Frederick II the Iron

In 1442 the elector Frederick II (“Iron Tooth”) crushed a federation of Brandenburg cities and deprived its leader, Berlin, of its most valued privileges. In the Franconian possessions of the dynasty, Albert Achilles of Hohenzollern waged a destructive war (1449–50) against a city league headed by Nürnberg. He suffered…

Frederick II Iron Tooth (reigned 1440–70) curbed the rebellious nobles and the towns and was periodically disturbed by wars with the neighboring Pomeranians, over whom his brother and successor, Albert III Achilles (reigned 1470–86), finally established suzerainty. Joachim I (reigned 1499–1535) introduced the Roman law…