List of Saxon Monarchs

Royal arms of the Kingdom of Saxony under the House of Wettin

The Monarchs of Saxony are the hereditary rulers of the Kingdom of Saxony, with absolute authority over the affairs of the kingdom. The first Saxon King was Thankmar of Saxony, a member of the Liudolfing dynasty, who revolted against and overthrew his younger brother Otto as King of the Germans. The participation of the stem dukes in Thankmar's rebellion led to the dissolution of the German Kingdom, which had been in existence (as East Francia) since the Carolingian Empire. As a result, the German Kingdom was divided into several smaller Kingdoms, with Saxony taking stage as the dominant power in Northern Germany. The Kingdom has been ruled by five dynasties: the Liudolfings, the Billungs, the Welfs, the Askaniens and the Wettins. The most famous dynasty to rule over the kingdom has been the House of Wettin, who ascended in 1422 and continue to reign today. Below is a comprehensive list of everyone who has reigned as King or Queen of Saxony in their own right.

House of Liudolfings (939 - 1042)[]

Name	Life	Reign	Notes
Thankmar	908 - 961 (died aged 53)	939 - 960 (21 years)	Son of Henry the Fowler, King of the Germans. He and many of the stem dukes rebelled against his younger brother, Otto, which led to the destruction of the German Kingdom and creation of the German stem duchies as independent kingdoms. Thankmar was crowned King of Saxony. Deposed by his son in 960, died in 961.
Heinrich II "the Wise"	940 - 984 (died aged 44)	960 - 984 (24 years)	Son of Thankmar. Deposed his father in 960 with the support of the Saxon nobility. Though politically astute, he was physically weak. Died childless aged 44, succeeded by his nephew.
Ludwig I "the Great"	967 - 1028 (died aged 61)	984 - 1028 (44 years)	Nephew of Heinrich II. Regarded as the great early King of the Saxons, expanded the borders of the Kingdom and established Saxony as the strongest of the German states during his reign. He also made a great effort in converting the tribal pagans to the east of his realm.
Heinrich III "the Red"	1006- 1042 (died aged 36)	1028- 1042 (14 years)	Son of Ludwig I. The last of the Liudolfings, he was childless. The search for an heir was the greatest struggle during his reign. Eventually, his cousin Bernard Billung was nominated as heir by Heinrich. He died on a hunting trip in 1042, leading to the ascension of Bernard.

House of Billung (1042 - 1137)[]

Name	Life	Reign	Notes
Bernhard I "the Fortunate"	1009- 1063 (died aged 54)	1042- 1063 (21 years)	First monarch of the Billung dynasty. Nominated as heir to his cousin, King Heinrich III, his mother having been the King's aunt. Best known for attempting to centralise Saxon power in the German region and beyond.
Friedrich I "the Silent"	1055- 1115 (died aged 60)	1063 - 1115 (52 years)	Grandson of Bernhard I. He was best known for the political intrigues which occured during his reign, earning him his epithet. He was the longest reigning early King of the Saxons, having come to the throne as a child.
Ludwig II "the Last"	1062- 1137 (died aged 75)	1115 - 1137 (22 years)	Brother of Friedrich I. The last of the Billung dynasty, he was a militaristic man who focused on the expansion of Saxony's borders and his own power.

House of Welf (1137 - 1180)[]

Name	Life	Reign	Notes
Heinrich IV "the Proud"	1085- 1150 (died aged 65)	1137 - 1150 (13 years)	Great-grandson of Ludwig I. He took the throne after the death of Ludwig II and the extinction of the Billungs. He was a popular and forward-thinking ruler, who helped with the centralisation of the Saxon Kingdom. He is generally regarded as pragmatic, yet arrogant.
Heinrich V "the Lion"	1121- 1174 (died aged 53)	1150 - 1174 (24 years)	Son of Heinrich IV. He was generally regarded as a fearsome warrior with a reputation for a dreadful temper. He was one of the most feared commanders of his time.
Heinrich VI "the Terrible"	1152- 1216 (died aged 64)	1174 - 1180 (6 years)	Son of Heinrich V. He was generally regarded as a vain, cruel and arrogant man who was prone to tyranny. When he also became King of Bavaria in 1180, the Saxon nobles chose to expel him. He was, therefore, deposed in Saxony and returned to Bavaria.

House of Ascania (1180 - 1422)[]

Name	Life	Reign	Notes
Otto I "the Fair"	1155- 1204 (died aged 49)	1180 - 1204 (24 years)	Great-grandson of Heinrich IV. First monarch of the House of Ascania. He defended Saxony against invasion from the deposed Heinrich VI on two occasions. His dynasty would go on to rule Saxony for 242 years.
Bernhard II "the Fat"	1184- 1241 (died aged 57)	1204- 1241 (37 years)	Son of Otto I. Best known for his immense gluttony and lavish expenditure, which emptied the Saxon treasury and nearly brought the state to ruin.
Friedrich II "the Good"	1220- 1264 (died aged 44)	1241- 1264 (23 years)	Son of Bernhard II. He was a good-natured and pious individual who attempted to fix the broken economy left by his father. He was ultimately unsuccessful within 23 years and died childless.
Karl I "the Boar"	1223- 1281 (died aged 58)	1264- 1281 (17 years)	Brother of Friedrich II. He was noted for his immense strength, which earned him his epithet. He was also known for his military prowess and his skill as a commander.
Friedrich III "the Pious"	1258- 1323 (died aged 65)	1281- 1323 (42 years)	Nephew of Karl I. He was most remarkable for his extreme and unrivalled piety. It was often remarked that he was a vassal of the Holy See.
Ludwig III "the Affable"	1275- 1341 (died aged 66)	1323- 1341 (18 years)	Son of Friedrich III. He was known as charismatic and gracious, which earned him popularity amongst the nobility. He was more modest than many of his predecessors.
Friedrich IV "the Accursed"	1274- 1345 (died aged 71)	1341- 1345 (4 years)	Cousin of Ludwig III. He was known for his hereitcal beliefs, as well as the stigma which surrounded his rule. He was extremely unpopular, also having been excommunicated. A revolt was forming against him at the time of his death in 1345.
Karl II "the Grey King"	1303- 1376 (died aged 73)	1345- 1376 (31 years)	Son of Friedrich IV. He attempted to restore his house's reputation after the damage his father had done. He was known for his longevity, which earned him his epithet.
Ernest I "the Golden"	1362- 1417 (died aged 55)	1376- 1417 (41 years)	Grandson of Karl II. He was the penultimate monarch of the House of Ascania. He was known for his wealth, which earned him his epithet.
Friedrich V "the Young"	1404- 1422 (died aged 18)	1417- 1422 (5 years)	Grandson of Ernest I. He was the last of the reigning House of Ascania. After his death, the Askanien line continued through junior branches.

House of Wettin (1422 - Present)[]

Name	Life	Reign	Notes
Friedrich VI "the Warlike"	1382- 1449 (died aged 67)	1422- 1449 (27 years)	Great-great grandson of Friedrich III. First Wettin King of Saxony. He seized the throne after the death of Friedrich V, the last of the Wittenberg line of the Askaniens. He established the still reigning royal dynasty of Wettin.
Friedrich August I "the Brave"	1408- 1473 (died aged 65)	1449- 1473 (24 years)	Son of Friedrich VI. He was a noted participant in the failed Crusade of Varna (1444) during his father's reign. He expanded Saxony at the expense of Bohemia, Denmark and others.
Ernest II "the Wise"	1460- 1527 (died aged 67)	1473- 1527 (54 years)	Grandson of Friedrich August I. The progenitor of the royal Ernestine line of the House of Wettin. His brother, Albert, created the Albertine line. He was known for his cautious and careful rule. He also protected and heard teachings from Martin Luther, though he remained Catholic.
Friedrich August II "the Pious"	1483- 1561 (died aged 78)	1527- 1561 (34 years)	Son of Ernest II. He formally made Lutheranism the state religion of Saxony in 1527, abandoning Catholicism. He is known for his strict adherence to Lutheran ideals, as well as his brutal supression of Catholics.
Friedrich August III "the Accursed"	1523- 1564 (died aged 41)	1561- 1564 (3 years)	Grandson of Friedrich August II. He was known for his numerous disabilities and disfigurements, earning him his nickname. He died childless.
Ludwig IV "the Old"	1525- 1596 (died aged 71)	1564- 1596 (32 years)	Brother of Friedrich August III. He was known for his longevity, which earned him his epithet. He made numerous reforms to the army, turning it into a force to be reckoned with.
Friedrich August IV	1591- 1642 (died aged 51)	1596- 1642 (46 years)	Great-grandson of Ludwig IV. He led Saxony into the Thirty Years' War, being instrumental in preserving Lutheran dominance in Northern Germany.
Friedrich August V	1614- 1671 (died aged 57)	1642- 1671 (29 years)	Son of Friedrich August IV. He was known for assisting in the resolution of the Thirty Years' War, as well as helping cultural developments throughout the realm.
Karl III	1637- 1696 (died aged 59)	1671- 1696 (25 years)	Son of Friedrich August V. His reign is remembered as a stable and prosperous time. He is best remembered for the Pragmatic Sanction, which enabled the inheritance of his daughter, Frederika.
Frederika	1677 - Present (aged 22)	1696 - Present (3 years)	Daughter of Karl III. She has a co-monarchy with her husband, Friedrich August VI. Best known for her infamous "Flight to Rettenbach" in which she fled the country for a brief time. She is the last of the direct Ernestine line.
Friedrich August VI "the Strong"	1676 - 1703 (died aged 26)	1696 - 1703 (7 years)	Great-grandson of Friedrich August V through a female line. Husband and co-monarch of Frederika. A member of the Albertine branch of the House of Wettin. He is known for his military prowess and, infamously, his temper. He died in battle during the Great Northern War.