Frederick II, Margrave of Meissen

Frederick II
Margrave of Meissen Landgrave of Thuringia
Frederick I, Margrave of Meissen (1307–1324), Frederick II, Margrave of Meissen (1324–1349), and Frederick III, Landgrave of Thuringia (1349–1381); Fürstenzug, Dresden, Germany
Margrave of Meissen
Reign	1323-1349
Predecessor	Frederick I
Successor	Frederick III
Regent	The Dowager Margravine
Landgrave of Thuringia
Reign	1323-1349
Predecessor	Frederick I
Successor	Frederick III
Regent	The Dowager Margravine
Born	30 November 1310 Gotha, Duchy of Saxe-Wittenberg, Holy Roman Empire
Died	18 November 1349 (aged 38) Wartburg, Duchy of Saxe-Wittenberg, Holy Roman Empire
Spouse	Mathilde of Bavaria
Issue	Elisabeth, Burgravine of Nuremberg Friedrich Frederick III Balthasar Beatrix Ludwig William I Anne Clara
Full name Frederick the Serious
House	House of Wettin
Father	Frederick the Bitten
Mother	Elisabeth von Lobdeburg-Arnshaugk

Frederick II the Serious (German: Friedrich II. der Ernsthafte) (30 November 1310 in Gotha – 18 November 1349 at the Wartburg), Margrave of Meissen, son of Frederick I, Margrave of Meissen and Elisabeth von Lobdeburg-Arnshaugk.

Biography

In 1323 he started as a sole heir under guardianship of his mother the succession of his late father in the Margraviate of Meissen and the Thuringia. After he had become mature in 1329, he had to pass long-term fights with the vassals and neighbours. These conflicts mainly rose due to Frederick's declaration of peace in 1338, which drastically diminished the rights and influence of the small landlords and the local rulers, and which goal was the subjugation of the latter two groups.^[1] In 1342, dissatisfied nobles, whose concerns were their rights and independence, banded together in Arnstadt (southwest of Erfurt) against Frederick II, in what would be known as the Thuringian Count's War.^[1] The conflict would last up to 1346. After the death of emperor Ludwig IV, the Bavarian party tried to move him to the acceptance of the German crown, however, he mistrusted the inconstancy of his voters and rejected such strange request in favour of Charles IV of Luxembourg. Friedrich II limited himself to consolidate his rule and to defend against the danger going out from Charles IV. At a meeting 1348 in Bautzen both recognized the existing possession states.

Family

Frederick II married May 1323 in Nürnberg Mathilde of Bavaria, daughter of Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor and had 9 children:

1. Elisabeth (22 November 1329 – 21 April 1375), married to Frederick V of Nuremberg.
2. Frederick (born and died 1330)
3. Frederick III, Landgrave of Thuringia
4. Balthasar (1336-1406)
5. Beatrice (1 September 1339 – 15 July 1399), nun in Weißenfels
6. Louis (25 February 1340 – 17 February 1382), (Bishop of Bamberg)
7. William the One-eyed
8. Anne (7 August 1345 – 22 March 1363), nun in Seußlitz
9. Clara (born 7 August 1345)

Ancestors

Ancestors of Frederick II, Margrave of Meissen

16. Theodoric I, Margrave of Meissen               8. Henry III, Margrave of Meissen                       17. Jutta of Thuringia               4. Albert II, Margrave of Meissen                             18. Leopold VI, Duke of Austria               9. Constance of Babenberg                       19. Theodora Angelina               2. Frederick I, Margrave of Meissen                                   20. Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor               10. Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor                       21. Constance of Sicily               5. Margaret of Sicily                             22. John of England               11. Isabella of England                       23. Isabella of Angoulême               1. Frederick II, Margrave of Meissen                                         24. Hartmann of Lobdeburg-Bergow               12. Otto IV, Count of Lobdeburg-Arnshaugk                       25. Christina of Meissen               6. Hartmann XI, Count of Lobdeburg-Arnshaugk                             26. Günther VII, Count of Schwarzburg-Blankenburg               13. Hedwig of Schwarzburg                       27. Sophie               3. Elizabeth of Lobdeburg-Arnshaugk                                   28. Herman II, Count of Weimar-Orlamünde               14. Hermann III, Count of Weimar-Orlamünde                       29. Beatrix of Andechs-Merania               7. Elisabeth, Countess of Weimar-Orlamünde

References

1. Rogers 2010, p. 190.

Sources

• Rogers, Clifford J. (2010). The Oxford Encyclopedia of Medieval Warfare and Military Technology, Volume 3. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 190. ISBN 978-0195334036.

External links

See also

• List of Margraves of Meissen
• Wettin (dynasty)