Sigismund, emperor of Germany (1411-37), the son of the Emperor Charles IV., was born on 14th February 1368. He was made king of Hungary when only nineteen, succeeding to that dignity through his wife. In 1396 at the head of a numerous army he attempted to relieve the Byzantine empire from the Turks, but was terribly defeated at Nicopolis (28th September). Some years later he conquered Bosnia and Herzegovina and reduced Servia to his sway. In 1411 he was proclaimed emperor on the death of Rupert. One of his earliest acts as emperor was to induce Pope John XXIII. to call together the Council of Constance for the purpose of putting an end to the Hussite and other schisms. But although he supported the party of reform, he made no effort to uphold the safe-conduct he had granted to Huss, and permitted him to be burned by his enemies. In return for this breach of faith his succession to the throne of Bohemia, after his brother's death, was opposed by the Hussites; and they maintained their opposition so stoutly that it was 1436 before Sigismund, making concessions, could put the crown of Bohemia on his head. But in the year following he died at Znuim, on 9th
December. This emperor possessed many of the qualities of a capable ruler, and made praiseworthy attempts to introduce various reforms in the administration of the empire; but his efforts seem to have been frustrated in great part by his own lack of decision and by his chronic want of money.
See works by Aschbach (4 vols. Hamb. 1838-45), Bezold (Mun. 1875), Lenz (Berl. 1874), and Windecke (Ger. trans. Leip. 1886).—For the Polish Sigismunds, see POLAND.