Frederick Augustus II of Saxony

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King Frederick Augustus II of Saxony
Reign	June 6, 1836-August 9, 1854
Born	18 May 1797(1797-05-18)
Birthplace	Pillnitz
Died	9 August 1854 (aged 57)
Place of death	Karrösten, Tyrol
Buried	Katholische Hofkirche, Dresden
Predecessor	Anthony I
Successor	John I
Consort	i) Archduchess Maria Karoline of Austria ii) Princess Maria Anna of Bavaria
Royal House	Wettin
Father	Prince Maximilian of Saxony
Mother	Princess Caroline of Parma

Frederick Augustus II (full name: Frederick Augustus Albert Maria Clemens Joseph Vincenz Aloys Nepomuk Johann Baptista Nikolaus Raphael Peter Xavier Franz de Paula Venantius Felix) (German: Friedrich August II.; b. Dresden, 18 May 1797 – d. Brennbüchel, in Karrösten, Tyrol, 9 August 1854) was King of Saxony and a member of the House of Wettin.

He was the eldest son of Maximilian, Prince of Saxony -younger son of the Elector Frederick Christian of Saxony- by his first wife, Caroline of Bourbon, Princess of Parma.

Contents 1 Life 1.1 Early Years 1.2 Co-Regent to the Kingdom 1.3 King of Saxony 2 Accidental Death 3 Marriages 4 Ancestors

[edit] Life

[edit] Early Years

Since his birth, was clear that one day, Frederick Augustus became in King of Saxony. His father was the only of the sons of the Elector Frederick Christian of Saxony who left surviving male issue. When the King Frederick Augustus I died (1827) and Anton succeeded him as King, Frederick Augustus became in the second in line to the throne, preceded only by his father Maximilian.

He was an officer in the Wars of Liberation; however showed, otherwise, hardly interest for the military affairs.

[edit] Co-Regent to the Kingdom

The July Revolution of 1830 in France made the beginning of disturbances in Saxony in the autumn. The people claimed a change of the constitution and a young regent of the Kingdom who shared the government with the King Anton. On 1 September the Prince Maximilian renounced his rights of succession in favor of his son Frederick Augustus, who was proclaimed Prince Co-Regent (de: Prinz-Mitregenten) of Saxony. On 2 February 1832 Frederick Augustus brought the Free Autonomy to the cities. Also, by an edict of 17 March of that year, the farmers were freed from the corvée and the hereditary submission.

[edit] King of Saxony

On 6 June 1836 the King Anton died and Frederick Augustus succeeded him as King. As an intelligent man, he was quickly popular with the people since the times of his regency. The new King solved political questions only from pure sense of duty. Mostly he preferred to leave these things on the hands of his Ministers.

A standardized jurisdiction for Saxony created the Criminal Code of 1836. During the Revolutionary disturbances of 1848 (March Revolution) he appointed liberal Ministers in the government, lifted the censorship and remitted a liberal electoral law. Later his attitude changed. On the 28 April Frederick August II dissolved the Parliament. This made a sublevation in the Kingdom and in 1849, Frederick Augustus was forced to flee to the Königstein Fortress. The May Uprising was crushed by Saxon and Prussian troops and Frederick was able to return after only a few days.

[edit] Accidental Death

During a journey in Tyrol he had an accident who caused his death on 8 August 1854 in Brennbüchel. He died in the Gasthof Neuner, when he fallen from the vehicle who had used for his trip and had got from a horse a step against the head. He was buried on the 16 August in the Katholische Hofkirche of Dresden. In his memory, the Dowager Queen Maria arranged to establish a King's chapel at the accident place, which was consecrated one year later.

[edit] Marriages

In Vienna on 26 September 1819 (by proxy) and again in Dresden on 7 October 1819 (in person), Frederick Augustus married firstly with the Archduchess Maria Caroline of Austria (Maria Karoline Ferdinande Theresia Josephine Demetria), daughter of Emperor Francis I of Austria. They had no children.

In Dresden on 24 April 1833 Frederick Augustus married secondly with the Princess Maria of Bavaria (Maria Anna Leopoldine Elisabeth Wilhelmine), daughter of the King Maximilian I of Bavaria. Like his first marriage, this was childless too.

Without issue, after his death Frederick Augustus was succeeded by his younger brother, Johann.

[edit] Ancestors

Frederick Augustus II's ancestors in three generations

8. Augustus III of Poland

4. Frederick Christian, Elector of Saxony

9. Maria Josepha of Austria

2. Prince Maximilian of Saxony

10. Charles VII, Holy Roman Emperor

5. Maria Antonia Walpurgis of Bavaria

11. Maria Amalia of Austria

1. Frederick Augustus II of Saxony

12. Philip, Duke of Parma

6. Ferdinand, Duke of Parma

13. Louise-Élisabeth of France

3. Caroline of Bourbon-Parma

14. Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor

7. Marie Amalie of Austria

15. Maria Theresa of Austria

Frederick Augustus II of Saxony House of Wettin Born: May 18 1797 Died: August 9 1854
Regnal titles
Preceded by Anthony	King of Saxony 1836-1854	Succeeded by Johann