Augustus II the Strong, born on 12 May 1670 in Dresden, was the younger son of John George III, Elector of Saxony, and Princess Anna Sophie of Denmark. He became Elector of Saxony in 1694 after the death of his elder brother, John George IV. Augustus married Christiane Eberhardine of Brandenburg-Bayreuth in 1693, and they had one legitimate son, Frederick Augustus II, who later succeeded him as Augustus III of Poland.To secure his election as King of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1697, Augustus converted to Roman Catholicism, a significant shift given Saxony's Protestant heritage. His election was controversial, as another candidate, François Louis, Prince of Conti, had received more votes. Augustus's reign began amid the Great Northern War, where he sought to strengthen royal power in the Commonwealth but faced significant challenges.Augustus's military campaigns against Sweden were largely unsuccessful. After a series of defeats, he was forced to yield the Polish throne to Stanisław Leszczyński in 1706. However, following the defeat of Sweden at the Battle of Poltava in 1709, Augustus returned to the throne with Russian support. His attempts to establish an absolute monarchy were met with resistance from the Polish nobility, leading to a compromise that limited his military presence in Poland.Throughout his reign, Augustus was a patron of the arts and architecture, transforming Dresden into a cultural center. He built lavish palaces and established the Order of the White Eagle, Poland's highest honor. Augustus's efforts to create a hereditary monarchy were ultimately unsuccessful, but his son ascended to the throne after his death on 1 February 1733 in Warsaw. Augustus was buried in Wawel Cathedral in Kraków, with his heart interred in Dresden Cathedral.