Saxony, 5 Mark 1877 E

Only 5 Mark gold coin of Saxony! Minted only one year in a small mintage!

Saxony
5 Mark 1877 E
Albert (1873-1902)
Av.: Albert, King of Saxony
Rs.: Eagle
Mint: Dresden

Historical:

Albert of Saxony (1828 - 1902), full name Friedrich August Albert Anton Ferdinand Joseph Karl Maria Baptist Nepomuk Wilhelm Xaver Georg Fidelis, Duke of Saxony, from the house of the Albertine Wettins was King of Saxony from 1873 until his death. He showed a great interest in the military from childhood and was trained in all branches of arms. Later, he remained attached to the military and entered active service with the Saxon army. During the Schleswig-Holstein War of 1849, he fought in the artillery and participated as a captain in the war against Denmark. He was decorated for his efforts in the first assault on the Düppeler Schanze in 1849.

With the death of King Friedrich August II in 1854, Albert attained the status of crown prince and became increasingly active in politics. He chaired the State Council and participated in the drafting of numerous new laws. In 1866 he was entrusted by his father with the mobilization of the Saxon troops, which he led in the German War against Prussia. After the defeat at the side of Austria, Saxony joined the North German Confederation in 1866. The Crown Prince took over the XII. Army Corps, as which the Saxon army was integrated into the new federal army. In the course of this, Albert also fought in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870/71 and contributed significantly to the victory.

After the death of his father in 1873, Albert became King of Saxony. In the years that followed, he continued to integrate Saxony into the Prussian-led German Empire. The central points of his foreign policy were reconciliation with Prussia and the preservation of the federal order in the German Empire. Domestically, the king strove for a reformation of the state administration. Thus, he worked to improve the care of the army, pushed for a comprehensive tax reform in 1878, and moved the Saxon state mint from Dresden Muldenhütten in 1887. Albert also introduced three-class suffrage with the new electoral law of 1896.

In 1902, King Albert became seriously ill and was nursed for a long time at his summer residence, Sibyllenort Castle, where he also died. Since his marriage to Carola of Wasa-Holstein-Gottorp remained childless, his younger brother Georg succeeded him.