Friedrich Augustus Albert König von Sachsen
(23.04.1828 - 19.06.1902)
place of birth:  Dresden, Sachsen
Königreich Sachsen:  Seine Majestät der König; Generalfeldmarschall

                          

Albert was the eldest son of Prince John, who succeeded to the throne as King John of Saxony in 1854. He served as a captain in the campaign of Schleswig-Holstein against the Danish, and then took command of the Saxon forces opposing the Prussian army of Prince Frederick Charles during the Austro- Prussian War of 1866. During the decisive Battle of Königgratz, the Crown Prince's forces held the extreme left of the Austrian position.

During these operations, the Crown Prince won the reputation of a thorough soldier. After peace was made and Saxony had entered the North German Confederation, he took command of the Saxon army, which had now become the XII Army Corps of the North German army, proving himself a firm adherent of the Prussian alliance. At the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71, he again commanded the Saxons, who were subordinate to the 2nd Army commanded by Prince Friedrich Karl Charles of Prussia, his old opponent. At the Battle of Gravelotte they formed the extreme left of the German army, and with the Prussian Guard carried out the attack on St Privat, the final and decisive action in the battle.

In the reorganization of the army which accompanied the march towards Paris, the Crown Prince gained a separate command over the 4th Army (Army of the Meuse) consisting of the Saxons, the Prussian Guard Corps and the IV. (Prussian Saxony) Army Corps. He was succeeded in command of XII. Army Corps by his brother Prince Georg, who had served under him in Bohemia. Albert also led troops during the engagements at Sedan and Beaumont, as well as during the siege of Paris itself. After the war, he was left in command of the German Army of Occupation and was later promoted to field marshal and Inspector General of the Army (July 1871).

When his father King John died in 1873, Albert succeeded to the throne as King Albert. His reign proved uneventful, and he took little public part in politics. He devoted himself rather to military affairs, in which his advice and experience were of the greatest value, not only to the Saxon corps but to the German Army in general.