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United Kingdom of Saxony and Poland (Germany)

Königreich von Sachsen und Polen in Personalunion

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 22 Dec 2013

Brief History
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Brief History

Elector Friedrich August I of Saxony from the Albertine branch of the Wettin kin, better known as August the Strong (1670 - 1733), was elected King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania by the Polish nobility in 1697. His name then was August II. After his death Stanislaw Leszczynski was made the Polish king from 1733 until 1735. From 1736 until 1763 the son of August the Strong, Elector Friedrich August II gained the title as August III of Poland (and Lithuania). Due to strong Russian influence in 1764 Stanislaw August Poniatowski became King of Poland. Under his rule Poland-Lithuania was divided into partitions and finally dissolved in 1795. Saxonian Elector Friedrich August III was upgraded by French Emperor Napoleon I to a King of Saxony in 1806. Stanislaw August Poniatowski enforced the Polish nobility by a new constitution to transform the Polish Lithuaninan Commonwelth into a hereditary monarchy under the Wettin kin after his death. But the Saxonian Elector refused being afraid of troubles with Russia, Austria and Prussia. In 1807 Napoleon I established the Grand Duchy of Warsaw and made the Saxonian King, one of his allies, Grand Duke of Warsaw. After Napoleons defeat in Russia in 1812 the Grand Duchy was occupied by Russian and Prussian troops and divided between them on the Congress of Vienna.
The engagement of the Wettin kin in Poland was a financial disaster, because most of their subsidies were not spent to the welfare of the country. Most of all was needed for ridiculous bribes for the local nobility and clergimen. Especially the former had no interest to establish a strong kingdom, which might cut their privileges.
Source: Volker Preuß: "Die Flagge von Sachsen-Polen", publ. in "Der Flaggenkurier", no. 38; Berlin November 2013; pp.12,13
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 22 Dec 2013

In an attempt to clarify a very confusing story about the Kingdom of Saxony and Poland, I offer this version. The Albertine Wettins were Kings of Poland (between 1697-1763) and briefly ruled the Duchy of Warsaw (1807-1814) as a satellite of Napoleon I.
During this confusing period of dynastic struggles, the Saxons were allied with Russia, but a power struggle had developed between them and the Swedish and French kings who supported another Polish noble named Stanislaw Leszczyński for Polish king.
It started when Frederick Augustus I (nicknamed the Strong), a Holy Roman Elector of Saxony became the King of Saxony and Poland as Augustus II. In order to gain the Polish throne he become Roman Catholic and he ruled until his death in 1709, except for a period between 1704 and 1709 when he was forced to renounce the throne. This happened when King Charles XII of Sweden attacked the Kingdom of Saxony and Poland during the Great Northern War and forced the Polish nobility to accept his and the French's candidate for the throne, Stanislaw Leszczyński as Stanislaw I. In 1709 Charles XII himself suffered a great defeat at the hands of the Russians and lost his throne. Augustus II once again became king of both Saxony and Poland. He is most remembered as a great patron of the arts and architecture and amassed an impressive art collection and built lavish palaces at and around Dresden and Warsaw.
Augustus II died in 1733 and son became the next King of Saxony and Poland as Augustus III. His son was known as either Augustus the Fat or Augustus the Saxon during his rule. He continued to add to his father's art collection, but he wasn't a strong ruler like his father. On his death in 1763, the Kingdom of Saxony and Poland was divided into two separate kingdoms once again.
In 1807 Napoleon I established the Grand Duchy of Warsaw and named the Saxon King, one of his allies, Grand Duke of Warsaw. This would be the last time any of the Wettins would rule part of Poland. After Napoleon's defeat the Grand Duchy was occupied by both Russian and Prussian troops and divided between them by the Congress of Vienna.
Pete Loeser, 7 August 2020

Flag

Description of flag:
Volker Preuß found a flag of Saxony-Poland in the Wawel of Krakow on Easter 2013. It is a red over white horizontal bicolour. In the centre of the flag is a silver (= white) eagle, crowned and armed golden (= yellow) and tongued silver (= white), holding a silver (= white) sword with a golden (= yellow) hilt in his right claw and a golden (= yellow) sceptre in the other claw. Upon his breast is an inescutcheon divided per pale. The dexter half is divided per fess into black over silver (= white), superimposed by two silver swords crossed per saltire. The sinister half is divided seven times per fess into silver (= white) and black (i.e. eight alternating white and black stripes) superimposed by a golden (= yellow) crancelin. Colour and eagle are representing Poland. The sinister half of the inescutcheon is a modification of the Ballenstedt arms of Saxony, which usually has black and yellow stripes and a green crancelin. The dexter side is alluding to the Duke of Saxony as bearer of the function of an arch marshal among the seven electors. The function was however administrated by the Pappenheim kin. The swords usually are red. (The design is also found on several flags of the Catholic party in the 30-Years-War)
Source: Volker Preuß: "Die Flagge von Sachsen-Polen", publ. in "Der Flaggenkurier", no. 38; Berlin November 2013; pp.12,13
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 22 Dec 2013