On This Day
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Frederick Augustus I "the Strong" becomes the monarch of Saxony

Augustus II the Strong (12 May 1670 – 1 February 1733), was Elector of Saxony as Frederick Augustus I (German: Friedrich August I) from 1694 as well as King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from...

Augustus II the Strong (12 May 1670 – 1 February 1733), was Elector of Saxony as Frederick Augustus I (German: Friedrich August I) from 1694 as well as King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1697 to 1706 and from 1709 until his death in 1733. He belonged to the Albertine branch of the House of Wettin.

Augustus' great physical strength earned him the nicknames "the Strong", "the Saxon Hercules" and "Iron-Hand". He liked to show that he lived up to his name by breaking horseshoes with his bare hands and engaging in fox tossing by holding the end of his sling with just one finger while two of the strongest men in his court held the other end.

Historical Significance

Augustus II the Strong (12 May 1670 – 1 February 1733), was Elector of Saxony as Frederick Augustus I (German: Friedrich August I) from 1694 as well as King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1697 to 1706 and from 1709 until his death in 1733.

Events Before

  1. First women's magazine "The Ladies' Mercury" is published in London

    The Ladies' Mercury (27 February 1693 — 17 March 1693) was a periodical published in London by the Athenian Society notable for being the first periodical in English published and specifically…

  2. Most powerful earthquake in Italian recorded history strikes Sicily and Southern Italy with an estimated magnitude of 7.

    Most powerful earthquake in Italian recorded history strikes Sicily and Southern Italy with an estimated magnitude of 7.4. Tsunamis followed and devastated coastal villages on the Ionian Sea and the Straits of Messina.

  3. William & Mary College is chartered in Williamsburg in the Dominion and Colony of Virginia (second in North America)

    On 8 February 1693, the royal charter establishing the College of William & Mary was issued by King William III and Queen Mary II of England.

  4. College of William & Mary opens in Williamsburg, Virginia

    On 8 February 1693, the royal charter establishing the College of William & Mary was issued by King William III and Queen Mary II of England.

  5. Cotton Mather's four-day-old son dies, and witchcraft is blamed

    Cotton Mather's four-day-old son dies, and witchcraft is blamed

Events After

  1. Zumbi, the last king of the Quilombo dos Palmares in early Brazil and a former slave, is executed and decapitated; his h

    Zumbi, the last king of the Quilombo dos Palmares in early Brazil and a former slave, is executed and decapitated; his head is displayed on a pike to dispel any legends of his immortality

  2. William Congreve's Restoration comedy "Love for Love" premieres in London

    William Congreve (24 January 1670 – 19 January 1729) was an English playwright, satirist and poet.

  3. English King William III departs to Netherlands

    English King William III departs to Netherlands

  4. Daniel Quare receives a British patent for his portable barometer

    Daniel Quare receives a British patent for his portable barometer

  5. English and Dutch fleets capture Dunkirk

    Dunkirk (UK: dun-KURK; US: DUN-kurk; French: Dunkerque [dœ̃kɛʁk] ; Picard: Dunkèke; West Flemish: Duunkerke; Dutch: Duinkerke or Duinkerken) is a major port city in the department of Nord in northern...

More from the 1690s

First women's magazine "The Ladies' Mercury" is published in London

The Ladies' Mercury (27 February 1693 — 17 March 1693) was a periodical published in London by the Athenian Society notable for being the first periodical in English published and specifically…

First people are accused of witchcraft, and arrested in Salem, Massachusetts - Sarah Good, Sarah Osborne, and Tituba, a

First people are accused of witchcraft, and arrested in Salem, Massachusetts - Sarah Good, Sarah Osborne, and Tituba, a West Indian slave

Army of Protestant King William III of England defeats deposed Roman Catholic King James II in the Battle of the Boyne a

Army of Protestant King William III of England defeats deposed Roman Catholic King James II in the Battle of the Boyne at Oldbridge, Ireland

Battle of Zenta: Holy League forces led by Prince Eugene of Savoy defeat an Ottoman army under Mustafa II near Zenta in

Battle of Zenta: Holy League forces led by Prince Eugene of Savoy defeat an Ottoman army under Mustafa II near Zenta in the Kingdom of Hungary, ending Ottoman control over large parts of Central Europe

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on April 27, 1694?
Augustus II the Strong (12 May 1670 – 1 February 1733), was Elector of Saxony as Frederick Augustus I (German: Friedrich August I) from 1694 as well as King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1697 to 1706 and from 1709 until his death in 1733. He belonged to the Albertine branch of the House of Wettin. Augustus' great physical strength earned him the nicknames "the Strong", "the Saxon Hercules" and "Iron-Hand".
Why is Frederick Augustus I "the Strong" becomes the monarch of Saxony significant?
Augustus II the Strong (12 May 1670 – 1 February 1733), was Elector of Saxony as Frederick Augustus I (German: Friedrich August I) from 1694 as well as King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1697 to 1706 and from 1709 until his death in 1733.

Explore More

April 27 in HistoryYear 1694