Page "George, Duke of Saxony" Paragraph 26

He spent the last years of his reign in endeavours to secure a Catholic successor, thinking by this step to check the dissemination of Lutheran opinions.

The only one of George's sons then living was the weak-minded and unmarried Frederick.

The intention of his father was that Frederick should rule with the aid of a council.

Early in 1539, Frederick was married to Elizabeth of Mansfeld, but he died shortly afterwards, leaving no prospect of an heir.

According to the act of settlement of 1499, George's Protestant brother Heinrich was now heir prospective ; but George, disregarding his father's will, sought to disinherit his brother and to bequeath the duchy to Ferdinand, brother of Charles V. His sudden death prevented the carrying out of this intention.