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Ernest
(* 24. 3. 1441,† 26. 8. 1486 in Colditz),
governed together with his brother Albert III. the Bold,
until he arranged 1485 the division of the common possession.
In the Division of Leipzig he received area around
Wittenberg, the south Thuringian part, the Vogtland and parts of the Pleissnerland.
As residence he selected Wittenberg. He provided for the welfare of the country
and introduced the constitution. One year after the division elector Ernest died
at the age of 46 years at the consequences of a fall of the horse.
Frederick III. the Wise
( * 17.1. 1463 in Torgau, †25.Mai1525 inLochau near Torgau ),
created in 1502 the University of Wittenberg, where
Martin Luther
taught. Although he was faithful catholic, Frederick III. protected the
Reformator Luther, when this was banned by the Pope. Since Frederick did not
trust the free escort, which the emperor had assured, he let Luther kidnap and
brought him as "Junker Joerg" in security on the Wartburg castle. Thus he saved
the reformation, which, outgoing from Saxony, seized widened parts of the realm
and Europe. Frederick III. opposed for a long time the new teachings, and admitted
themselves only on the dying bed to the reformation.
John the Steadfast
(* 1468, †16.08.1532 castle Schweinitz),
followed his brother in the rule. As its surname betrays, he took the same
attitude as his brother in relation to the reformation. 1527 were created the
Evangelic-Lutheran regional church, whose "highest bishop" was the
elector. The 1530 for the defense of the reformation created Schmalkaldic
federation of the Evangelics stood under guidance of Saxony and Hesse.
After his death John, like his brother Frederick, was buried in the castle
church to Wittenberg.
John Frederick
( * 1503, †03.03.1554 in Weimar),
the reformation already promoted, like before it its uncle and father.
In the Schmalkalden war it stood at the point of the reformers.
Betrayed by his cousin Maurice he was taken prisoner at the
24.April 1547 by the supremacy of the imperial troops on the
Lochauer heath. The originally expressed death sentence was converted
after help of influential princes (among other things also Maurice)
into lifelong prison. After five years shank dismisses, lost however
and all its the countries. (later his sons got a majority of the
possessions back.)
