▁Mal ta . ▁ ▁As ▁head ▁of ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁W ett in ▁after ▁ 1 9 3 2 , ▁he ▁sty led ▁himself ▁as ▁Friedrich ▁Christian , ▁Mar gra ve ▁of ▁Me issen . ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁prim ogen iture ▁law , ▁he ▁also ▁should ▁have ▁succeeded ▁to ▁Portugal ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 2 . ▁ ▁Life ▁He ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Dresden , ▁as ▁the ▁second ▁son ▁of ▁King ▁Frederick ▁August us ▁III ▁of ▁Sax ony ▁and ▁his ▁wife ▁Arch du ch ess ▁Lu ise , ▁Princess ▁of ▁T usc any . ▁ ▁Friedrich ▁Christian ▁was ▁made ▁a ▁lieutenant ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Royal ▁Sax on ▁Le ib - G ren ad ier ▁Regiment ▁No . ▁ 1 0 0 ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 0 , ▁in ▁accord ance ▁a ▁family ▁tradition ▁of ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁W ett in . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 3 , ▁he ▁studied ▁at ▁the ▁Military ▁Academy ▁in ▁Dresden . ▁During ▁World ▁War ▁I , ▁he ▁served ▁General ▁Staff ▁on ▁the ▁Western ▁Front . ▁ ▁He ▁received ▁several ▁med als ▁for ▁bra very . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁very ▁gift ed ▁lingu ist ically ▁and ▁was ▁sent ▁on ▁diplom atic ▁miss ions ▁to ▁King ▁Alfonso ▁XIII ▁of ▁Spain , ▁to ▁Sultan ▁Me h med ▁V ▁of ▁Turkey ▁and ▁to ▁Emperor ▁Charles ▁I ▁of ▁Austria . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 8 , ▁Friedrich ▁Christian ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁several ▁candidates ▁to ▁the ▁pros pective ▁Kingdom ▁of ▁Lith u ania .