Maps Population Regents
   

 












 

Örjan Martinsson

Meissen and Ostmark

Meissen is the predecessor to the present German part state of Saxony and it was during the tenth century populated by Slavic tribes who were subdued by the German margrave Gero the Great. The region between the rivers Elbe and Oder were then ruled by Gero as the margraviate of Ostmark 937-965. When Gero died 965 was Ostmark partitioned into five new margraviates whereupon Meissen was created but also Nordmark, which was the predecessor to Brandenburg. Meissen became 1089 the core land of the house of Wettin's possessions and remained as such even after it had been incorporated into the electorate of Saxony 1423.

Margraviate of Ostmark
(after 965 also called Lusatia or Lower Lusatia)

937-965
965
965-976
965-981
976 and 981
965-993
993-1015
1015-1029
1029-1031
1031-1034
1034-1075

Gero der Grosse (the Great)
Parted in Nordmark, Ostmark, Meissen, Zeitz and Merseburg
Günther (margrave of Merseburg)
Wigger (margrave of Zeitz)
Merseburg and Zeitz unites with Meissen
Hodo I
Gero II
Thietmar II (Dietmar)
Hodo II
Dietrich
Dedo
1075-1081 Wratislaw
1081-1103 Heinrich I
1103-1123 Heinrich II
1124-1136 Albrecht der Bär (the Bear)

1123-1156

Konrad der Grosse (the Great)

Ostmark (Lusatia) is definitively united with Meissen 1136.
Read more about the region's later history at the bottom of the page.

Margraviate of Meissen
 

965-970
970-979
979-982
982-985

Wigbert
Thietmar (Dietmar)
Günther (margrave of Merseburg 965-976)
Rikdag


985-1002


Ekkehardingian Dynasty

Ekkehard I

1002-1010
1010-1031
1031-1046
Gunzelin von Kuckenburg
Hermann
Ekkehard II
1046-1062
House of Weimar-Orlamünde
 
Wilhelm
1062-1067 Otto
1067-1068
House of Braunschweig

Ekbert I

1068-1089 Ekbert II
1089-1103
1103
1104-1123
1123-1124
1124-1129

1123-1156
1156-1190
1190-1195
1195-1197
1198-1221

House of Wettin

Heinrich I von Eilenburg
Thimo
Heinrich II
Wiprecht von Groitzsch
Hermann von Winzenburg

Konrad der Grosse (the Great)
Otto der Reiche (the Rich)
Albrecht I der Stolze (the Proud)
Direct rule by the emperor (Heinrich VI)
Dietrich der Bedrängte (the Oppressed)

1221-1288 Heinrich der Erlauchte (the Illustrious)
1288 Albrecht der Entartete (the Decadent)
1288-1291 Friedrich der Stammerer (the Stammerer)  *
1291-1307 Dietrich III (Diezmann)
1291-1323 Friedrich der Freidige
1293-1298 Adolf von Nassau
1298-1307 Albrecht von Habsburg
1323-1349 Friedrich der Ernsthafte (the Serious)
1349-1381 Friedrich der Strenge (the Stern)
1349-1382 Balthasar
1349-1407 Wilhelm der Einäugige (the One-eyed)
1381-1402
1381-1425
1381- (1428)
1423
Georg **
Wilhelm der Reiche (the Rich) **
Friedrich der Streitbare (the warlike) **
Meissen is incorporated into Saxony

The smaller margraviate of Ostmark, which was created 965, was also called Lusatia and from the 15th century was it called Lower Lusatia because the area between Lower Lusatia and Bohemia (Upper Lusatia) was then perceived as a part of Lusatia. Lower Lusatia was sold 1303 by Albrecht von Habsburg to Brandenburg, which already in 1255 had gained Upper Lusatia from Bohemia. The German emperor enfiefed Upper Lusatia to Bohemia 1319 and this kingdom purchased Lower Lusatia 1370. A member of the Bohemian royal family (Johann) was granted the duchy of Görlitz 1378, which included the Eastern part of Lower Lusatia and Neumark. After his death 1396 was the duchy restored to the Bohemian crown. All of Lusatia was ceded to Saxony 1635, but Saxony was 1815 forced to cede Lower Lusatia to Prussia.

* = Friedrich was margrave of Landsberg 1283-1288. This margraviate had been created 1261 for his father Dietrich the Wise through a partitioning of Meissen and was reunited with Meissen 1288.
** = Georg, Wilhelm and Friedrich was 1381-1382 also landgraves of Thuringia. But because they were under aged and did not take part in the government of Thuringia are they not included in Thuringia's list of regents.

= Germany
= Frisia
= Nassau
= Nordmark (Brandenburg)
= Askanien
= Thuringia
= Meissen
= Bohemia
= Austria