Search results
Frederick III (17 January 1463 – 5 May 1525), also known as Frederick the Wise (German: Friedrich der Weise), was Prince-elector of Saxony from 1486 to 1525, who is mostly remembered for the protection given to his subject Martin Luther, the seminal figure of the Protestant Reformation.
With the death of Maximilian in January 1519, Frederick found himself in position to exert an authority that would enable the early Protestant movement to make headway. The Saxon elector was considered “imperial vicar,” which meant Frederick functionally served as king after the death of Maximilian until a successor was elected.
The early deaths of his two older brothers, Frederick Augustus (1721), who was stillborn, and Joseph Augustus (1728), made him the heir to the throne. When his father died, on 5 October 1763, Frederick Christian succeeded him as elector.
His older brother Friedrich renounced his claims in 1923 to become a Jesuit priest. He died in 1943 from a heart attack whilst swimming, but some rumours claim he was murdered by the Gestapo due to his links to help to save Jews.
May 31, 2023 · Frederick is considered to have remained a Roman Catholic all his life, yet gradually inclining toward doctrines of the Reformation and supposedly converting on his deathbed. Frederick III is commemorated as a Christian ruler in the Calendar of Saints of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod on 5 May.
Frederick III, also known as Frederick the Wise, was Elector of Saxony from 1486 to 1525, who is mostly remembered for the worldly protection of his subject Martin Luther. Frederick was the...
People also ask
Who was Frederick III?
Who was Frederick Christian?
Why was Frederick a king after the death of Maximilian?
When did Frederick Christian become Elector?
Born January 17, 1463, Frederick III would reign as Elector of Saxony from 1486 until his death on May 5, 1525. His importance to the Reformation is so instrumental that it can scarcely have taken place without him—and yet the motivations behind his actions are not always immediately clear.
