Frederick III, Landgrave of Thuringia

Frederick III
Margrave of Meissen Landgrave of Thuringia
Friedrich III of Thuringia, painting from Albrechtsburg in Meißen.
Margrave of Meissen
Reign	1349-1381
Successor	Friedrich der Streitbare, Wilhelm der Reiche & Georg
Landgrave of Thuringia
Reign	1349-1381
Predecessor	Frederick I
Successor	Balthasar
Born	14 December 1332 Dresden, Duchy of Saxe-Wittenberg, Holy Roman Empire
Died	21 May 1381 (aged 48) Altenburg, Electorate of Saxony, Holy Roman Empire
Spouse	Catherine of Henneberg
Issue	Friedrich Friedrich der Streitbare Wilhelm der Reiche Georg
Full name Frederick the Strict
House	House of Wettin
Father	Frederick the Serious
Mother	Mathilde of Bavaria

Frederick III, the Strict (14 December 1332, Dresden – 21 May 1381, Altenburg), Landgrave of Thuringia and Margrave of Meissen, was the son of Frederick II, Margrave of Meissen and Mathilde of Bavaria.

He took over the government for his brothers William, Balthasar and Ludwig (Bishop of Bamberg) after the death of their father in 1349. One year later the Emperor gave the Margraviate of Meissen to the four brothers jointly. In 1368 common government began, afterwards the brothers changed rulership every two years. In 1379 they divided their possessions. After Frederick III's death, Meissen was divided between his three sons and Thuringia was inherited by his brothers; it later passed to his nephew Frederick IV, Landgrave of Thuringia, son of his brother Balthasar, and was ultimately inherited by Frederick the Strict's grandson, Frederick II, Elector of Saxony.

Family

Frederick was married to Catherine of Henneberg, heiress of Coburg, Neustadt, Sonneberg, Neuhaus, Rodach, etc. (died Coburg 15 July 1397), daughter of Count Heinrich IV of Henneberg. They had four sons:

1. Frederick (d. young 1350)
2. Friedrich der Streitbare (11 April 1370 – 4 January 1428)
3. Wilhelm der Reiche (23 April 1371 – 30 March 1425)
4. Georg (1380 – 9 December 1401)

Ancestry

Ancestors of Frederick III, Landgrave of Thuringia

16. Henry III, Margrave of Meissen               8. Albert II, Margrave of Meissen                       17. Constantia of Austria               4. Frederick I, Margrave of Meissen                             18. Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor               9. Margaret of Sicily                       19. Isabella of England               2. Frederick II, Margrave of Meissen                                   20. Otto IV, Count of Lobdeburg-Arnshaugk               10. Hartmann XI, Count of Lobdeburg-Arnshaugk                       21. Hedwig of Schwarzburg               5. Elizabeth of Lobdeburg-Arnshaugk                             22. Hermann III, Count of Weimar-Orlamünde               11. Elisabeth, Countess of Weimar-Orlamünde                       1. Frederick III, Landgrave of Thuringia                                         24. Otto II Wittelsbach, Duke of Bavaria               12. Louis II, Duke of Bavaria                       25. Agnes of the Palatinate               6. Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor                             26. Rudolph I of Germany               13. Matilda of Habsburg                       27. Gertrude of Hohenburg               3. Mathilde of Bavaria                                   28. Bolesław II Rogatka               14. Bolko I the Strict                       29. Hedwig of Anhalt               7. Beatrix of Silesia-Glogau                             30. Otto V, Margrave of Brandenburg-Salzwedel               15. Beatrice of Brandenburg                       31. Judith of Henneberg-Coburg

See also

• List of Margraves of Meissen
• Wettin (dynasty)