 Until the mid-16th century, Frohburg was part of "Pflege" Altenburg, and from then on until 1856 of Amt Borna.From then on it was the centre of the judicial district ("Gerichtsamt") Frohburg, until it passed to "Amtshauptmannschaft" (district) Borna.Following a recession in the 19th century, the establishment of a calico printing mill in 1883 and the start of lignite mining north of the town helped economic recovery.