ence was most
prominently represented by the neighbouring and allied towns of Berlin
and Coln. In his conflict with the towns over his refusal to ratify all
their privileges the elector's task was lightened by a quarrel between
the magistrates and the burghers of Berlin, which he was called in to
decide in 1442. He deposed the governing oligarchy, changed the
constitution of the town, forbade all alliances and laid the foundations
of a castle. The inhabitants soon chafed under these restrictions. A
revolt broke out in 1447, but the power of the elector overawed the
people, who submitted their case to the estates, with the result that
the arrangement of 1442 was re-established. In 1447 Frederick was
compelled to cede the old mark and Priegnitz to his younger brother,
Frederick, under whose feeble rule they quickly fell into disorder. In
1463, however, when the younger Frederick died childless, the elector
united them again with his own possessions and took measures to suppress
the prevailing anarchy. In his dealings with neighbouring rulers
Frederick pursued a peaceful and conciliatory policy. In 1442 he
obtained some small additions to his territory, and the right of
succession to the duchy of Mecklenburg in case the ducal family should
die out. In 1445 an old feud with the archbishop of Magdeburg was
settled, and in 1457 a treaty of mutual succession was made with the
houses of Saxony and Hesse. Cottbus and Peitz in Lusatia were acquired,
and retained after a quarrel with George Podiebrad, king of Bohemia, and
the new mark of Brandenburg was purchased from the Teutonic order in
1454. An attempt, however, to secure the duchy of Pomerania-Stettin
failed, and the concluding years of this reign were troubled by warfare
with the Pomeranians.

The general success of Frederick's rule was secured by the sedulous care
with which he confined himself to the work of government. He is said to
have refused the thrones of Poland and Bohemia; and although he made
pilgrimages to the Holy Land and to Rome, his interest in ecclesiastical
questions was mainly directed towards quickening the religious life of
his people. He obtained important concessions from Pope Nicholas V. with
regard to the appointment of bishops and other ecclesiastical matters in
1447, and in general maintained cordial relations with the papacy. About
1467 his only son, John, died, and increasing infirmity led him to
contemplate abdication. An arrangement was made wi