Rudolf III, a member of the House of Ascania, was Duke of Saxe-Wittenberg and Elector of Saxony from 1388 until his death.
Background
He was probably born at the Saxon Wittenberg residence, the eldest son of Duke Wenceslaus I of Saxe-Wittenberg and his wife Cecilia, daughter of Francesco I da Carrara, Lord of Padua. Rudolf III took up government after his father"s sudden death on 15 May 1388.
Career
Rudolf was involved in a long-running dispute with the Archbishopric of Magdeburg. He donated numerous gifts to the Wittenberg All Saints" Church. Like his father, Rudolf was a loyal supporter of the Imperial House of Luxembourg.
He died on his way there, probably after being poisoned.
Rudolf was buried in the Franciscan monastery in Wittenberg. His coffin was moved to the crypt of the Wittenberg All Saints" Church in the 19th century, and to the family grave during the Second World War.