Rudolf III, Duke of Saxe-Wittenberg
Encyclopedia
Duke Rudolf III of Saxe-Wittenberg (born: in Wittenberg
; died: 11 June 1419 in Bohemia
) was a member of the House of Ascania and Elector
of Saxony. He ruled Saxe-Wittenberg from 1388-1419.
Rudolf III took up government in Saxe-Wittenberg
after his father's death in 1388. He was involved in a long-running dispute with the Archbishopric of Magdeburg
. He donated numerous gifts to the All Saints' Church, Wittenberg
.
In 1419, Emperor Sigismund
sent Rudolpf III to quash the Hussite uprising
that had begun with the Defenestration of Prague. He died on his way there, probably after being poisoned. He was buried in the Franciscan
monastery in Wittenberg
. His coffin was moved to the crypt of the Castle Church
in Wittenburg Castle in the 19th century, and to the family grave during the Second World War.
and Landgrave of Thuringia
and in March 1396 with Barbara (died: 17 May 1435), daughter of Duke Rupert I
of Legnica.
He had five children:
Wittenberg
Wittenberg, officially Lutherstadt Wittenberg, is a city in Germany in the Bundesland Saxony-Anhalt, on the river Elbe. It has a population of about 50,000....
; died: 11 June 1419 in Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
) was a member of the House of Ascania and Elector
Elector
Elector may refer to:* Prince-elector or elector, a member of the electoral college of the Holy Roman Empire, having the function of electing the Holy Roman Emperors...
of Saxony. He ruled Saxe-Wittenberg from 1388-1419.
Life
As the eldest son of Wenceslas IWenceslas I, Duke of Saxe-Wittenberg
Wenceslas I, Duke of Saxe-Wittenberg from the House of Ascania ruled from 1370 to 1388 and was a prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire as well as Prince of Lüneburg. He was the son of Rudolf I and his 3rd wife, Agnes of Lindow.- Life :In 1370 Wenceslas succeeded his brother Rudolf II...
Rudolf III took up government in Saxe-Wittenberg
Saxe-Wittenberg
The Duchy of Saxe-Wittenberg was a medieval duchy of the Holy Roman Empire centered at Wittenberg, which emerged after the dissolution of the stem duchy of Saxony. As the precursor of the Saxon Electorate, the Ascanian Wittenberg dukes prevailed in obtaining the Saxon electoral dignity.-Ascanian...
after his father's death in 1388. He was involved in a long-running dispute with the Archbishopric of Magdeburg
Archbishopric of Magdeburg
The Archbishopric of Magdeburg was a Roman Catholic archdiocese and Prince-Bishopric of the Holy Roman Empire centered on the city of Magdeburg on the Elbe River....
. He donated numerous gifts to the All Saints' Church, Wittenberg
All Saints' Church, Wittenberg
All Saints' Church, commonly referred to as Schlosskirche, meaning "Castle Church" — to distinguish it from the "town church", the Stadtkirche of St. Mary — and sometimes known as the Reformation Memorial Church, is a Lutheran church in Lutherstadt Wittenberg, Germany...
.
In 1419, Emperor Sigismund
Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor
Sigismund of Luxemburg KG was King of Hungary, of Croatia from 1387 to 1437, of Bohemia from 1419, and Holy Roman Emperor for four years from 1433 until 1437, the last Emperor of the House of Luxemburg. He was also King of Italy from 1431, and of Germany from 1411...
sent Rudolpf III to quash the Hussite uprising
Hussite Wars
The Hussite Wars, also called the Bohemian Wars involved the military actions against and amongst the followers of Jan Hus in Bohemia in the period 1419 to circa 1434. The Hussite Wars were notable for the extensive use of early hand-held gunpowder weapons such as hand cannons...
that had begun with the Defenestration of Prague. He died on his way there, probably after being poisoned. He was buried in the Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
monastery in Wittenberg
Wittenberg
Wittenberg, officially Lutherstadt Wittenberg, is a city in Germany in the Bundesland Saxony-Anhalt, on the river Elbe. It has a population of about 50,000....
. His coffin was moved to the crypt of the Castle Church
All Saints' Church, Wittenberg
All Saints' Church, commonly referred to as Schlosskirche, meaning "Castle Church" — to distinguish it from the "town church", the Stadtkirche of St. Mary — and sometimes known as the Reformation Memorial Church, is a Lutheran church in Lutherstadt Wittenberg, Germany...
in Wittenburg Castle in the 19th century, and to the family grave during the Second World War.
Marriage and issue
Rudolf married between 1387and 1389 with Anna of Meissen (died: 4 July 1395), the daughter of Balthasar, Margrave of MeissenMeissen
Meissen is a town of approximately 30,000 about northwest of Dresden on both banks of the Elbe river in the Free State of Saxony, in eastern Germany. Meissen is the home of Meissen porcelain, the Albrechtsburg castle, the Gothic Meissen Cathedral and the Meissen Frauenkirche...
and Landgrave of 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....
and in March 1396 with Barbara (died: 17 May 1435), daughter of Duke Rupert I
Rupert I of Legnica
Rupert I of Legnica was a Duke of Legnica since 1364 until his death, and also regent over half of the Duchy of Głogów-Żagań during 1397–1401....
of Legnica.
He had five children:
- Scholastica (1393-1463), married Duke Jan I of ŻagańJan I of ZaganJan I of Żagań was a Duke of Żagań-Głogów, since 1397 , since 1403 Duke of Żagań, Krosno Odrzańskie and Świebodzin and since 1412 sole ruler of Żagań and Przewóz.He was the eldest son of Henry VIII the Sparrow, Duke of Głogów by his wife Katharina, daughter of Duke...
- Rudolph (d. 1406),
- Wenceslas (d. 1407),
- Siegmund (d. 1407),
- Barbara (1405-1465), married Margrave John of Brandenburg-KulmbachJohn, Margrave of Brandenburg-KulmbachJohn, nicknamed the Alchemist was a Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach and served as the peace-loving Margrave of Brandenburg after the abdication of his father, Frederick I, the first member of the House of Hohenzollern to rule Brandenburg.-Biography:John was the eldest son of Frederick I,...