Sigismund

Sigismund, the younger son of Charles IV., Emperor, was born in 1366, and succeeded his father as Margrave of Brandenbutg in 1378. Having married Maria, daughter of Ludwig of Hungary, he was elected to fill that throne. In 1410, on the death of Ruprecht, Palatine of the Rhine, he was put forward by a strong party as candidate for the imperial dignity, and after some disputes received the unanimous vote of the Diet, being crowned in 1414. Under his auspices the Council of Constance was held, and his reign was one continual struggle with the Hussites, whose leader he treacherously burned in 1415. His later years were passed in wars against the Turks, from whom he took Belgrade. With him the Luxemburg dynasty ended, as at his death in 1437 he left only a daughter. By the sale of Brandenburg to the burgrave of Nuremberg he laid the foundation of the Prussian kingdom.