by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2018
Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen: On March 26, 1675, Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg died. Initially, his seven sons collectively governed the Duchy of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, as set out in their father’s will. On February 24, 1680, the seven brothers concluded a treaty of separation, with each brother getting a portion of the Duchy of Saxe-Gotha Altenburg and becoming a Duke. One of the seven new duchies was the Duchy of Saxe-Meinigen and Bernhard, one of the seven sons of Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg became the first Duke of Saxe-Meinigen.
On November 9, 1918, Wilhelm II abdicated as German Emperor and King of Prussia in the wake of the November Revolution. Bernhard III, the last Duke of Saxe-Meiningen abdicated the next day due to pressure from the Meininger Workers and Soldiers Council. His half-brother Ernst waived his succession rights on November 12, 1918, officially ending the monarchy of the Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen. Today the territory that encompassed the Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen is in the German state of Thuringia.
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Karl Wilhelm, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen; Credit – Wikipedia
Karl Wilhelm was Duke of Saxe-Meiningen from 1763-1782. He was born in the Imperial Free City of Frankfurt, now in the German state of Hesse, on November 19, 1754, to Anton Ulrich, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen and Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Philippsthal. Karl Wilhelm had seven siblings:
- Charlotte (1751-1827) – married Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, had issue
- Luise (1752-1805) – married Landgrave Adolph of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld, had issue
- Elisabeth (1753-1754) – died in infancy
- Friedrich Franz (1756-1761) – died in childhood
- Friedrich Wilhelm (1757-1758) -died in infancy
- Georg I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen (1761-1803) – married Princess Luise Eleonore of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, had issue including Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen, Queen of the United Kingdom, wife of King William IV
- Amalie (1762-1798) – married Prince Carl Heinrich Erdmann of Carolath-Bytom
Karl Wilhelm also had ten elder half-siblings from his father’s first morganatic marriage to Philippine Caesar. None of those siblings were in the line of succession to the ducal throne.
At just eight years old, Karl Wilhelm succeeded his father as Duke of Saxe-Meiningen. Because of his age, his mother served as Regent and was instrumental in bringing the duchy back from the brink of financial and economic disaster. Following his mother’s example, Karl Wilhelm worked to reduce the size of his court and help restore the finances of the duchy. He promoted education for the people of Saxe-Meiningen and founded one of the first teachers’ colleges.
Luise of Stolberg-Gedern; Credit – Wikipedia
Karl Wilhelm married Princess Luise of Stolberg-Gedern on June 5, 1780, in Gedern, Principality of Stolberg-Gedern, now in the German state of Hesse. She was the daughter of Christian Karl, Prince of Stolberg-Gedern and Countess Eleonore of Reuss-Lobenstein. They had no children.
Karl Wilhelm died in Sonneberg, Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen, now in Thuringia, Germany, on July 21, 1782, at just 27 years old. He was initially buried at the Castle Church at Elisabethenburg Palace, in Meiningen, Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen, now in Thuringia, Germany. His remains were later moved to the Meiningen municipal cemetery in 1977. He was succeeded by his younger brother Georg I.
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Saxe-Meiningen Resources at Unofficial Royalty