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The Duchy of Saxony (Low German: Hartogdom Sassen, German: Herzogtum Sachsen) was originally the area settled by the Saxons in the late Early Middle Ages, when they were subdued by Charlemagne during the Saxon Wars from 772 and incorporated into the Carolingian Empire by 804.
- Feudal Duchy
Disputed: Daniel, Margrave of Meissen. or Prince Alexander. This article lists dukes, electors, and kings ruling over different territories named Saxony from the beginning of the Saxon Duchy in the 6th century to the end of the German monarchies in 1918.
NameReignNotes838 – 840Comes et marchio850 – 12 March 864 or 866Comes et marchio12 March 864 or 866 – 2 February 880Comes et marchio2 February 880 – 30 November 912first Duke of the Younger stem duchySaxony has a long history as a duchy, an electorate of the Holy Roman Empire (the Electorate of Saxony), and finally as a kingdom (the Kingdom of Saxony). In 1918, after Germany's defeat in World War I , its monarchy was overthrown and a republican form of government was established under the current name.
In the Golden Bull of 1356, Emperor Charles IV designated the Duchy of Saxe-Wittenberg an electorate, a territory whose ruler was one of the prince-electors who chose the Holy Roman emperor. After the extinction of the male Saxe-Wittenberg line of the House of Ascania in 1422, the duchy and the electorate passed to the House of Wettin.
- Feudal monarchy
- Early modern Europe
- Germany, Poland
The Emperor Henry V (1106–25) gave the Duchy of Saxony in fief to Count Lothair of Supplinburg, who in 1125 became King of Germany, and at his death (1137) transferred the Duchy of Saxony to his son-in-law, Duke Henry the Proud, of the princely family of the Welf (Guelph).
Medieval duchies (in colour) and gaue in the Holy Roman Empire around year 1000, including Old Saxony (Saxonia) in the north (in light orange). Old Saxony was the homeland of the Saxons during the Early Middle Ages.
The Kingdom of Saxony ( German: Königreich Sachsen ), lasting from 1806 to 1918, was an independent member of a number of historical confederacies in Napoleonic through post-Napoleonic Germany. The kingdom was formed from the Electorate of Saxony. From 1871, it was part of the German Empire.