Editing Saxony (section)

=== Foundation of the second Saxon state ===
[[File:Locator Electoral Saxony within the Holy Roman Empire (1618).svg|right|thumb|The [[Electorate of Saxony]] within the [[Holy Roman Empire]] (1618)]]
Saxe-Wittenberg, mostly in modern [[Saxony-Anhalt]], became subject to the [[margravate of Meissen]], ruled by the [[House of Wettin|Wettin]] dynasty in 1423. This established a new and powerful state, occupying large portions of the present Free State of Saxony, Thuringia, Saxony-Anhalt and Bavaria (Coburg and its environs). Although the centre of this state was far to the southeast of the former Saxony, it came to be referred to as '''Upper Saxony''' and then simply '''Saxony''', while the former Saxon territories in the north were now known as '''Lower Saxony''' (the modern term [[Niedersachsen]] deriving from this).

In 1485, Saxony was split in the [[Treaty of Leipzig]]. A collateral line of the Wettin princes received what later became [[Thuringia]] and founded several small states there (see ''[[Ernestine duchies]]''). Since these princes were allowed to use the Saxon coat of arms, in many towns of Thuringia, the coat of arms can still be found in historical buildings.

The remaining Saxon state became still more powerful, receiving [[Upper Lusatia|Upper]] and [[Lower Lusatia]] in the [[Peace of Prague (1635)]]. It also became known in the 18th century for its cultural achievements, although it was politically weaker than [[Kingdom of Prussia|Prussia]] and [[Habsburg monarchy|Austria]], states which oppressed Saxony from the north and south, respectively.

Between 1697 and 1763, two successive [[Electors of Saxony]] were also elected [[Kings of Poland]] in [[Personal union of Poland and Saxony|personal union]]. Many landmarks in Saxony date from this period and contain remnants of the former close Polish-Saxon relation, such as the [[coat of arms of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth]] on the facades and in the interiors of palaces, churches, edifices, etc. (e.g. [[Zwinger (Dresden)|Zwinger]], [[Dresden Cathedral]], [[Moritzburg Castle]]), and on numerous mileposts, and the close political and cultural relationship persisted well into the 19th century, with Saxony being the place of preparations for the Polish [[Kościuszko Uprising]] against the [[Partitions of Poland|partitioning]] powers,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://dzieje.pl/aktualnosci/rocznica-insurekcji-kosciuszkowskiej|title=Insurekcja Kościuszkowska – ostatnia próba ratowania Rzeczpospolitej|website=Dzieje.pl|access-date=22 June 2024|language=pl}}</ref> and one of the chief destinations for Polish refugees from partitioned Poland, including the artistic and political elite, such as composer [[Frédéric Chopin]], war hero [[Józef Bem]] and writer [[Adam Mickiewicz]].<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Sadowski|first=Aleksander Marek|year=2022|title=Sachsen und Polen – Tausend Jahre Nachbarschaft / Polska i Saksonia – tysiąc lat sąsiedztwa|magazine=Polonus|language=de,pl|location=Ostritz|issue=5|page=39|issn=2701-6285}}</ref>

In 1756, Saxony joined a coalition of Austria, [[Kingdom of France|France]] and [[Russian Empire|Russia]] against Prussia. [[Frederick II of Prussia]] chose to attack preemptively and invaded Saxony in August 1756, precipitating the [[Third Silesian War]] (part of the [[Seven Years' War]]). The Prussians quickly defeated Saxony and incorporated the [[Royal Saxon Army|Saxon army]] into the [[Prussian Army]]. At the end of the Seven Years' War, Saxony recovered its independence in the 1763 [[Treaty of Hubertusburg]].