Christian August of Saxe-Zeitz

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Christian August of Saxe-Zeitz (b. Moritzburg, 9 October 1666 - d. Regensburg, 23 August 1725), was a German prince and member of the House of Wettin.

He was the third (fifth in order of birth) but second surviving son of Maurice, Duke of Saxe-Zeitz and his second wife, Dorothea Marie of Saxe-Weimar.

[edit] Life

A Teutonic Knight, in 1693 he converted to the Catholicism and became Provost of Köln (1696-1725), Bishop of Raab (1696-1725) and, on 17 May 1706, cardinal by creation of Pope Clement IX.

He was chosen to convert her kinsman, the King-Elector August the Strong of Poland in the Catholic faith. Christian August teach him secretly into his faith and, on 1 June 1697, he baptized August in the High Chapelle (Hofkapelle) in Baden bei Wien secretly, then publicly and solemnly in the German Piekar in Oppeln, in which he put the prescribed the Apostolic Creed down before his cousin Christian August. When the conversion was finally formal, Christian August had a certificate to the King, which was authenticated by the Papal Internuntius.

In 1707 Christian August was elected Archbishop of Esztergom (Gran) and consequently, Primate of Hungary. He used the office of a deputy of the Emperor as Imperial First Commissioner (Prinzipalkommissar) in the Imperial Diet (Reichstag) of Regensburg.

On occasion of the victory over the Turks in Belgrade (1717) Christian August, as Representant of the Emperor Charles VI organized in the Imperial Diet realm a magnificent celebration. During the fest, on 26 October was created, in the knight's hall the Order of St. Emmeram.

The death of his brother, the Duke Maurice Wilhelm (15 November 1718) without surviving male issue, make him the heir of Saxe-Zeitz, but, because he took the monastic vows (the next in line to inherited, Christian August's nephew Maurice Adolf, was also a priest) Zeitz was merged for the Electorate of Saxony, in accordance of Elector Johann Georg I's will.