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Moritz von Sachsen was born in 1521 to Heinrich von Sachsen and Katharina von Mecklenburg. The same year Martin Luther was called to the Diet of Worms under the protection of the Elector Friedrich von Sachsen of Saxony. Friedrich and Heinrich were first cousins. 1/10
In 1485, the Electorate of Saxony had been divided between two brothers. The older Ernst retained the Electoral role, while the younger Albrecht became Duke. Friedrich succeeded Ernst as Elector in 1486, while Heinrich's elder brother, Georg, succeeded as Duke in 1500. 2/10
Luther got wide support in 1520s, especially in Saxony. Elector Friedrich was succeeded by his brother, Johann, in 1525 and effectively became the leader for the Lutheran movement politically. Though Duke Georg remained Catholic, his eldest son, Johann, supported Luther. 3/10
But Johann died before his father in 1537. By then, the Schmalkaldic League, a military alliance of the Protestant states, had been formed, with the Elector of Saxony, Johann Friedrich, at its head. In 1539, Duke Georg died and his brother, Heinrich, succeeded him. 4/10
Heinrich promptly switched his domain to a Lutheran state. He died in 1541 and was succeeded by Moritz. The Schmalkaldic League had been growing in the meantime, but Moritz continued his support of the Catholic Habsburgs, who also ruled in neighbouring Bohemia. 5/10
The next years saw Duke Moritz support Emperor Karl in his wars against the French and the Ottomans. In 1546, the Emperor made peace with France and set out against the Schmalkaldic League. Mortiz again allied with the Emperor, who promised to make him Electorate of Saxony. 6/10
After the victory at Mühlberg, the imperial forces imprisoned Elector Johann Friedrich and his associate, Landgrave Philipp von Hessen, who was also Moritz's father-in-law. The new Elector Moritz was also unhappy with the imperial decree on religion set out at Augsburg. 7/10
Duke Moritz led the Protestants into a new alliance. He also enlisted the support of the French by "ceding" three Bishoprics - Metz, Toul and Verdun. Once France occupied the Bishoprics in 1552, the Emperor had to recover them. But he was stopped by Moritz and his allies. 8/10
The Emperor then made peace with the Protestants but he could not prevent France from retaining the Bishoprics permanently. The Peace of Passau (1552) and of Augsburg (1555) gave Lutheranism legal backing within the Empire. 9/10
Elector Moritz died in 1553 before he could see the Peace of Augsburg and was succeeded by his brother, August. His grandson, Maurits von Nassau, would later play an important role in the Dutch war for independence from the Habsburgs. 10/10
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Murad was born in 1404 to Mehmed. Mehmed was the son of Bayezid, the Ottoman Sultan who was captured by Timur in 1402. This led to a period of anarchy in the Sultanate. By 1413, Mehmed had managed to defeat his brothers and take over as Sultan of the entire Sultanate. 1/10
The Ottoman had Sultanate emerged in late 13th century after the Seljuk Sultanate of Rûm was defeated by the Mongols. Many beyliks rose up in the Anatolian peninsula, one among which was ruled by the ancestors of Bayezid, Mehmed and Murad. 2/10
Rastislav was born in early 9th century. His father may have been Wistrach and his uncle Mojmír, the Duke of Moravia. Little is known about Rastislav's youth, until 846 when Franks invaded Moravia and installed Rastislav as the Duke of Moravia. 1/10
Moravia emerged as a semi independent state in Central Europe not long after the Franks had defeated the Avars in late 8th century. Moravia was not the first power in the region though. The Slavic states of Samo and of Nitra had lasted briefly during various times as well. 2/10
Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck was born in 1815 to Karl Wilhelm Ferdinand von Bismarck and Wilhelmine Luise Mencken. Hailing from Schönhausen, the Bismarcks were a prominent noble family of the Kingdom of Prussia, with connections in Pomerania. 1/10
Prussia became a kingdom in 1701, but its major part was Brandenburg in the centuries old Holy Roman Empire. Invasion by the French in early 19th century led to the dissolution of this empire, with many of its regions joining Napoleon backed Confederation of the Rhine. 2/10
Camillo Benso was born in 1810 to Michele Benso, Marquis of Cavour, and Adélaïde Suzanne de Sellon. The Bensos were prominent nobility of Savoy. Camillo also had a distinguishing French connection thanks to his mother and his godmother Pauline, sister of Emperor Napoleon. 1/10
The early 18th century saw the French under Napoleon occupy Savoy. But the Bensos managed to see through it in a favourable manner eventually. Young Camilo's career prospects improved with his appointment as page to Carlo Alberto, Prince of Carignano in 1824. 2/10
Iaroslav Vladimirovich was born around 980 to Vladimir Sviatoslavich, Grand Prince of Kiev, and Rogned of Polotsk. Vladimir was initially supposed to rule only in Novgorod, but he had taken Kiev and Dereva from his brothers by 980. 1/10
Iaroslav was given an early charge of Rostov and, later, of Novgorod by 1010. But he sought Kiev and rebelled against his father, when he saw that one of his many brothers may be given Kiev. However, Vladimir died in 1015 and his domain got divided between his sons. 2/10
Birger Magnusson was born around 1210 to Magnus "Minnesköld" Bengtsson and Ingrid Ilva. Magnus was the grandson of the powerful Scandinavian noble, Folke, while Ingrid may have been a descendant of Sverker, King of Sweden in mid 12th century. 1/10
The kingdom of Sweden claimed land on the western and eastern coasts of the Baltic Sea in the 13th century. However, the crown itself was held between two dynasties since Sverker's death in 1156; by Sverker's family and that of Erik who became king after Sverker. 2/10