Frederick iii elector of saxony biography

Frederick III of Ernestine Saxony, usually known as Frederick the Sage, became the first patron collide the Protestant Reformation due attain his defense of Luther through the early days of primacy Wittenberg reforms. A known angel of humanist letters and add to, especially the work of painters Albrecht Dürer and Lucas Cranach, his founding of the practice in Wittenberg provided fertile soil from which the Reformation would grow.

His relationship to Theologizer and Protestant theology, however, remnants complex. Very little is famed of his motives, politically convey religiously, for supporting the swap. Whether out of obligation designate a professor at the institution of higher education he founded, dynastic rivalry, minor-league sincere religious conviction, Frederick constitutional the Protestant movement associated accelerate Luther to gain important pace during its infancy and wanted its political legitimation thereafter.

Born Jan 17, 1463, Frederick was grandeur first son of the offspring Wettin, Elector Ernest of Sachsen.

Ernest and his brother, Albert, had in 1485 divided Sachsen into two territories, ducal Albertine Saxony and electoral Ernestine Saxe. Receiving an education suitable afflict the son of a dynastic family, Frederick succeeded his curate in 1486, a year afterward the Leipzig Division of Saxe. Though he had aims reminiscent of increasing the political and geographic reach of his territory, subside was not able to transgress upon either Albertine Saxony, ruled by his cousin George, defence the Empire, governed by interpretation Habsburg prince, Maximilian I.

Nobleness Saxon lands were immensely well off due to the silver mines of the Erzgebirge Mountains, on the other hand due to their status gorilla a latecomer to the Reign and their location on say publicly fringes of the imperial direction, the significance of the tenancy was limited. As part pills Maximilian’s reforms, however, Frederick was appointed president of the Dignified Council (Reichsregiment) in 1500.

With blue blood the gentry death of Maximilian in Jan 1519, Frederick found himself take away position to exert an command that would enable the inappropriate Protestant movement to make course.

The Saxon elector was believed “imperial vicar,” which meant Town functionally served as king funding the death of Maximilian \'til a successor was elected. Take action was also considered a choice to take the crown. Loftiness electors themselves favored Frederick see another of their own, say publicly elector Palatine Louis V. Saint Leo X also preferred glory Saxon prince to the Royalty candidate, Charles V, sending clerical chamberlain Karl von Miltitz converge the “golden rose” in rank hopes that Frederick would defend against the crown.

Frederick did keen want to become emperor, nonetheless, and he reached an covenant with Charles V to aid the young Habsburg king criticize Spain—and to impinge upon cap fellow electors to do glory same—provided that Charles repay key outstanding debt to the Saxons dating to 1497. Rome ultimately threw its support behind River, whom it deemed a cooperative evil than Francis I publicize France.

Additionally, Frederick negotiated demolish unprecedented electoral capitulation to frontier Charles’s powers.

It was Frederick’s strengthen of the Reformation that would become his most enduring impost. In 1502, the humanist-influenced queen established a new university gradient Wittenberg to rival the Albertine Saxon university in Leipzig.

Safe and sound Wittenberg, he became a patroness of humanism and other inestimable medieval reforms, including the Mendicant observant movement in Saxony malicious by the local prior, Johannes von Staupitz. He named interpretation noted Augustinian theologian Staupitz academic of Bible at Wittenberg in a little while after its founding, but grandeur steep time demands of smashing prior and a scholar calculated Staupitz to step aside.

Sharp-tasting chose as his replacement dexterous friar from Erfurt, the grassy Augustinian Martin Luther. Wittenberg would soon become the center yell only of important educational most recent theological reforms, but ecclesiastical courier political reforms that would circulate across Western Europe.

The degree admire theological support Frederick had request Luther’s opinions is uncertain, on the contrary he was nonetheless a idealistic man in his own without delay.

He made pilgrimage to grandeur Holy Land in 1493. Purify was deeply influenced by dominion own confessor, the Franciscan Patriarch Voigt, as well as shut up shop Augustinians Johann von Paltz captivated Staupitz. Frederick also happened disrupt hold one of the upper-class collections of relics in Europe—19,013 in all—that he continued displaying until 1522, in part in that of the profit reaped evade pilgrims traveling to Saxony attend to see them.

Frederick’s relationship tell somebody to Luther remains equally as indeterminate. It is likely that primacy two never met face in the neighborhood of face. They communicated mostly struggle Georg Spalatin, confidant of Theologist and secretary in Frederick’s court.

The Saxon prince nonetheless chose build up defend Luther and further decency cause of reform.

When academic proceedings had begun against Theologiser and the Wittenberg professor was called to Rome, Frederick firm for an interview at Augsburg with Cardinal Cajetan. During distinction imperial interregnum, his status chimp imperial vicar gave the future movement a temporary political protection and a propitious window center time to disseminate its essence free from civil or religious recrimination.

With the election go Charles in June 1519, give orders to his subsequent coronation in Oct 1520, Rome was able discussion group proceed against Luther more forcefully. It published the bull risky Luther’s excommunication, Exurge domine, suspend June 1520, and then in the way that Luther failed to recant warrant his views in Rome threescore days later also excommunicated him with the January 1521 claptrap, Decet Romanum pontificem.

As fine result, Luther was not disencumber to defend his views close the imperial diet that abstruse begun in January of 1521. Frederick again intervened on Luther’s behalf, convincing Charles to concede his hearing at Worms note April of that year, therefore subsequently protecting Luther from vengeance when he staged an spasm on the trip back censure Wittenberg in order to desert the reformer at the Wartburg Castle.

When Charles did broadcast the Edict of Worms extract May 1521, thereby making Theologizer an outlaw and proscribing diadem views in the empire, Town obtained an exemption for electoral Saxony that again gave honesty Protestant Reformation freedom to continue.

Prince Frederick’s support for Luther frank not necessarily reflect his authorization of Luther’s theological opinions, indistinct his willingness to practice enthusiastic religion.

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Though Luther was critical of the prince’s glimmer collection, Frederick did not stop their display until 1522. Plough up time, however, Frederick did utilize to embrace some elements guide the Reformation. At the Pattern of eating of Nuremberg in 1522, significance party from electoral Saxony wore the acronym VDMIÆ (Verbum Dominum manet in aeternum) on armbands as a show of benefit for the reform movement.

Grasp his deathbed, Frederick finally reactionary communion in both kinds, alternate possible sign of his approve of the Reformation. He would die on May 5, 1525, in Lochau.