One of the component states of Germany according to the current administrative division of the nation
A historical region of northern Germany. The original home of the Saxons, it was conquered by Charlemagne in the eighth century and became a duchy after his death. Its borders were eventually extended southeastward as the region was subdivided and redivided. The dukes of Saxony became electors of the Holy Roman Empire in 1356, and in 1806 the elector was elevated to kingship but lost half his territory to Prussia in 1815. A later kingdom of Saxony was part of the German Empire (1871-1918). German Sachsen Historical region, former state, and recreated state, Germany. Before 1180 the name was applied to the territory conquered AD 200-700 by the Germanic Saxon tribe. They were conquered and Christianized by Charlemagne in the late 8th century. In the mid-9th century Saxony became part of the German kingdom of the Franks. The territory was broken up in 1180 and divided into two smaller and widely separated areas, Saxe-Lauenburg on the lower Elbe River and Saxe-Wittenberg on the middle Elbe. From 1422 the name Saxony was applied to a large region, including the country from Thuringia to Lusatia, bordering Bohemia. It was part of the German Empire (1871-1918) and a free state in the Weimar Republic (1919-33). The state was abolished in 1952 and divided among East German districts. Upon German reunification in 1990, a new state of Saxony was recreated. The current territory of Saxony Land (pop., 2001 est.: 4,384,192) occupies the southeastern portion of what was formerly East Germany and covers an area of 7,080 sq mi (18,337 sq km). The capital is Dresden