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75-683: In 929 King Henry I of Germany subdued the Slavic Glomacze tribe at the Siege of Gana and built a fortress within their settlement area, situated on a rock high above the Elbe river. This castle, called Misnia after a nearby creek, became the nucleus of the town and from 965 the residence of the Margraves of Meissen , who in 1423 acquired the Electorate of Saxony . In 1423 Frederick I

150-577: A centralized monarchy, ruling through federated autonomous stem duchies instead. Henry built an extensive system of fortifications and mobile heavy cavalry across Germany to neutralize the Magyar threat and in 933 routed them at the Battle of Riade , ending Magyar attacks for the next 21 years and giving rise to a sense of German nationhood. Henry greatly expanded German hegemony in Europe with his defeat of

225-686: A character in Richard Wagner 's opera, Lohengrin (1850), trying to gain the support of the Brabantian nobles against the Magyars. After the attempts to achieve German national unity failed with the Revolutions of 1848 , Wagner strongly relied on the picture of Henry as the actual ruler of all German tribes as advocated by pan-Germanist activists like Friedrich Ludwig Jahn . There are indications that Heinrich Himmler saw himself as

300-525: A division of their territory. The joint government of the two brothers was abolished and the land was divided into two parts. Albrecht received essentially the Margraviate of Meissen with the newly built castle and the later Thuringian district, his brother Ernst the remaining Thuringian areas and the Duchy of Saxony with Wittenberg, to which the electorate was bound.. Between 1495 and 1500, construction work

375-445: A foot (gressum pedis) of land. This was also the reason – by God's will (Dei nutu) – for him having been defeated in this first campaign. This can be seen as proof that Henry did campaign against Bavaria, and Arnulf, more than once. In the second chapter, the unknown chronicler hints that Henry's predecessor on the throne, Conrad I , had also invaded Bavaria in an equally unlawful and hostile (non regaliter, sed hostiliter) fashion. Conrad

450-468: A hook-shaped ground plan on a rocky plateau steeply sloping towards the Elbe north of Meissen Cathedral . All storeys are vaulted, a great peculiarity of German palace construction, which required an immense financial and design effort. The high substructures of the core building are followed by a low ground floor and two main floors open with unusually large so-called curtain arch windows. Another storey, which

525-591: A major work of the Saxon Renaissance. Later, however, the interior was rebuilt in baroque style after a fire and the outer facades were reworked in the neo-Renaissance style in the 19th century. The territory of Saxony did not yet include the margravates of Upper and Lower Lusatia , which belonged to the Lands of the Bohemian crown and only fell to Saxony in 1635. Saxony also reached further north into

600-418: A new elite cavalry force. Henry built fortified settlements as a defense against Magyar and Slav invaders. In 932 Henry refused to pay the annual tribute to the Magyars. When they began raiding again, Henry, with his improved army in 933 at the Battle of Riade , crushed the Magyars so completely that they never returned to the northern lands of Henry's kingdom. During the truce with the Magyars, Henry subdued

675-520: A new sarcophagus. Saxon Renaissance The Saxon Renaissance (in German : Sächsische Renaissance ) is a regional type of architecture from the Renaissance particularly in the area of the Electorate of Saxony on the middle Elbe . Influences that formed the style came primarily from Bohemia , Italy and Poland . There were Italian artist families involved by wandering around and roaming

750-529: A place of subordination as allies in 935. Henry planned an expedition to Rome to be crowned emperor by the pope , but the design was thwarted by his death. Henry prevented a collapse of royal power, as had happened in West Francia , and left a much stronger kingdom to his successor Otto I . He was buried at Quedlinburg Abbey , established by his wife Matilda in his honour. Born in Memleben , in what

825-527: A question mark over Thankmar's legitimacy. Later that year he married Matilda , daughter of Dietrich of Ringelheim , Count in Westphalia . Matilda bore him three sons and two daughters, Hedwig and Gerberga , and founded many religious institutions, including the Quedlinburg Abbey where Henry and Matilda are buried. She was later canonized . His son Otto I , traditionally known as Otto

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900-400: A real tower; all other buildings are bound together again by the mighty roof. In the roof zone, however, the lucarnes, high-rectangular roof dormers resting on the eaves line, form a wreath of tower figures surrounding the building. The lucarne in its typical design as a window bay window originates from France, but it was only in isolated cases (e.g. in the castles of Baugé and Le Rivau) that it

975-661: A retreat room are the "estudes" or "cabinets" in French castles, or the studioli propagated by Italian humanists. A famous Italian example, almost contemporaneous, was installed between 1472 and 1476 in the Ducal Palace of Urbino . The small room of the Elector's apartment in Meissen is architecturally designed to be a real showpiece, offering multiple views across the Elbe valley in various directions. In its position away from

1050-399: A separate table during the main meals. At the time of construction, separation from the total meal was only customary for the female members of the court, the so-called Frauenzimmer. The master builder also designed a room with three window fronts for them, but on the first floor, where this group of people was somewhat separated from the courtly activities. On the second floor, in addition to

1125-624: A sovereign master builder, so that he, as a former representative of the modern profession of the court artist, was able to assert his influence under the roof of the early modern territorial state that was forming. 51°09′58″N 13°28′15″E  /  51.16611°N 13.47083°E  / 51.16611; 13.47083 Henry the Fowler Henry the Fowler ( German : Heinrich der Vogler or Heinrich der Finkler ; Latin : Henricus Auceps ; c.  876 – 2 July 936 )

1200-415: Is a masterpiece of stonemasonry with intricately curved steps winding up around an open eye in the centre. Its windows were originally open and allowed a variety of views between those walking on the stairs and spectators in the courtyard. However, the overall shape of the gallery in front of the Meissen staircase tower and the neighbouring section of the façade has no direct French model. A smaller stair tower

1275-405: Is also located on the courtyard façade in the corner between the north and east wings. Inside Albrechtsburg Castle the master builder had to implement a highly complex spatial programme. Large areas of the first floor are taken up by two large halls. Both are generously windowed on several sides, have two naves and are vaulted like the other rooms on the floor. The centrally located hall to which

1350-644: Is described as a glorious leader (gloriosus dux), being blessed by heaven (ex alto) with all kinds of virtues, brave and dynamic. He alone had saved his people from the scourge of the Saxons (de sevienti gladio paganorum) and given them back their freedom. This panegyric to the Bavarian duke is unparalleled for its time and underlines his position of power in the southeast of the East Frankish realm, so endangered by disintegration, so that "Arnulf ... nearly [found]

1425-523: Is located one floor higher in the roof. The extraordinarily complex construction task of Albrechtsburg Castle required the establishment and constant operation of a large workshop, which under Master Arnold and his closest students became a centre of architectural development and education with supra-regional charisma, as was previously typical only of the large church building lodges. The cellular vaulting developed in Albrechtsburg Castle and

1500-567: Is now Saxony-Anhalt , Henry was the son of Otto the Illustrious , Duke of Saxony, and his wife Hedwiga , who was probably the daughter of Henry of Franconia . In 906 he married Hatheburg of Merseburg , daughter of the Saxon count Erwin. She had previously been a nun. The marriage was annulled in 909 because her vows as a nun were deemed by the church to remain valid. She had already given birth to Henry's son Thankmar . The annulment placed

1575-407: Is said to have marauded through the land, murdering and pillaging, having made many children orphans (orphanos) and women widows (viduas). Ratisbon , the duke's seat, was set to light and looted. After Conrad committed all these crimes (peccatis), it reports that divine providence (divino nutu) forced him to withdraw. The reason for this is not mentioned. The last section is a eulogy to Duke Arnulf who

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1650-408: Is that of the flat adjoining the banqueting hall (Hofstube) in the north-east. Its parlour and the unheated bed chamber above it, which can be reached directly via a wall staircase, take up the building, which is turned by 45 degrees from the main building line and rises like a tower with three free-standing sides above the Elbe valley. Above the elaborate and costly substructures of the basement floors,

1725-533: The Duchy of Bohemia and forced Duke Wenceslaus I to resume the annual payment of tribute to the king. Meanwhile, the Slavic Redarii had driven away their chief, captured the town of Walsleben and massacred its inhabitants. Counts Bernard and Thietmar marched against the fortress of Lenzen beyond the Elbe, and, after fierce fighting , completely routed the enemy on 4 September 929. The Lusatians and

1800-903: The Fläming . At the beginning of the early Renaissance, the Wettin lands were fragmented. The Lutheran Reformation emanated from the Saxon Electorate, which was under Ernestine rule and had its centers of power in Wittenberg and Torgau, while the Reformation was not introduced until 1539 in the Albertine dominions adjoining to the south (mainly the Margravate of Meissen ). After the end of the Schmalkaldic War in 1547,

1875-588: The Polabian Slavs who lived on his eastern borders. In the winter of 928 he marched against the Slavic Hevelli tribes and seized their capital, Brandenburg . He then invaded the Glomacze lands on the middle Elbe river, conquering the capital Gana (Jahna) after a siege , and had a fortress (the later Albrechtsburg ) built at Meissen . In 929, with the help of Arnulf of Bavaria, Henry entered

1950-559: The Ukrani on the lower Oder were subdued and made tributary in 932 and 934, respectively. In conquered lands Henry did not create march administration, which was implemented by his successor Otto I. Henry also pacified territories to the north, where the Danes had been harrying the Frisians by sea. The monk and chronicler Widukind of Corvey in his Res gestae Saxonicae reports that

2025-418: The reincarnation of Henry, who was proclaimed to be the first king of Germany. Himmler traveled to Quedlinburg several times to hold a ceremony in the crypt on the anniversary of the king's death, 2 July. This started in 1936, 1,000 years after Henry died. Himmler considered him to be the "first German king" and declared his tomb a site of pilgrimage for Germans. In 1937, the king's remains were reinterred in

2100-529: The Bavarian March of Carinthia by Eberhard and the Count of Meran and another group was routed by Liutfried , count of Elsass (French reading: Alsace ), the Magyars continued raiding East Francia. Henry, having captured a Hungarian prince, managed to arrange a ten-year truce in 924, though he agreed to pay annual tribute. By doing so he and the dukes gained time to build new fortified towns and to train

2175-709: The Danes were subjects of Henry the Fowler. Henry incorporated into his kingdom territories held by the Wends , who together with the Danes had attacked Germany, and also conquered Schleswig in 934. As the first Saxon king of East Francia, Henry was the founder of the Ottonian dynasty . He and his descendants ruled East Francia, and later the Holy Roman Empire, from 919 until 1024. Henry had two wives and at least six children: Henry returned to public attention as

2250-755: The Dresden Baroque, which shaped an entire century and radiated far beyond national borders. The Renaissance gables of the Ortenburg Castle in Bautzen , which were not erected until 1698 according to plans by Martin Pötzsch, show how long the building traditions trained in the Renaissance continued to have an effect; gables in a similar, even baroque-looking transitional style were already attached to Althörnitz Castle around 1660. In addition to

2325-658: The Ernestine electors. The Torgau Castle Hartenfels with its famous Wendelstein , which was significantly rebuilt by the middle of the 16th century, is one of the most important buildings of the early Renaissance in Germany. After the Wittenberg capitulation and the transition of Torgau to the Albertines, Elector Maurice initially continued the work on the castle. The permanent relocation of the residence to Dresden until

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2400-584: The Franks to the Saxons , who had suffered greatly during the conquests of Charlemagne and were proud of their identity. Henry, as Saxon, was the first non-Frank on the throne. Conrad's choice was conveyed by his brother, duke Eberhard III of Franconia at the Imperial Diet of Fritzlar in 919. The assembled Franconian and Saxon nobles elected Henry to be king with other regional dukes not participating in

2475-487: The Frauenzimmertafelstube and two other smaller apartments on the south side, the three-roomed apartment of the Elector was furnished as a centre between the Elbe and courtyard front. In addition to the parlour with windows on two sides as the main reception room and the more intimate bedroom on the other side, the elector was to have a small adjoining room on the valley side. The typological models for such

2550-579: The Great , continued his father's work of unifying all German tribes into a single kingdom and greatly expanded the king's powers. He installed members of his family in the kingdom's most important duchies, subjected the clergy to his personal control, defeated the Magyars and conquered the Kingdom of Italy . Henry became Duke of Saxony after his father's death in 912. An able ruler, he continued to strengthen

2625-842: The Saxon cultural area in search of commissions. Thus ensured a mixture of styles as well as the own Saxon style development. The most important forerunner of the Renaissance in Saxony was the Electoral Saxon master builder Arnold von Westfalen (ca. 1425-1481), who created the Albrechtsburg Castle in Meissen in the transition from late Gothic to Renaissance. Transitional forms of building décor can also be found at Hartenfels Castle in Torgau , Wurzen Castle, Hinterglauchau Castle in Glauchau and Heynitz Castle. Decisive for

2700-402: The Saxon expression of the Renaissance styles, there are in the different parts of Germany some other distribution areas with specific expressions of this style. These are: In other countries, there are also different regional characteristics. Characteristic are the typical triangular gables on the wall dormers and tower structures (in the early period also round gables), plus a dominance of

2775-558: The Slavs in 929 at the Battle of Lenzen along the Elbe river, by compelling the submission of Duke Wenceslaus I of Bohemia through an invasion of the Duchy of Bohemia the same year and by conquering Danish realms in Schleswig in 934. Henry's hegemonic status north of the Alps was acknowledged by the kings Rudolph of West Francia and Rudolph II of Upper Burgundy , who both accepted

2850-503: The Strong chose the empty castle, isolated because of its location, because nowhere else would the secret of porcelain production have been so certain. On 6 June 1710, the porcelain manufactory began operations in the former princely residence, which was to make the "white gold" world-famous. In the middle of the 19th century, the manufactory was moved to the newly built factory building and the castle stood empty again. Between 1864 and 1870,

2925-546: The Upper Saxon Meissen area formed a politically consolidated area. The artistic and structural development was particularly encouraged by Elector Augustus, who ruled from 1553 until his death in 1586. His great interest in questions of construction and architecture is documented. His library contained many architectural pamphlets and model books of building elements. His main work is the enormous Augustusburg , built between 1568 and 1572. Nowhere else in Europe

3000-477: The architect has created rooms here that allow a panoramic view to three sides. The architecturally staged panoramic view itself was already valued in palace construction throughout Europe at that time. However, the multi-view "fan view" in Meissen differs fundamentally from the view guides that were common in France or Italy at that time, where the optical reference to the surroundings was almost always formulated in

3075-467: The architectural style to spread in Saxony. The style rubbed off on private building activity in urban centers. Wealthy citizens began to copy the resulting magnificent buildings in Dresden and Meissen and erected houses with arched portals , facades with square oriels above the ground floor, often attached in pairs. Further domestic stylistic elements of the Renaissance can be found on the ornaments of

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3150-518: The author gives a very lively impression of the disconcert Henry's claims caused in Bavaria: The piece abruptly starts with a clause. It relates that Henry I ( Saxo Heimricus ), following the advice of an unnamed bishop, had invaded the Bavarian kingdom ( regnum Baioariae ) in a hostile way. Decidedly, it hints at the unlawfulness of this encroachment, namely in that Bavaria was a territory in which none of Henry's forefathers had ever possessed even

3225-509: The colors white and gray as well as consistently plastered buildings without natural stone décor. Buildings from the time of the Saxon Renaissance can be found today in almost all areas that belonged to the House of Wettin at the time of the Renaissance, i.e. today in several states of Germany as Saxony , Thuringia , Saxony-Anhalt (southern part) and Brandenburg (Lower Lusatia) as well as in adjacent foreign areas such as Poland and Bohemia. On

3300-417: The curtain-like upper finishes of the main windows were copied over a wide area; in some cases, the forms initially created for the profane area were subsequently even introduced into sacred buildings. Here, a reversal of the traditional artistic gradient is indicated, as was to become increasingly evident in the course of the 16th century. In 1471 Arnold von Westfalen was also given the newly created office of

3375-413: The duchy and besieged Gilbert at Zülpich (Tolbiac), captured the town, and became master of a large portion of his lands. Allowing Gilbert to remain in power as duke, Henry arranged the marriage of his daughter Gerberga to his new vassal in 928. Thus he brought that realm, which had been lost in 910, back into the kingdom as the fifth stem duchy. The threat of Magyar raiders improved his situation, as all

3450-402: The dukes and nobles realized that only a strong state could defend their lands against barbarian incursions. In 919 Henry was defeated by the Magyars in the Battle of Püchen , hardly escaping from being killed in battle, managing to take refuge in the town of Püchen. In 921 the Magyars once again invaded East Francia and Italy. Although a sizable Magyar force was defeated near Bleiburg in

3525-428: The election. Archbishop Heriger of Mainz offered to anoint Henry according to the usual ceremony, but he refused – the only king of his time not to undergo that rite – allegedly because he wished to be king not by the church's but by the people's acclaim. Henry, who was elected to kingship by only the Saxons and Franconians at Fritzlar, had to subdue the other dukes. Duke Burchard II of Swabia soon swore fealty to

3600-555: The end of the 16th century largely saved Hartenfels Castle from later stylistic transformations, such as those experienced by the Dresden Residence Castle , which was considerably enlarged from 1548 until 1556. The facades of the Dresden Palace were richly decorated with sgraffiti and Maurice's brother and successor, Elector Augustus , who reigned from 1553 until 1586, completed the construction, which became

3675-483: The entire male court household, including the princes, was to meet twice a day for main meals. Between the two rooms there is a musician's gallery above the connecting door, which could serve both rooms as required. Around these two large rooms are grouped three independent apartments as living and office areas, each consisting of an oven-heated parlour as the main room and one or more subordinate chambers as sleeping and storage rooms. The most elaborate architectural design

3750-405: The form of a directed uniform image. In the following period, such spatial formations were to become a characteristic feature of elaborate Central European palace construction in Wittenberg, Torgau, Neuburg a. d. Donau or Heidelberg, among others. The large northeast apartment was probably originally intended for high-ranking guests, but in the course of the 16th century the princes retreated there to

3825-592: The front doors and the window frames. The wooden ceilings are magnificently designed. The way in which most of the town houses of this time were designed can be traced back to the influence of Dresden. In addition to the buildings, altars and grave slabs have also become the subject of the changed design in Saxony. In cities such as Meissen , Pirna , Freiberg , Görlitz , Zwickau , Torgau and Wittenberg there are still today numerous Renaissance town houses. From 1656, Wolf Caspar von Klengel (1630–1691) became chief master builder (Oberlandbaumeister) in Saxony; under him

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3900-527: The hustle and bustle of the palace courtyard, it corresponds exactly to the advice of the influential Renaissance theorist Leon Battista Alberti (1404-1472) for the construction of such rooms. The ground plan of the second floor is repeated in essential aspects on the third floor above in the Lucerne zone. Here one can assume that the Electrice's flat with an internal staircase to the rooms of her entourage

3975-641: The increasingly consolidating territorial rule of the Wettins, which was gaining in imperial, administrative and economic importance. For this purpose Arnold von Westfalen was probably expected to formulate a new architectural language. While the architectural decoration belongs to the Late Gothic period, the structure of the building forms already leads to the culture of the European Renaissance . The ground plan of Albrechtsburg Castle, which

4050-604: The late Renaissance forms were transforming themselves bit by bit into the new Baroque style. As a “prelude”, Johann Georg Starcke built the Dresden Palais in the Great Garden for John George II from 1678, based on models from the French and Italian early Baroque. John George's grandson Augustus II the Strong , who was impressed by his grandfather's opulent court festivals, pushed the new architectural style forward with unprecedented energy from 1694 and thereby created

4125-400: The main altar of the town church of Annaberg in 1519 and initiated the Renaissance in Saxony. The Saxon master builders used the Renaissance style from about 1530 and exported it to northern Germany ( Brandenburg , Mecklenburg ). After the Wettin possessions were divided into an Ernestine and an Albertine line in 1485, Torgau developed next to Wittenberg into the preferred residence of

4200-559: The main entrance of the Great Staircase Tower leads was the large dancing hall of the palace, which was used occasionally. It was not heatable and in everyday life it fulfilled the function of a communication area between the surrounding staircases and rooms, including a chapel. In contrast, the North Hall was the banqueting hall (Hofstube), heated by a large tiled stove formerly placed at the north-east corner, in which

4275-432: The new king, but when he died, Henry appointed a noble from Franconia to be the new duke. Duke Arnulf of Bavaria , lord over a realm of impressive extent, with de facto powers of a king and at times even named so in documents, proved a much harder nut to crack. He would not submit until Henry defeated him in two campaigns in 921. In the short remnant of a more lengthy text, " Fragmentum de Arnulfo duce Bavariae ( de )",

4350-483: The old factory buildings were removed and the castle was rebuilt architecturally. The missing furniture was replaced by elaborate paintings on the late Gothic walls. The later well-known artist Alexander Linnemann from Frankfurt was also active in this process, e.g. in designing the new doors. At the end of the 19th century Albrechtsburg Castle was also made accessible to the public and still delights many visitors from home and abroad. The former electoral castle rises above

4425-420: The only one who could hold the kingdom together in the face of internal revolts and external Magyar raids . Henry was elected and crowned king in 919. He went on to defeat the rebellious dukes of Bavaria and Swabia , consolidating his rule. Through successful warfare and a dynastic marriage, Henry acquired Lotharingia as a vassal in 925. Unlike his Carolingian predecessors, Henry did not seek to create

4500-472: The other hand, master builders of the Weser Renaissance carried out the conversion of the old monastery into Leitzkau Castle near Magdeburg , whose facades and gables have natural stone décor and fan tips. The most striking and preserved large buildings of this time were above all castles and town halls, which can still be found in large numbers in their original state. Selection of buildings of

4575-411: The position of his duchy within the weakening kingdom of East Francia , and was frequently in conflict with his neighbors to the South in the Duchy of Franconia . On 23 December 918 Conrad I , king of East Francia and Franconian duke, died. Although Henry had rebelled against Conrad I between 912 and 915 over the lands in Thuringia , Conrad recommended Henry as his successor. Kingship now changed from

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4650-435: The position of the monarchy could only be consolidated gradually. Even under Otto the Great and later monarchs, consensus building would remain important. In 920, the king of West Francia , Charles the Simple , invaded and marched as far as Pfeddersheim near Worms , but retreated when he learned that Henry was organizing an army. On 7 November 921, Henry and Charles met and concluded the Treaty of Bonn , in which Henry

4725-487: The same resonance in the scarce historiography of his time, as did King Henry". Henry besieged Arnulf's residence at Ratisbon and forced the duke into submission. Arnulf had crowned himself as king of Bavaria in 919, but in 921 renounced the crown and submitted to Henry while maintaining significant autonomy and the right to mint his own coins. In his time, the king was considered primus inter pares (first among equals) . The king and princes formulated policies together and

4800-583: The spread of the new architectural style, which originated in Italy and spread throughout Germany at the same time, was the Saxon ruling family of the Wettins , who had their own large buildings commissioned and, under Elector Maurice , also called Italian artists to Saxony. Well-known artists and builders who worked in Saxony were: Giovanni Maria Nosseni from Lugano , Hans von Dehn-Rothfelser, Benedetto Tola (* 1525 in Brescia /Italy; † 1572), Gabriel de Tola, Caspar Vogt von Wierandt, Hans Irmisch, Rochus zu Lynar , Carlo di Cesare del Palagio. Franz Maidburg erected

4875-412: Was already proportioned like a tower, was divided into individual tower figures; all the strips of the façade tend to be upright rectangular in format; in the effect of light and shade, the core building presents itself like a crystal with a multiply folded surface. Apart from the Staircase tower on the courtyard side, however, only one building, arranged in the central zone on the Elbe side, develops into

4950-450: Was also commissioned to create figural reliefs for the balustrades of the Great Staircase Tower, the frames of which show typical early Renaissance forms. The castle was christened "Albrechtsburg" in 1676 after one of its first lords. But it was Albrecht's son, Georg the Bearded , who first took possession of Albrechtsburg Castle as his residence. During the Thirty Years' War the castle was badly damaged. Since then it has stood empty. It

5025-419: Was also used by the nobility, is already located within the roof zone and is lit through the windows of the Lucerne row. The tower-like character of Meissen Castle, which is still so striking from all sides, is probably a well-calculated image of political significance. Albrechtsburg Castle was not only to become a residential palace that was particularly comfortable to live in, but also an unmistakable sign of

5100-653: Was an ideal geometric plan implemented so uniformly. The design of the original model could go back to August himself. He also completed the extensive conversion of the Dresden Residential Palace (1553-1556), which his brother Maurice had started. He let build Jägerhof (Dresden) and converted numerous older castles into hunting lodges, including Nossen, Grillenburg, Schwarzenberg and the new Gommern Castle. He had Annaburg Castle and Lichtenburg Castle built for his wife, and Dippoldiswalde and Freudenstein as official castles. His successor Christian I (1586–1591) continued his father's building activities. Above all, Nosseni's work caused

5175-418: Was appointed Elector of Saxony. His grandsons, Ernst and Albrecht , ruled over Saxony and Thuringia together from 1464 to 1485 and commissioned the master builder Arnold von Westfalen to build the first German palace on the site of the old margravial castle in 1471. Albrechtsburg Castle never actually became a centre of Wettin's court. While construction was still in progress, the builders agreed in 1485 on

5250-423: Was halted during the interior finishing work in the upper northern parts. It was not until 1521 that the son of Duke Albrecht, Duke Georg (1500-1539), these areas were completed by Jakob Heilmann. From this period are the loop ribbed vault in the style of Benedikt Ried, who worked in Prague, on the first floor of the north-eastern building and a fireplace in the room above. At that time the sculptor Christoph Walther I

5325-402: Was not until the beginning of the 18th century that Albrechtsburg Castle received more attention again, thanks to Augustus II the Strong , when he had the Meissen porcelain manufactory set up in the castle in 1710. Two years earlier Johann Friedrich Böttger and Ehrenfried Walther von Tschirnhaus had invented European porcelain. At first, Dresden was intended to be the manufactory, but Augustus

5400-691: Was recognized as the east Frankish king and Charles rule in Lotharingia was recognized. Henry then saw an opportunity to take Lotharingia when a civil war over royal succession began in West Francia after the coronation of King Robert I . In 923 Henry crossed the Rhine twice, capturing a large part of the duchy. The eastern part of Lotharingia was left in Henry's possession until October 924. In 925 Duke Gilbert of Lotharingia rebelled. Henry invaded

5475-480: Was the duke of Saxony from 912 and the king of East Francia from 919 until his death in 936. As the first non- Frankish king of East Francia, he established the Ottonian dynasty of kings and emperors , and he is generally considered to be the founder of the medieval German state , known until then as East Francia. An avid hunter , he obtained the epithet "the Fowler" because he was allegedly fixing his birding nets when messengers arrived to inform him that he

5550-462: Was to be king. He was born into the Liudolfing line of Saxon dukes. His father Otto I of Saxony died in 912 and was succeeded by Henry. The new duke launched a rebellion against the king of East Francia, Conrad I of Germany , over the rights to lands in the Duchy of Thuringia . They reconciled in 915 and on his deathbed in 918, Conrad recommended Henry as the next king, considering the duke

5625-466: Was used in such a systematic and consistent manner around 1470. Another momentous adaptation of French building culture in Meissen was the use of the lofty staircase tower, as it had been formulated as a type in 1365 with the - later demolished - Great Spiral Staircase in the courtyard of the Louvre . The large main staircase to the south, which provides access to the upper floors used for stately purposes,

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