Waldemar "Cicero" V of Brandenburg, of the Ascanian dynasty, was born in 1560 as the son of Margrave Waldemar (nicknamed "Plutarch") IV and his wife. He became margrave quite early, at the age of eighteen years. For his capability, he was elected Roman king in 1612 and became emperor-elect in 1619 as well. In 1640, he joined the Baltic League with Sweden, Prussia and Franconia-Pomerania, for the fear that king François IV of France was getting too much influence in the HRE.