1471. The manner of his end was peculiar. In that War with
Pommern, he sat besieging a Pomeranian town, Uckermunde the name
of it: when at dinner one day, a cannon-ball plunged down upon the
table, [Michaelis, i. 303.] with such a crash as we can fancy;--
which greatly confused the nerves of Friedrich; much injured his
hearing, and even his memory thenceforth. In a few months
afterwards he resigned, in favor of his Successor; retired to
Plassenburg, and there died in about a year more.



Chapter IV.

KURFURST ALBERT ACHILLES, AND HIS SUCCESSOR.

Neither Friedrich nor Johann left other than daughters: so that
the united Heritage, Brandenburg and Culmbach both, came now to
the third Brother, Albert; who has been in Culmbath these many
years already. A tall, fiery, tough old gentleman, of formidable
talent for fighting, who was called the "ACHILLES OF GERMANY" in
his day; being then a very blazing far-seen character, dim as he
has now grown. [Born 1414; Kurfurst, 1471-1486.] This Albert
Achilles was the Third Elector; Ancestor he of all the Brandenburg
and Culmbach Hohenzollern Princes that have since figured in the
world. After him there is no break or shift in the succession,
down to the little Friedrich now born;--Friedrich the old
Grandfather, First KING, was the Twelfth KURFURST.

We have to say, they followed generally in their Ancestors' steps,
and had success of the like kind, more or less; Hohenzollerns all