Frederick Augustus III of Saxony
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Friedrich August III, King of Saxony (Friedrich August Johann Ludwig Karl Gustav Gregor Philipp) (25 May 1865 -18 February 1932) was the last King of Saxony. He was the son of King Georg I of Saxony (1832-1904) and his wife Maria Ana, Infanta of Portugal (1843-1884). He was born in Dresden.
He married, on 21 November 1891 at Vienna, Archduchess Luise, Princess of Tuscany. They were divorced in 1903.
They had seven children:
- Friedrich August Georg, Crown Prince of Saxony (1893- 1943). After becoming a Jesuit priest, he renounced his rights in 1923.
- Friedrich Christian, Margrave of Meissen, Duke of Saxony (1893-1968). Married Princess Elisabeth Helene of Thurn and Taxis (1903-1976) and had issue.
- Ernst Heinrich, Prince of Saxony (1896 - 1971). Married first Princess Sophia of Luxembourg (1902-1941), daughter of Guillaume IV, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, in 1921 and second Virginia Dulon (1910-2002) in 1947 (morganatically). Had issue with Sophia.
- Maria Alix Carola, stillborn 22 August 1898
- Margarete Carola Wilhelmine (1900 - 1962). Married Friedrich, Prince of Hohenzollern (1891-1965).
- Maria Alix Luitpolda (1901 - 1990). Married Franz Joseph, Prince of Hohenzollern-Emden (1891-1964).
- Anna Pia Monika (1903 - 1976). Married firstly Joseph Franz, Archduke of Austria (1895-1957) and secondly Reginald Kazanjian (1905-1990). (Anna was most likely the daughter of André Giron, the children's tutor, but Frederick Augustus legitimized her and treated her as one of his own)
The birth of their two eldest sons was something rather unique among the courts of Europe. Their two eldest sons, Friedrich August and Friedrich Christian were born in the same year, 1893, but were not twins. Friedrich August was born in January, while Friedrich Christian was born in December.
He became a Generalfeldmarschall. He abdicated 13 November 1918, after the defeat of the German Empire in World War I. He died in Sibyllenort and was buried in Dresden.
[edit] Quotes
- When standing in uniform on a station platform, a lady asked him to move her trunk. He is reopted to have replied: "Madam, I am not a porter; I only look like one."[1]
- When cheered by a crowd in a railroad station, he stuck his head out of the train's window and shouted, "You're a fine lot of republicans, I'll say!" [2]
Preceded by George |
King of Saxony 1904–1918 |
Succeeded by Became a republic |
Preceded by – |
Head of the House of Wettin 1918–1932 |
Succeeded by Frederick Christian, Margrave of Meissen |