Charles Augustus definition of Charles Augustus in the Free Online Encyclopedia.

Charles Augustus, 1757–1828, duke and, after 1815, grand duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach; friend and patron of Goethe, Schiller, and Herder. Though his duchy was small, he was important in German politics. He helped Frederick II Frederick II or Frederick the Great, 1712–86, king of Prussia (1740–86), son and successor of Frederick William I .

Early Life

..... Click the link for more information. of Prussia form (1785) the Fürstenbund [league of princes] to check Austria's attempt under Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II Joseph II, 1741–90, Holy Roman emperor (1765–90), king of Bohemia and Hungary (1780–90), son of Maria Theresa and Holy Roman Emperor Francis I , whom he succeeded. He was the first emperor of the house of Hapsburg-Lorraine (see Hapsburg ).
..... Click the link for more information. to expand Austrian influence in the empire. He fought in the French Revolutionary Wars and against Napoleon I until 1806, when he was forced to join the Confederation of the Rhine Confederation of the Rhine, league of German states formed by Emperor Napoleon I in 1806 after his defeat of the Austrians at Austerlitz . Among its members were the newly created kingdoms of Bavaria and Württenberg (see Pressburg, Treaty of ), the grand duchies
..... Click the link for more information. . At the Congress of Vienna after Napoleon's defeat his duchy was enlarged and he was raised to a grand duke. Assisted by Goethe, he made Weimar Weimar (vī`mär), city (1994 pop. 58,807), E Thuringia , central Germany, on the Ilm River.
..... Click the link for more information. a center of literature, science, art, and liberal political thought. In 1816 he introduced a constitution.