Augustus (31 July 152611 February 1586) was Elector of Saxony from 1553 to 1586. First years Augustus was born in Freiberg, the youngest child and third (but second surviving) son of Henry IV, Duke of Saxony, and Catherine of Mecklenburg. He consequently belonged to the Albertine branch of the House of Wettin. Brought up as a Lutheran, he received a good education and studied at the university of Leipzig. When Duke Henry IV died in 1541, he decreed that his lands should be divided equally between his two sons; but as his bequest was contrary to the Albertine Law, it was not carried out, and the dukedom passed almost intact to his elder son, Maurice. Augustus, however, remained on friendly terms with his brother, and to further his policy spent some time at the court of Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor, in Vienna. In 1544, Maurice secured the appointment of his brother as administrator of the bishopric of Merseburg; but Augustus was very extravagant and was soon compelled to return to the Saxon court at Dresden. Augustus supported his brother during the war of the Schmalkaldic League, and in the policy which culminated in the transfer of the Saxon electorate from John Frederick I, the head of the Ernestine branch of the Wettin family, to Maurice, head of the Albertine branch. Marriage and children In Torgau on 7 October 1548 Augustus was married to Anna, daughter of King Christian III of Denmark and Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg. They took up residence at Weissenfels. The couple had fifteen children: John Henry (b. Weissenfels, 5 May 1550 – d. Weissenfels, 12 November 1550). Eleonore (b. Wolkenstein, 2 May 1551 – d. Wolkenstein, 24 April 1553). Elisabeth (b. Wolkenstein, 18 October 1552 – d. imprisoned in Heidelberg, 2 April 1590), married on 4 June 1570 to Count Palatine Johann Casimir of Simmern; they were separated in 1589. Alexander (b. Dresden, 21 February 1554 – d. Dresden, 8 October 1565), Hereditary Prince of Saxony. Magnus (b. Dresden, 24 September 1555 – d. Dresden, 6 November 1558). Joachim (b. Dresden, 3 May 1557 – d. Dresden, 21 November 1557). Hector (b. Dresden, 7 October 1558 – d. Dresden, 4 April 1560). Christian I (b. Dresden, 29 October 1560 – d. Dresden, 25 September 1591), successor of his father in the Electorship. Marie (b. Torgau, 8 March 1562 – d. Torgau, 6 January 1566). Dorothea (b. Dresden,