List of rulers of Saxony
Table of rulers
(Note: Both lines follow the numbering established in this table until 1296, when they were created. From 1296 on, each line follows independently the succession of Saxon dukes until 1296) The male line of the Saxe-Lauenburgish Ascanians was extinguished in 1689, after Julius Francis' death.

List of rulers of Saxony

Section Title: Table of rulers
Table Section Text: (Note: Both lines follow the numbering established in this table until 1296, when they were created. From 1296 on, each line follows independently the succession of Saxon dukes until 1296) The male line of the Saxe-Lauenburgish Ascanians was extinguished in 1689, after Julius Francis' death.

Ruler	Born	Reign	Death	Ruling part	Consort	Notes

Bernard III	-	c.1134	1180-1212	2 February 1212	Saxony	Brigitte of Denmark six children Sophia of Thuringia one child Judith of Poland c.1173 no children	Also Count of Ballenstedt and Prince of Anhalt. Numberings starting with Ascanian rule or continuing after prior dukes of the same name.

Albert I	-	c.1175	1212-1260	7 October 1260	Saxony	Agnes of Austria 1222 five children Agnes of Thuringia 1238 three children Helene of Brunswick-Lüneburg 1247 five children	Father of the following two dukes

Albert II	-	1250	1260-1296	25 August 1298	Saxony	Agnes of Austria 1282 six children	Ruled jointly; Until 1282, the brothers John I and Albert II; From John I's abdication in 1282, Albert shared rule with his minor nephews, sons of John I: John II, Albert III and Eric I.

John I	1249	1260-1282	30 July 1285	Saxony	Ingeborg Birgersdotter of Sweden 1270 eight children

John II	1275	1282-1296	22 April 1322	Saxony	Elizabeth of Holstein-Rendsburg 1315 one child

Eric I	-	1280	1360	Saxony	Elisabeth of Pomerania 1316 or 1318 four children

Albert III	1281	1308	Saxony	Margaret of Brandenburg-Salzwedel 1302 two children

In 1296 Albert II and his nephews Albert III, Eric I, and John II ended their joint rule and divided Saxony into the Lauenburg line, where Albert III, Eric I, and John II continued to rule jointly until 1303, and the Wittenberg line, where Albert II continued as sole ruler until 1298.

Albert II	-	1250	1296-1298	25 August 1298	Saxe-Wittenberg	Agnes of Austria 1282 six children	Became sole ruler of Saxe-Wittenberg.

John II	1275	1296-1303	22 April 1322	Saxe-Lauenburg	Elizabeth of Holstein-Rendsburg 1315 one child	Ruled together until 1303, when they divided once more the territory between them.

Eric I	-	1280	1360	Saxe-Lauenburg	Elisabeth of Pomerania 1316 or 1318 four children

Albert III	1281	1308	Saxe-Lauenburg	Margaret of Brandenburg-Salzwedel 1302 two children

Rudolph I	-	1284	1298-1356	12 March 1356	Saxe-Wittenberg	Jutta of Brandenburg 1298 eight children Kunigunde of Poland 28 August 1328 one child Agnes of Lindow-Ruppin 1333 three children	In January 1356 the Golden Bull confirmed Rudolf I as the legitimate Saxon Prince-Elector, thus the rulers of Saxe-Wittenberg are conceived as Electors of Saxony.

John II	1275	1303-1315	22 April 1322	Saxe-Mölln	Elizabeth of Holstein-Rendsburg 1315 one child	In 1315 realigned the territory.

Eric I	-	1280	1303-1315	1360	Saxe-Bergedorf	Elisabeth of Pomerania 1316 or 1318 four children	In 1315 realigned the territory.

Albert III	1281	1303-1308	1308	Saxe-Ratzeburg	Margaret of Brandenburg-Salzwedel 1302 two children	Left his lands to his widow.

Margaret of Brandenburg-Salzwedel	1270	1308-1315	1 May 1315	Saxe-Ratzeburg	Przemysł II, King of Poland 1302 two children Albert III 1302 two children	After her death, her brothers-in-law realigned the territory.

In 1315, after the death of Margaret of Brandenburg, the remaining brothers Eric and John redesigned the political division in Saxe-Lauenburg; Eric retained all of Margaret's part, but had to give part of his original domains to his brother.

John II	1275	1315-1322	22 April 1322	Saxe-Bergedorf-Mölln	Elizabeth of Holstein-Rendsburg 1315 one child

Eric I	-	1280	1315-1338	1360	Saxe-Ratzeburg-Lauenburg	Elisabeth of Pomerania 1316 or 1318 four children	Abdicated in 1338 to his own son. Died in 1361.

Elizabeth of Holstein-Rendsburg (regent)	-	c.1300	1322-1330	before 1340	Saxe-Bergedorf-Mölln	John II 1315 one child Eric, Junior King of Denmark 1330 no children	Regent on behalf of her son, Albert.

Albert IV	1315	1330-1343	1343	Saxe-Bergedorf-Mölln	Beata of Schwerin 1334 three child Sophia of Mecklenburg-Werle-Güstrow 1341 no children

Eric II	1318/20	1338-1368	1368	Saxe-Ratzeburg-Lauenburg	Agnes of Holstein-Plön between 1342 and 1349 four children

John III	c.1330	1343-1356	1356	Saxe-Bergedorf-Mölln	Unmarried	Left no descendants. He was succeeded by his brother, Albert.

Albert V	c.1330	1356-1370	1370	Saxe-Bergedorf-Mölln	Catherine of Mecklenburg-Werle-Güstrow 25 January 1366 no children	Left no descendants. He was succeeded by his brother, Eric.

The Golden Bull of 1356 confirmed the right to participate in the election of a Holy Roman Emperor to the Duke of Saxony in the Saxe-Wittenberg line.

Rudolph I (Rudolf I)	-	1284	10 January 1356 - 12 March 1356	12 March 1356	Saxe-Wittenberg and Electorate of Saxony	Jutta of Brandenburg 1298 eight children Kunigunde of Poland 28 August 1328 one child Agnes of Lindow-Ruppin 1333 three children	In January 1356 was recognized as the First Prince-Elector of Saxony.

Rudolph II the Blind (Rudolf II. der Blinde)	-	1307	12 March 1356 - 6 December 1370	6 December 1370	Saxe-Wittenberg and Electorate of Saxony	Elisabeth of Hesse Before 8 May 1336 one child	Left no descendants.

Eric III	1354	1368-1401	21 June 1411/12	Saxe-Ratzeburg-Lauenburg	Sophia of Brunswick-Lüneburg 8 April 1373 ten children	In 1401 reunited Saxe-Lauenburg.

Wenceslaus I	-	1337	6 December 1370 - 15 May 1388	15 May 1388	Saxe-Wittenberg and Electorate of Saxony	Cecilia da Carrara 23 January 1376 six children	Brother of his predecessor.

Eric IV	EricusDuxRatzeburg.JPG	c.1330	1370-1401	1401	Saxe-Bergedorf-Mölln	Unmarried	Determined to enter to clergy, has to resign to succeed his brothers. He also left no descendants, which allowed the Saxe-Ratzeburg-Lauenburg line to reunite Saxe-Lauenburg.

Rudolph III	-	1378	15 May 1388 - 11 June 1419	11 June 1419	Saxe-Wittenberg and Electorate of Saxony	Anna of Meissen 1387/89 three children Barbara of Legnica March 1396 two children	Left no male descendants. he was succeeded by his brother, Albert.

In 1401 Saxe-Ratzeburg-Lauenburg inherited Saxe-Bergedorf-Mölln from the Ascanian Elder Lauenburg line there extinct upon Eric IV's death. The reunited duchy continued under the old name of Saxe-Lauenburg.

Eric III	1354	1401-1411/12	21 June 1411/12	Saxe-Lauenburg	Sophia of Brunswick-Lüneburg 8 April 1373 ten children	In 1401 reunited Saxe-Lauenburg.

Eric V	after 1373	1411/12-1436	1436	Saxe-Lauenburg	Elisabeth of Holstein-Rendsburg 1404 no children Elisabeth of Weinsberg before 1422 one child	Ruled jointly. The numberings here lead to some confusion, as not all genealogists of the House of Ascania count John IV in the list of Dukes of Saxe-Lauenburg, numbering John V (John IV's nephew) as John IV.

John IV	after 1373	1411/12-1414	1414	Saxe-Lauenburg	Unmarried

Albert IV	-	1375/80	11 June 1419 - (before 12 November) 1422	before 12 November 1422	Saxe-Wittenberg and Electorate of Saxony	Euphemia of Oleśnica 14 January 1420 no children	Left no male descendants, which led the Ascanian Saxe-Wittenberg line to extinction.

The Ascanian Dynasty continued in Saxe-Lauenburg until 1689, but after the Lauenburgish line had finally lost the Saxon Electorate to the Wittenberg line in 1356 and failed to obtain the succession in the Electorate after 1422, recognition of the Dukes of Saxe-Lauenburg as Dukes of Saxony waned.

Bernard IV	1385/93	1436-1463	16 July 1463	Saxe-Lauenburg	Adelaide of Pomerania-Stolp 1428 two children

John V	18 July 1439	1463-1507	15 August 1507	Saxe-Lauenburg	Dorothea of Brandenburg 12 February 1464 twelve children	Sometimes numbered John IV. He is somestime confused with his uncle, John IV (Eric V and Bernard IV's brother) and a son of his own (John IV, Bishop of Hildesheim).

Magnus I	MagnusISaLauenb.JPG	1 January 1470	1507-1543	1 August 1543	Saxe-Lauenburg	Catherine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel 20 November 1509 Wolfenbüttel six children

Francis I	1510	1543-1571	19 March 1581	Saxe-Lauenburg	Sibylle of Saxony 8 February 1540 Dresden nine children	In 1571 – highly indebted – Francis I resigned in favour of his eldest son Magnus II, who had promised to redeem the pawned ducal demesnes with funds he gained as Swedish military commander and by his marriage to a Swedish princess.

Magnus II	1543	1571-1573	14 March 1603	Saxe-Lauenburg	Sophia of Sweden 4 July 1568 Stockholm one child	Eldest son of Francis I. He didn't pay the debts he promised to pay, and led to war with his father and brothers.

Francis I	1510	1573-1581	19 March 1581	Saxe-Lauenburg	Sibylle of Saxony 8 February 1540 Dresden nine children	Regained the title in 1573, after pushing back Magnus II.

Francis II	Franz der 2. Herzog von Sachsen-Lauenburg.JPG	10 August 1547	1581-1619	2 July 1619	Saxe-Lauenburg	Margaret of Pomerania-Wolgast 26 December 1574 Wolgast four children Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel 10 November 1582 Wolfenbüttel fourteen children	Brother of Magnus II. Vice-regent from 1578, administrator from 1581.

Maurice	1551	1581-1612	2 November 1612	Saxe-Lauenburg	Katharina von Spörck 1581 (annulled 1582) no children	Ruled jointly with his brother Francis II.

Augustus	17 February 1577	1619-1656	18 January 1656	Saxe-Lauenburg	Elisabeth Sofie of Holstein-Gottorp 5 March 1621 Husum six children Catherine of Oldenburg 4 June 1633 no children	Left no male descendants; he was succeeded by his half-brother Julius Henry.

Julius Henry	-	9 April 1586	1656-1665	20 November 1665	Saxe-Lauenburg	Anna of East Frisia 17 March 1617 Grabow no children Elisabeth Sophia of Brandenburg 4 June 1633 Toužim one son Anna Magdalena of Lobkowicz 18 August 1632 Vienna six children

Francis Erdmann	25 February 1629	1665-1666	30 July 1666	Saxe-Lauenburg	Sibylle Hedwig of Saxe-Lauenburg 1654 no children	Left no descendants; He was succeeded by his brother Julius Francis.

Julius Francis	-	16 September 1641	1666-1689	30 September 1689	Saxe-Lauenburg	Hedwig of the Palatinate-Sulzbach 9 April 1668 Sulzbach two children

Sentence(s)

Augustus was the ruler of Saxony.

final_sentence: Augustus was the ruler of Saxony.