Frederick I, Margrave of Meissen
Encyclopedia
Frederick I, called the Brave or the Bitten (German Friedrich der Freidige or Friedrich der Gebissene; 1257 – 16 November 1323) was margrave of Meissen and landgrave of Thuringia.
, Frederick was the son of Albert the Degenerate
and Margaret of Germany. According to legend, his mother, fleeing her philandering husband in 1270, was overcome by the pain of parting and bit Frederick on the cheek: therefore he became known as the Bitten.
After the death of Conradin
in 1268, he became the legitimate heir to the Hohenstaufen
claims, and claimed the Kingdom of Sicily
, briefly taking the titles of King of Jerusalem and Sicily and Duke of Swabia
. (While not descended from the Kings of Jerusalem, his grandfather Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor
, had claimed the kingdom for himself.)
However, these claims met with little favor. Swabia
, pawned by Conradin before his last expedition, was disintegrating as a territorial unit. He went unrecognized in Outremer
, and Charles of Anjou was deeply entrenched in power in Southern Italy. Margrave Frederick proposed an invasion of Italy
in 1269, and attracted some support from the Lombard
Ghibellines, but his plans were never carried out, and he played no further part in Italian affairs. From 1280, he was count palatine of Saxony
.
Because his father preferred their half-brother Apitz, Frederick and his brother Diezmann waged war upon him. Frederick was captured in 1281, but after a long war his father recognized the rights of the brothers in 1289. After the death of their cousin Frederick Tuta (1291), both brothers took possession of his lands and Frederick received the Margraviate of Meissen, leaving to their father only the Margraviate of Landsberg
. However, King Adolf of Nassau-Weilburg
thought that Meissen and the Eastern March
should return to the crown after Tuta's death, and bought Thuringia
from the debt-laden Albert. The brothers were again called to arms in the defense of their inheritance, but had to give up the land. Frederick stayed away from home until the death of Adolf returned his land to him. By now his father had also been reconciled with him. Soon afterwards, however, King Albert I
claimed Thuringia and was supported by the cities, which longed to become independent (reichsunmittelbar). The landgrave's family was besieged on the Wartburg
by the Eisenach
forces; however, Frederick succeeded in liberating them. But only the victory at Lucka
on 31 May 1307 gave the two brothers relief, and before the king could gather new forces, he died.
After Diezmann's death (1307) the vassals rendered homage
to Frederick only, because Albert had renounced rule for an annuity. Only the cities were still opposed to Frederick. But Erfurt
was subjected by force, and he was also reconciled with Emperor Henry VII
, to whom Frederick had originally refused to submit. In 1310, the Emperor granted him his lands as fiefs.
However, the fight with Brandenburg
still continued and when Frederick was captured by Margrave Waldemar
, he had to buy his freedom with 32,000 marks of silver and the cession of Lower Lusatia
in the Treaty of Tangermünde of 1312. The feuds were renewed in 1316, but ended in 1317 with the Magdeburg Peace. Through the extinction of the Ascanian
house, Frederick regained all lost lands except for Landsberg and Lower Lusatia. Now he was able to install a general Landfrieden (peace).
Paralyzed by a stroke since 1321, Frederick died on 16 November 1323 at Eisenach. His bones were later moved to Grimmenstein Castle in Gotha
and after its demolition were buried in Friedenstein Castle; however, his tomb was erected in Reinhardsbrunn
. In 1285, he married Agnes, the daughter of Count Meinhard II of Gorizia-Tyrol and Elisabeth of Bavaria
, widowed mother of Conradin, and after her death he married Elizabeth of Arnshaugk, the daughter of his stepmother, in 1303. Only two children survived him, Elizabeth, who was married to Henry II, Landgrave of Hesse
, in 1322, and Frederick, his successor.
and Elisabeth of Bavaria
. They had one son:
He married Elizabeth of Lobdeburg-Arnshaugk (1286 – 22 August 1359, Gotha
) on 24 August 1300 and they had two children:
Life
Born in EisenachEisenach
Eisenach is a city in Thuringia, Germany. It is situated between the northern foothills of the Thuringian Forest and the Hainich National Park. Its population in 2006 was 43,626.-History:...
, Frederick was the son of Albert the Degenerate
Albert II, Margrave of Meissen
Albert II, the Degenerate was a Margrave of Meissen, Landgrave of Thuringia and Count Palatine of Saxony...
and Margaret of Germany. According to legend, his mother, fleeing her philandering husband in 1270, was overcome by the pain of parting and bit Frederick on the cheek: therefore he became known as the Bitten.
After the death of Conradin
Conradin
Conrad , called the Younger or the Boy, but usually known by the diminutive Conradin , was the Duke of Swabia , King of Jerusalem , and King of Sicily .-Early childhood:Conradin was born in Wolfstein, Bavaria, to Conrad...
in 1268, he became the legitimate heir to the Hohenstaufen
Hohenstaufen
The House of Hohenstaufen was a dynasty of German kings in the High Middle Ages, lasting from 1138 to 1254. Three of these kings were also crowned Holy Roman Emperor. In 1194 the Hohenstaufens also became Kings of Sicily...
claims, and claimed the Kingdom of Sicily
Kingdom of Sicily
The Kingdom of Sicily was a state that existed in the south of Italy from its founding by Roger II in 1130 until 1816. It was a successor state of the County of Sicily, which had been founded in 1071 during the Norman conquest of southern Italy...
, briefly taking the titles of King of Jerusalem and Sicily and Duke of Swabia
Duke of Swabia
The following is a list of Dukes of Swabia in southwest Germany.Swabia was one of the five stem duchies of the medieval German kingdom, and its dukes were thus among the most powerful magnates of Germany. The most notable family to hold Swabia were the Hohenstaufen, who held it, with a brief...
. (While not descended from the Kings of Jerusalem, his grandfather Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick II , was one of the most powerful Holy Roman Emperors of the Middle Ages and head of the House of Hohenstaufen. His political and cultural ambitions, based in Sicily and stretching through Italy to Germany, and even to Jerusalem, were enormous...
, had claimed the kingdom for himself.)
Swabia
Swabia is a cultural, historic and linguistic region in southwestern Germany.-Geography:Like many cultural regions of Europe, Swabia's borders are not clearly defined...
, pawned by Conradin before his last expedition, was disintegrating as a territorial unit. He went unrecognized in Outremer
Outremer
Outremer, French for "overseas", was a general name given to the Crusader states established after the First Crusade: the County of Edessa, the Principality of Antioch, the County of Tripoli and especially the Kingdom of Jerusalem...
, and Charles of Anjou was deeply entrenched in power in Southern Italy. Margrave Frederick proposed an invasion of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in 1269, and attracted some support from the Lombard
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
Ghibellines, but his plans were never carried out, and he played no further part in Italian affairs. From 1280, he was count palatine of Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
.
Because his father preferred their half-brother Apitz, Frederick and his brother Diezmann waged war upon him. Frederick was captured in 1281, but after a long war his father recognized the rights of the brothers in 1289. After the death of their cousin Frederick Tuta (1291), both brothers took possession of his lands and Frederick received the Margraviate of Meissen, leaving to their father only the Margraviate of Landsberg
Margraviate of Landsberg
The Margraviate of Landsberg was a march of the Holy Roman Empire that existed from the 12th to the 14th century. It was named after Landsberg Castle in present-day Saxony-Anhalt...
. However, King Adolf of Nassau-Weilburg
Adolf of Nassau-Weilburg
Adolf was the King of Germany from 1292 until 1298. Though his title in his lifetime was Rex Romanorum , he is usually known as Adolf of Nassau...
thought that Meissen and the Eastern March
Saxon Eastern March
The Saxon Eastern March or Ostmark was a march of the Holy Roman Empire from the 10th until the 12th century. The term "eastern march" or "ostmark" comes from the Latin term marchia Orientalis and originally could refer to either a march created on the eastern frontier of the Duchy of Saxony or...
should return to the crown after Tuta's death, and bought Thuringia
Thuringia
The Free State of Thuringia is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country.It has an area of and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states....
from the debt-laden Albert. The brothers were again called to arms in the defense of their inheritance, but had to give up the land. Frederick stayed away from home until the death of Adolf returned his land to him. By now his father had also been reconciled with him. Soon afterwards, however, King Albert I
Albert I of Germany
Albert I of Habsburg was King of the Romans and Duke of Austria, the eldest son of German King Rudolph I of Habsburg and his first wife Gertrude of Hohenburg.-Life:...
claimed Thuringia and was supported by the cities, which longed to become independent (reichsunmittelbar). The landgrave's family was besieged on the Wartburg
Wartburg Castle
The Wartburg is a castle situated on a 1230-foot precipice to the southwest of, and overlooking the town of Eisenach, in the state of Thuringia, Germany...
by the Eisenach
Eisenach
Eisenach is a city in Thuringia, Germany. It is situated between the northern foothills of the Thuringian Forest and the Hainich National Park. Its population in 2006 was 43,626.-History:...
forces; however, Frederick succeeded in liberating them. But only the victory at Lucka
Lucka
-History:The settlement of the area around Lucka occurred in the early Stone Age . Lucka was first mentioned in writing in 1320 as "opidum Luckowe"...
on 31 May 1307 gave the two brothers relief, and before the king could gather new forces, he died.
After Diezmann's death (1307) the vassals rendered homage
Homage
Homage is a show or demonstration of respect or dedication to someone or something, sometimes by simple declaration but often by some more oblique reference, artistic or poetic....
to Frederick only, because Albert had renounced rule for an annuity. Only the cities were still opposed to Frederick. But Erfurt
Erfurt
Erfurt is the capital city of Thuringia and the main city nearest to the geographical centre of Germany, located 100 km SW of Leipzig, 150 km N of Nuremberg and 180 km SE of Hannover. Erfurt Airport can be reached by plane via Munich. It lies in the southern part of the Thuringian...
was subjected by force, and he was also reconciled with Emperor Henry VII
Henry VII, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry VII was the King of Germany from 1308 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1312. He was the first emperor of the House of Luxembourg...
, to whom Frederick had originally refused to submit. In 1310, the Emperor granted him his lands as fiefs.
However, the fight with Brandenburg
Brandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
still continued and when Frederick was captured by Margrave Waldemar
Waldemar, Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal
Waldemar of Brandenburg was Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal, the last from the Ascanian House.-Life:He was a son of Conrad, Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal and Constance, daughter of Przemysł I of Greater Poland...
, he had to buy his freedom with 32,000 marks of silver and the cession of Lower Lusatia
Lower Lusatia
Lower Lusatia is a historical region stretching from the southeast of the Brandenburg state of Germany to the southwest of the Lubusz Voivodeship in Poland. Important towns beside the historic capital Lübben include Calau, Cottbus, Guben , Luckau, Spremberg, Finsterwalde, Senftenberg and Żary...
in the Treaty of Tangermünde of 1312. The feuds were renewed in 1316, but ended in 1317 with the Magdeburg Peace. Through the extinction of the Ascanian
Ascanian
The House of Ascania was a dynasty of German rulers. It was also known as the House of Anhalt, after Anhalt, its longest-held possession.The Ascanians are named after Ascania Castle, which is located near and named after Aschersleben...
house, Frederick regained all lost lands except for Landsberg and Lower Lusatia. Now he was able to install a general Landfrieden (peace).
Paralyzed by a stroke since 1321, Frederick died on 16 November 1323 at Eisenach. His bones were later moved to Grimmenstein Castle in Gotha
Gotha (town)
Gotha is a town in Thuringia, within the central core of Germany. It is the capital of the district of Gotha.- History :The town has existed at least since the 8th century, when it was mentioned in a document signed by Charlemagne as Villa Gotaha . Its importance derives from having been chosen in...
and after its demolition were buried in Friedenstein Castle; however, his tomb was erected in Reinhardsbrunn
Reinhardsbrunn
Reinhardsbrunn in Friedrichroda near Gotha, in Thuringia in Germany, is the site of a formerly prominent Benedictine abbey extant between 1085 and 1525, and, from 1827, of a royal castle and park of the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha family.-Monastery:...
. In 1285, he married Agnes, the daughter of Count Meinhard II of Gorizia-Tyrol and Elisabeth of Bavaria
Elisabeth of Bavaria, Queen of Germany
Elisabeth of Bavaria was the queen consort of Conrad IV of Germany.-Family:She was the eldest daughter of Otto II, Duke of Bavaria and Agnes of the Palatinate...
, widowed mother of Conradin, and after her death he married Elizabeth of Arnshaugk, the daughter of his stepmother, in 1303. Only two children survived him, Elizabeth, who was married to Henry II, Landgrave of Hesse
Henry II, Landgrave of Hesse
Henry II of Hesse called "the Iron" was Landgrave of Hesse from 1328 - 1376.Henry was the son of Otto I, Landgrave of Hesse and Adelheid of Ravensburg...
, in 1322, and Frederick, his successor.
Family
Frederick married Agnes of Gorizia-Tyrol (d. 14 May 1293) in 1286, daughter of Meinhard, Duke of CarinthiaMeinhard, Duke of Carinthia
Meinhard II from the House of Meinhardin was ruling Count of Gorizia from 1258 until 1271 and Count of Tyrol from 1258 until his death...
and Elisabeth of Bavaria
Elisabeth of Bavaria, Queen of Germany
Elisabeth of Bavaria was the queen consort of Conrad IV of Germany.-Family:She was the eldest daughter of Otto II, Duke of Bavaria and Agnes of the Palatinate...
. They had one son:
- Frederick the Lame (9 May 1293 – 13 January 1315, ZwenkauZwenkauZwenkau is a city in the district of Leipzig, in the Free State of Saxony, Germany. Situated between the rivers Weiße Elster and Pleiße it unfolds to Leipzig lowlands and includes parts of the conservation area Elsteraue and Central Germany's Street of Lignite.- Geography :The city lies about...
), married Anna (d. 22 November 1327, WismarWismarWismar , is a small port and Hanseatic League town in northern Germany on the Baltic Sea, in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern,about 45 km due east of Lübeck, and 30 km due north of Schwerin. Its natural harbour, located in the Bay of Wismar is well-protected by a promontory. The...
), daughter of Albert II, Duke of Saxe-WittenbergAlbert II, Duke of SaxonyAlbert II of Saxony was a son of Duke Albert I of Saxony and his third wife Helen of Brunswick and Lunenburg, a daughter of Otto the Child. He supported Rudolph I of Germany at his election as Roman king and became his son-in-law...
He married Elizabeth of Lobdeburg-Arnshaugk (1286 – 22 August 1359, Gotha
Gotha (town)
Gotha is a town in Thuringia, within the central core of Germany. It is the capital of the district of Gotha.- History :The town has existed at least since the 8th century, when it was mentioned in a document signed by Charlemagne as Villa Gotaha . Its importance derives from having been chosen in...
) on 24 August 1300 and they had two children:
- Elizabeth (1306–1368), married Henry II, Landgrave of HesseHenry II, Landgrave of HesseHenry II of Hesse called "the Iron" was Landgrave of Hesse from 1328 - 1376.Henry was the son of Otto I, Landgrave of Hesse and Adelheid of Ravensburg...
, in 1322 - Frederick the Serious