Empress's court. Augustus III was a great patron of the arts and architecture. During his reign
7290-454: Was involved in the Seven Years' War from 1756 to 1763. The Saxons were allied with Austria and Russia against Frederick the Great of Prussia, who saw Saxony as another potential field for expansion. Saxony was then merely a buffer zone between Prussia and Austrian Bohemia as well as Silesia , which Frederick attempted to annex in their entirety. Moreover, Saxony and Poland were separated by
7380-456: Was marked by the increasing influence of the Czartoryski and Poniatowski families, and by the intervention of Catherine the Great in Polish affairs. His rule deepened the social anarchy in Poland and increased the country's dependence on its neighbours, notably Prussia, Austria, and Russia. The Russian Empire prevented him from installing his family on the Polish throne, supporting instead
7470-422: Was not involved in any major conflicts which further lessened its position in Europe and allowed the neighbouring countries to take advantage of the disorder. Any opposition was violently crushed by Brühl, who used either Saxon or Russian forces that permanently stationed in the country. Brühl was a skillful diplomat and strategist; Augustus could only be reached through him if an important political feud arose. He
7560-417: Was not only a matter of form, but of substance as well. Since the Peace of Westphalia , the elector of Saxony had been the director of the Protestant body in the Reichstag . To placate the other Protestant states in the Empire, Augustus nominally delegated the directorship of the Protestant body to Johann Adolf II , Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels . However, when the Elector's son also converted to Catholicism,
7650-552: Was obliged to pay one million rixdollars in reparations to the Prussian state. The treaty ended the Second Silesian War with a status quo ante bellum . Maria Theresa was finally recognized in her inheritance with the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748, which proved a Pyrrhic victory for Augustus III; the conflict nearly bankrupted Saxony. Meanwhile, the affairs in Poland remained highly neglected. The Electorate of Saxony
7740-541: Was proclaimed as king by a different ecclesiastical authority: (the Primate Michał Stefan Radziejowski proclaimed Conti and the bishop of Kujawy, Stanisław Dąmbski proclaimed Augustus, with Jacob Heinrich von Flemming swearing to the pacta conventa as Augustus's proxy). However, Augustus hurried to the Commonwealth with a Saxon army, while Conti stayed in France for two months. Although he had led
7830-437: Was taught Russian, but was unable to speak it fluently, as well as exact sciences including mathematics, chemistry and geography. He also practiced equestrianism in his youth. While his father spent time in Poland, the young Augustus was left in the care of his grandmother, Princess Anna Sophie of Denmark , who initially raised him Lutheran . This was particularly unfavourable for the Poles, who wouldn't accept or tolerate
7920-481: Was the only legitimate son of Augustus II the Strong , and converted to Catholicism in 1712 to secure his candidacy for the Polish throne. In 1719 he married Maria Josepha , daughter of Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor , and became elector of Saxony following his father's death in 1733. Augustus was able to gain the support of Charles VI by agreeing to the Pragmatic Sanction of 1713 and also gained recognition from Russian Empress Anna by supporting Russia's claim to
8010-511: Was the subject of a Polish-German film Augustus the Strong directed by Paul Wegener . Augustus was portrayed by the actor Michael Bohnen . The Electress Christiane, who remained Protestant and refused to move to Poland with her husband, preferred to spend her time in the mansion in Pretzsch on the Elbe , where she died. Augustus, a voracious womanizer, never missed his wife, spending his time with
8100-820: Was well educated, and spent some years in travel and in fighting against France. Augustus married Christiane Eberhardine of Brandenburg-Bayreuth in Bayreuth on 20 January 1693. They had a son, Frederick Augustus II (1696–1763), who succeeded his father as Elector of Saxony and King of Poland as Augustus III. While in Venice during the carnival season, his older brother, the Elector John George IV, contracted smallpox from his mistress Magdalena Sibylla of Neidschutz . On 27 April 1694, Johann Georg died without legitimate issue and Augustus became elector of Saxony , as Friedrich Augustus I. To be eligible for election to
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