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Christian I, Elector of Saxony

Christian I of Saxony (29 October 1560 in Dresden – 25 September 1591 in Dresden) was Elector of Saxony from 1586 to 1591. He belonged to the Albertine branch of the House of Wettin.

Christian I

11 February 1586 – 25 September 1591

25 September 1591(1591-09-25) (aged 30)
Dresden, Electorate of Saxony, Holy Roman Empire

He was the sixth but second surviving son of Augustus, Elector of Saxony and Anna of Denmark. The death of his older brother, Alexander (8 October 1565), made him the new heir apparent to the Electorate of Saxony.


Christian succeeded his father when he died, in 1586. His chancellor was Nikolaus Krell. During his reign, the first measurement was made of the Electorate of Saxony by Matthias Oeder. Later, the work of Oeder was continued by Balthasar Zimmermann until 1633 and completed as far as possible.


In 1591 his wife organised a set of 12 suits of armour that she planned to give him as a Christmas present.[1] A number of the suits survive.[1]

, ed. (1911). "Saxony" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 24 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.

Chisholm, Hugh

Christa Schille (1957), , Neue Deutsche Biographie (in German), vol. 3, Berlin: Duncker & Humblot, pp. 230–231; (full text online)

"Christian I."

Ilse Schunke: Beitraege zur Politik des Kurfürsten Christian I. v. Sachsen 1586-1591 vornehmlich in den Jahren 1586/89, Munich, 1922 (in German)

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