Frederick Augustus III of Saxony

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Frederick Augustus III,
King of Saxony

Frederick Augustus III (German: Friedrich August III.; 25 May 1865 – 18 February 1932) was the last King of Saxony (1904–1918) and a member of the House of Wettin.

Born in Dresden, Frederick Augustus was the son of King George of Saxony (1832-1904) and his wife Maria Anna, Infanta of Portugal (1843-1884).

He was an older brother of Princess Maria Josepha of Saxony. His maternal first cousins included (among others) Carlos I of Portugal, Infante Afonso, Duke of Porto, Prince Wilhelm of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen and Ferdinand I of Romania.

Frederick Augustus served in the Royal Saxon Army before becoming king, and later was promoted to Generalfeldmarschall. He abdicated as king on 13 November 1918, after the defeat of the German Empire in World War I. He died in Sibyllenort (Szczodre) in Lower Silesia and was buried in Dresden.

Military career

Frederick Augustus entered the Royal Saxon Army in 1877 as a second lieutenant, despite being only 12 years old. Given his royal status, he advanced rapidly through the ranks. He served initially with the Royal Saxon 1. (Leib-) Grenadier Regiment Nr. 100. He was promoted to first lieutenant in 1883, captain in 1887, major in 1889 and lieutenant colonel in 1891. By 1891, he was commander of the 1st Battalion of Schützen (Füsilier)-Regiment Nr. 108. He was promoted to colonel on September 22, 1892 and took command of the Schützen (Füsilier)-Regiment Nr. 108 on the same day. On September 20, 1894, the 29-year old prince was promoted to Generalmajor and given command of the 1st Royal Saxon Infantry Brigade Nr. 45 (Saxon higher units usually bore two numbers: one their Saxon Army number and the other their number in the Prussian Army order of battle). On May 22, 1898, he was promoted to Generalleutnant and given command of the 1st Royal Saxon Infantry Division Nr. 23. He commanded this division until August 26, 1902, when he took command of the XII (1st Royal Saxon) Corps. He was promoted to General der Infanterie one month later, on September 24. He remained in command of the corps until October 1904, when he became king. His formal military career ended with his accession to the throne, but he was promoted subsequently to Generaloberst and then to Generalfeldmarschall (on September 9, 1912).

Ancestry

Family

Frederick Augustus married Archduchess Luise, Princess of Tuscany, in Vienna on 21 November 1891. They divorced in 1903 after she ran away while pregnant with her last child.

They had seven children:

• Friedrich August Georg, Crown Prince of Saxony (1893- 1943). After becoming a Jesuit priest, he renounced his rights in 1923. He was assassinated by the SS.
• 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 unusual 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.

Quotes

• When standing in uniform on a station platform, a lady asked him to move her trunk. He is reported to have replied, "Madam, I am not a porter; I only look like one."[1]

• When the German Republic was proclaimed in 1918, he was asked by telephone whether he would abdicate willingly. Said he: "Oh, well, I suppose I'd better." [2]

• When cheered by a crowd in a railroad station several years after his abdication, he stuck his head out of the train's window and shouted, "You're a fine lot of republicans, I'll say!" [3]

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ca:Frederic August III de Saxònia

de:Friedrich August III. (Sachsen) es:Federico Augusto III de Sajonia fr:Frédéric-Auguste III de Saxe la:Fridericus Augustus III (rex Saxoniae) nl:Frederik August III van Saksen ja:フリードリヒ・アウグスト3世 (ザクセン王) pl:Fryderyk August III Wettyn ru:Фридрих Август III (король Саксонии)