Saxon trilogy

The Saxon trilogy is a cycle of novels by the Polish writer Józef Ignacy Kraszewski , which was filmed for GDR television in the 1980s under the title “ Saxons Glory and Prussian Glory ”. This cycle of novels includes the three novels "Countess Cosel" (1873), "Brühl" (1874) and "From the Seven Years' War" (1875).

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The so-called Saxon trilogy consists of three parts, which depict the life of Countess Cosel at the court of Augustus the Strong, the rise of Count Brühl and the turmoil of the Seven Years' War under August III. should clarify. Each part is divided into two books.

Countess Cosel

Anna Constantia Countess Cosel , who lived from 1680 to 1765, was the wife of Adolph Magnus von Hoym, Director General of the Accis and after her divorce became the lover of the Saxon Elector Augustus the Strong . As a condition, in order to get involved with the elector at all, she had to get a promise from him that Augustus the Strong would marry her if his rightful wife died. She bore him three children and was by his side for nine years the most powerful woman in Saxony. Intrigues and her jealousy caused the elector to tire of them and had them banished from Dresden to Pillnitz . Anna von Cosel did not just want to accept this fate and with the promise of marriage in hand she picked up her children in Dresden and fled to Prussia. The Prussian king handed them over to Saxony again. During the transfer to the fortress Stolpen she was raped several times, so that a stopover had to be made in Nossen . She was then held captive at Stolpen Fortress for 49 years, still hoping that August the Strong would turn to her again.

Bruehl

Through intrigues and intrigues, Count Heinrich Brühl becomes first minister under August III. Even before his friend, Count Sułkowski , Brühl did not stop and had him banished from the vicinity of the elector. Enemies are kept out of the way by unclean means. The most interesting scene is the story of Count Watzdorf , who was in love with Franziska Countess Brühl and was also able to enjoy her favor. Count Brühl had this brought to the Saxon state prison in Königstein. At the insistence of his wife, however, he had to approve the release of Watzdorf and did so with the words: "He should be released, but nothing more of his freedom". The guards of the fortress Königstein , a mountain in the Saxon Switzerland, pushed Count Watzdorf down from the parapet of the fortress. Watzdorf was free, but also dead.

From the Seven Years War

Mismanagement and wars have completely ruined Saxony , which was once so rich . In addition, the Prussians also wage war against the Saxon court. August III. and his minister Brühl must flee.

meaning

The historical novels deal with the history of the times when Saxony and Poland were united by their regents. August the Strong and his son, August III., Were both electors of Saxony and equally elected kings of Poland. Kraszewski traces historically well-founded portraits of the main protagonists of the Dresden Baroque and outlines the life of a monarchy that is rushing towards its doom.

Kraszewski does not always stick to historical facts:

How and when Countess Cosel and August the Strong met cannot be proven one hundred percent. What is certain, however, is that there was no bet as to whose wife would be the most beautiful in Saxony and Adolph Magnus von Hoym would have been forced to present his wife at the Dresden court. The then Anna Constantia von Hoym and the elector probably met when the Hoymsche Palais in Dresden was on fire and August the Strong hurried to that very palace.
Anna Constantia von Cosel only stayed briefly at Nossen Castle and did not attempt to escape from there.

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Countess Cosel. A woman's fate at the court of Augustus the Strong; historical novel ("Hrabina Cosel"). Aufbau-Taschenbuch-Verlag, Berlin 2000, ISBN 3-7466-1307-8 .
Count Brühl. Historical novel ("Bruehl"). Aufbau-Taschenbuch-Verlag, Berlin 2001, ISBN 3-7466-1306-X .
From the Seven Years War. Historical novel ("Z siedmioletniej wojny"). Aufbau-Taschenbuch-Verlag, Berlin 2000, ISBN 3-7466-1308-6 .