House of Wettin

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House of Wettin
Country	Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, United Kingdom
Founded	10th century
Founder	Theodoric I
Current head	Michael, Prince of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
Titles	List Ernestine branch: (see more) Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach King of the Belgians King of Portugal King/Queen of the United Kingdom Tsar of Bulgaria Albertine branch: (see more) King of Saxony King of Poland Grand Duke of Lithuania Duke of Warsaw Duke of Courland Duke of Teschen Grand Master of the Teutonic Order
Branches	Ernestine branch Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach Saxe-Meiningen Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Windsor Saxe-Coburg-Gotha-Koháry Braganza-Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (extinct) Bulgarian Line Saxe-Coburg and Braganza Belgium Albertine branch Saxe-Gessaphe Saxony

The House of Wettin (German: Haus Wettin) was a dynasty of German kings, prince-electors, dukes, and counts that once ruled territories in the present-day German states of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia. The dynasty is one of the oldest in Europe, and its origins can be traced back to the town of Wettin, Saxony-Anhalt. The Wettins gradually rose to power within the Holy Roman Empire. Members of the family became the rulers of several medieval states, starting with the Saxon Eastern March in 1030. Other states they gained were Meissen in 1089, Thuringia in 1263, and Saxony in 1423. These areas cover large parts of Central Germany as a cultural area of Germany.

The family divided into two ruling branches in 1485 by the Treaty of Leipzig: the Ernestine and Albertine branches. The older Ernestine branch played a key role during the Protestant Reformation. Many ruling monarchs outside Germany were later tied to its cadet branch, the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. The Albertine branch, while less prominent, ruled most of Saxony and played a part in Polish history.

Agnates of the House of Wettin have, at various times, ascended the thrones of the United Kingdom, Portugal, Bulgaria, Poland, Saxony, Mexico and Belgium. Only the Belgian line retains their throne today.