Augustus The Strong : A Study in Artistic Greatness and Political Fiasco

A Study in What-Could-Have-Been

Augustus is one of the great what-ifs of the 18th century. He had the chance to transform his rule over two major realms into the foundation of a powerful European state—one that could have stood as a bulwark against Russian influence and a barrier to Prussian expansion.

Instead, his reign was marked by:

• Wasted opportunities
• Consistently poor decision-making

By the time of his death, Poland was left fatally weakened, eventually disappearing as an independent state until the 20th century.

A Study in Failed Statecraft

Tim Blanning’s wonderfully entertaining and original book examines how a ruler can shape history as much through incompetence as through brilliance. Augustus’s posthumous sobriquet, ‘The Strong’, referred not to political achievements but to his legendary physical strength and sexual prowess.

Yet, Augustus was also one of the great creative minds of his era. His boundless energy, exquisite taste, and seemingly limitless resources led to the creation of Dresden, the baroque jewel of jewels.

A Time of Opulence and Excess

Augustus the Strong vividly captures an era defined by:

• Opulence and decadence
• Excess and folly

This is a story of brilliance and failure, told with wit and scholarship by one of today’s most talented historians.

From the acclaimed author of The Pursuit of Glory and Frederick the Great comes a riotous biography of the charismatic ruler of 18th-century Poland and Saxony—and his catastrophic reign.

Awards and Recognition

• Winner of the Elizabeth Longford Prize for Historical Biography 2025
• Shortlisted for the 2025 Apollo Book of the Year Award

Praise for Augustus the Strong

"It's been a superb year for history but Augustus the Strong ranks up there with the very very best! I can't recommend it strongly enough." — Simon Sebag-Montefiore

"The wonderful story of one of the worst monarchs in European history, told with enormous wit and scholarship by a supremely talented historian. If you have the slightest interest in Germans, Poles, porcelain, jewels, the Enlightenment, military disasters or the pleasures of fox-tossing, then this is the book for you." — Dominic Sandbrook