Frederick the Wise was a German prince and elector of Saxony who was a strong supporter of Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation. He was a key figure in the formation of the Schmalkaldic League, a defensive alliance of Protestant princes formed to protect their rights and freedoms against the Catholic Holy Roman Empire. Frederick the Wise's support of Luther and the Reformation helped to ensure the success of the movement and the eventual ban of the Catholic Church's authority in the Holy Roman Empire.
