Sophie of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, Countess of Mensdorff-Pouilly

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Sophie of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, Countess of Mensdorff-Pouilly; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Sophie of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld was the sister of Leopold I, the first King of the Belgians and an aunt to both Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and her husband Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Given the names Sophie Friederike Karoline Luise, she was born on August 19, 1778, in Coburg, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, now in Bavaria, Germany. She was the eldest of the nine children and the eldest of the five daughters of Franz Friedrich Anton, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld and second wife Augusta Reuss of Ebersdorf.

Sophie had eight younger siblings:

Princess Sophia of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, circa 1795; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1794, the Russian Empress Catherine the Great sent Count Andrei Budberg, a Russian diplomat, off to the courts of Europe to search for a potential bride for her grandson, Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich of Russia. Konstantin was the second son of the future Paul I, Emperor of All Russia and Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg, and younger brother of the future Alexander I, Emperor of All Russia. While traveling, Budberg became ill and stopped in Coburg where he was treated by Baron von Stockmar, the Coburg court’s physician. Stockmar learned of the Budberg’s mission and suggested the daughters of the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.

Once the prospect of a Coburg bride was approved by Catherine the Great, Sophie and her next two sisters Antoinette and Juliane, accompanied by their mother, traveled to Saint Petersburg in August 1795. Sophie had all the prerequisites to be selected. She was the eldest and her mother wrote in the diary of the St. Petersburg trip that Empress Catherine liked Sophie the best. After several weeks, Konstantin chose 14-year-old Juliane, and the two became engaged. However, the marriage did not last long. By 1801, Juliane and Konstantin were living apart and eventually, their marriage was annulled.

Sophie’s sister Antoinette; Credit – Wikipedia

Sophie was very close to her sister Antoinette who was just a year younger. They both attended balls at the Schloss Fantaisie in Eckersdorf, Bavaria, a meeting place for French emigrants who had escaped from the French Revolution and the later reign of Napoleon I, Emperor of the French. It was there that she met her future husband Emmanuel von Mensdorff-Pouilly.  After meeting Emmanuel, Sophie wrote in her diary, “In Fantaisie, the happiness of my life began.”

Emmanuel’s father Albert-Louis, Baron de Pouilly et de Chaffour, Comte de Roussy and his wife Marie Antoinette escaped France during the French Revolution. Their sons Albert and Emmanuel took the name Mensdorff from a small town in the commune of Betzdorf in Luxembourg. In 1793, Emmanuel and his brother Albert joined the Austrian army and fought against Revolutionary and Napoleonic France. In 1799, Albert was killed in battle at the age of 24 and Emmanuel received a severe injury to his right hand that caused the hand to remain disabled for the rest of his life.

Sophie and Emmanuel were married in Coburg on February 23, 1804. The couple had six sons who were the first cousins of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert:

  • Hugo von Mensdorff-Pouilly (1806 – 1847), unmarried
  • Alphons von Mensdorff-Pouilly (1810 – 1894), married (1) Countess Therese von Dietrichstein-Proskau-Leslie, had two daughters (2) Countess Maria Therese von Lamberg, had one son
  • Alfred von Mensdorff-Pouilly (1812 – 1814), died in early childhood
  • Alexander von Mensdorff-Pouilly (1813 – 1871), married Countess Alexandrina von Dietrichstein-Nicholsburg, had two sons and one daughter, was Foreign Minister of the Austrian Empire
  • Leopold von Mensdorff-Pouilly (1815 – 1821), died in childhood
  • Arthur von Mensdorff-Pouilly (1817 – 1904), married (1) Magdalene Kremzow, no children (2) Bianca von Wickenburg, no children

Emmanuel von Mensdorff-Pouilly; Credit – Wikipedia

Despite his hand injury, Emmanuel remained in the Austrian army and Sophie became a military wife. She was a loyal and loving wife to her husband and accepted Emmanuel’s decision to remain in the army. While Emmanuel was off soldiering for “his master and emperor”, Sophie and her children lived at the Hereditary Prince’s Palace in Coburg and also at the  Mensdorff-Castell which today is a part of Castle Falkenegg (link in German), also in Coburg.

Several times Sophie lived with Emmanuel while he was stationed with the Austrian army.  The first time Sophie lived in Prague, then in Bohemia, now in the Czech Republic, from 1820-1824, were happy times. Sophia dined out, visited salons, and had many friends. From 1824 to 1834 Sophie and Emmanuel lived in Mainz (now in Germany), perhaps the happiest time of her life. In Mainz, Emmanuel was the commander of the Fortress of Mainz, part of a chain of strategic fortresses that protected the German Confederation, and also served as Vice Governor of Mainz. While living in Mainz, Sophie had to be more of a leader in society circles, hosting salons, and being fashionable and elegant. During her time in Mainz, Sophie published a romantic collection of fairy tales entitled Märchen und Erzählungen (Fairy Tales and Stories).

Sophie, Countess of Mensdorff-Pouilly in 1834: Credit – Wikipedia

When Sophie and Emmanuel moved back to Prague in 1835, Sophie was quite unhappy living in a place “where people above all want to know if she is a person of stature.” Sophie died in Tuschimitz, Bohemia (now in the Czech Republic) on July 9, 1835, aged 56. In 1838, after Sophie’s death, Emmanuel purchased the nearby Schloss Preitenstein which remained the property of the Mensdorff-Pouilly family until 1945. He had Sophie buried in the park of Schloss Preitenstein. In 1840, Emmanuel became Vice-President of the Hofkriegsrat (Imperial War Council), the central military administrative authority of the Habsburg Monarchy, the predecessor of the Austro-Hungarian Ministry of War. He remained in the Austrian army until he retired in 1848 with the rank of Lieutenant Field Marshall. Emmanuel survived Sophie by 14 years, dying in Vienna, Austria on June 28, 1852, at the age of 75.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. (2019). Emmanuel von Mensdorff-Pouilly. [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmanuel_von_Mensdorff-Pouilly [Accessed 3 Feb. 2019].
  • De.wikipedia.org. (2019). Sophie von Sachsen-Coburg-Saalfeld. [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophie_von_Sachsen-Coburg-Saalfeld [Accessed 3 Feb. 2019].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2019). Emmanuel von Mensdorff-Pouilly. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmanuel_von_Mensdorff-Pouilly [Accessed 3 Feb. 2019].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2019). Princess Sophie of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Sophie_of_Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld [Accessed 3 Feb. 2019].
  • Mehl, S. (2018). Juliane of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, Grand Duchess Anna Feodorovna of Russia. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/juliane-of-saxe-coburg-saalfeld-grand-duchess-anna-feodorovna-of-russia2/ [Accessed 3 Feb. 2019].
  • Slabakova, R. (n.d.). Sophie, Gräfin Mensdorff-Pouilly, geborene Prinzessin von Sachsen-Coburg-Saalfeld. [online] Academia.edu. Available at: http://www.academia.edu/8613608/Sophie_Gr%C3%A4fin_Mensdorff-Pouilly_geborene_Prinzessin_von_Sachsen-Coburg-Saalfeld [Accessed 3 Feb. 2019].

Sophie Antonia of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, Duchess of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld/Saxe-Coburg and Gotha: In 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. In 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-Saalfeld and Johann Ernst, one of the seven sons of Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg became the first Duke of Saxe-Saalfeld.  When two of his brothers died without male heirs, Johann Ernst took possession of Coburg (in 1699) and Römhild (in 1714). In 1699, Johann Ernst’s title changed to Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.

In 1825, 145 years after the initial split, another line became extinct and there was another split between three surviving duchies. Ernst III, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld became Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. For more information on the switch, see Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld/Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Index.

On November 9, 1918, after the German Empire lost World War I, the Workers’ and Soldiers Council of Gotha, deposed the last Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Charles Edward, a grandson of Queen Victoria.  Five days later, he signed a declaration relinquishing his rights to the throne. The territory that encompassed the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha is now in the German states of Bavaria and Thuringia.

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Sophie Antonia of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, Duchess of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld; Credit – Wikipedia

The wife of Ernst Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, and the great-grandmother of Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert, Sophie Antonia was born on January 24, 1724, in Wolfenbüttel, in the Principality of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, now in Lower Saxony, Germany. She was the ninth of the fifteen children and the fourth of the seven daughters of Ferdinand Albrecht II, Prince of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel and his first cousin once removed Antoinette Amalie of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. Her father became Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg shortly before his death.

  
Sophie Antonia’s parents; Credit – www.the peerage.com

Sophie Antonia had fifteen siblings:

Sophie Antonia had connections to several royal families. She was the paternal aunt of Ivan VI, Emperor of All Russia, first cousin of Maria Theresa, Archduchess of Austria, and Queen of Hungary, Croatia, and Bohemia, and first cousin of Peter II, Emperor of All Russia.

Schloss Salzdahlum with its baroque gardens in 1721; Credit – Wikipedia

Sophie Antonia spent her childhood with her family at a Versailles-like palace, Schloss Salzdahlum (link in German).  Because she was related to many royal families, Sophie Antonia was considered as a bride for several princes. However, she was not considered attractive, causing many marriage negotiations to fail. Through the contacts of her eldest brother Karl, she found a marriage possibility with Ernst Friedrich of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, who was the same age as her. Ernst Friedrich, the eldest son of Franz Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld and Anna Sophie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, had little success with women because he was mocked for his looks. He was delighted with Sophie Antonia and they became engaged early in 1749. On April 23, 1749, the two were married in Coburg, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, now in the German state of Bavaria. The marriage was considered happy and the couple had seven children but only three survived childhood:

Ernst Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1764, Ernst Friedrich succeeded his father, who had left considerable debt, as Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, and he moved the official residence to Coburg. Because the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld was heavily in debt, Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II appointed a debit commission to prevent the bankruptcy of the duchy. The work of the debt commission lasted over thirty years, and during that period, Ernst Friedrich was given a strict annual allowance.

Ernst Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld died on September 8, 1800, in Coburg, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld at the age of 76. He was buried in the ducal crypt at the Morizkirche (or Stadtkirche St. Moriz) in Coburg, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, now in Bavaria, Germany. Sophie Antonia survived him by almost two years, dying in Coburg on May 17, 1802, at the age of 78. She was buried with her husband.

The Morizkirche where Sophia Antonia and her husband are buried; Credit – Von Störfix, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14800843

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld/Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. (2019). Ernst Friedrich (Sachsen-Coburg-Saalfeld). [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernst_Friedrich_(Sachsen-Coburg-Saalfeld) [Accessed 7 Feb. 2019].
  • De.wikipedia.org. (2019). Sophie von Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel. [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophie_von_Braunschweig-Wolfenb%C3%BCttel [Accessed 14 Feb. 2019].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2019). Ernest Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Frederick,_Duke_of_Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld [Accessed 7 Feb. 2019].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2019). Princess Sophie Antoinette of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Sophie_Antoinette_of_Brunswick-Wolfenb%C3%BCttel [Accessed 14 Feb. 2019].

Prince Joachim of Prussia

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Prince Joachim of Prussia; Credit – Wikipedia

Prince Joachim Franz Humbert of Prussia was the sixth son of Wilhelm II, German Emperor and King of Prussia and Princess Augusta Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein. He was born in Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia,  German Empire, now in Brandenburg, Germany  on December 17, 1890, and had six siblings:

Like his elder brothers, Prince Joachim was educated at Plön Castle and began his formal military training in 1911 as a member of the 1st Foot Guards in the Prussian Army. He served during the beginning of World War I and was injured in the First Battle of the Masurian Lakes in September 1914.

Marie-Auguste of Anhalt. source: Wikipedia

Two years later, on March 11, 1916, Joachim married Princess Marie-Auguste of Anhalt, the daughter of Eduard, Duke of Anhalt and Princess Luise Charlotte of Saxe-Altenburg. The couple had one son:

After World War I and the fall of the German Empire, Joachim and Marie-Auguste divorced.  Years later, due to her financial struggles, Marie-Auguste adopted numerous people, in exchange for the claim to her royal titles.  One of these people was Hans Robert Lichtenberg, who took the name Frederic Prinz von Anhalt, probably best known as the husband of the famed Hungarian actress Zsa Zsa Gabor.

The Antique Temple in Sanssouci Park. photo: By Paul Odörfer – Originally uploaded to the German Wikipedia by Stonx., CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=642219

Prince Joachim struggled to accept his status as a commoner and became greatly depressed. On the evening of July 18, 1920, he shot himself with a revolver at Villa Leignitz in Sanssouci Park in Potsdam, Germany. He was found by his elder brother August Wilhelm and taken to the Saint Joseph Hospital in Potsdam, where he died the following day. Another brother, Eitel Friedrich, described it as “a fit of excessive dementia”. Prince Joachim was first interred in the Friedenskirche in Sanssouci Park in Potsdam, Germany before being moved to the nearby Temple of Antiquities in 1931.

Below are some suicide prevention resources.

In the United States, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 988. Anyone in the United States can text or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline to reach trained counselors who can help them cope with a mental health emergency. National Institute of Mental Health: Suicide Prevention is also a United States resource.

Other countries also have similar resources. Please check the resources below.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Prince Oskar of Prussia

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Prince Oskar of Prussia; Credit – Wikipedia

Prince Oskar Karl Gustav Adolf was the fifth son of Wilhelm II, German Emperor and King of Prussia and Princess Augusta Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein. He was born at the Marble Palace in Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia, now in the German state of Brandenburg, on July 27, 1888, and had six siblings:

Like his elder brothers, Oskar was educated at Plön where he received strict military training. He served in the Prussian forces during World War I and led his troops into numerous successful battles. Toward the end of the war, he served on the Eastern Front and received numerous medals and honors for his bravery. He continued to serve for several years after the fall of the Prussian monarchy.

Prince Oskar with his wife and children, 1925. photo: By Bundesarchiv, Bild 102-00069 / CC-BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5478638

On July 31, 1914, at Bellevue Palace in Berlin, Oskar married Countess Ina-Marie von Bassewitz. The marriage was considered morganatic, so the bride could not take her husband’s style and title. Instead, four days before the wedding, Ina-Marie was created Countess von Ruppin. Several years later, in November 1919, the marriage was decreed dynastic, and Ina-Marie and her children were elevated to HRH Prince/Princess of Prussia as of June 1920. The couple had four children:

  • Prince Oskar (1915-1939) – unmarried
  • Prince Burchard (1917-1988) – married Countess Eleonore Fugger von Babenhausen, no issue
  • Princess Herzeleide (1918=1989) – married Karl, Prince Biron von Kurland, had issue
  • Prince Wilhelm-Karl (1922-2007) – married Irmgard von Veltheim, had issue

From 1926 until he died in 1958, Oskar served as Master of Knights of the Johanniterorden (Order of Saint John), an ancient order that has been a favorite of the Hohenzollerns. He is credited with saving the order from extinction at the hands of the Nazi regime.

Prince Oskar suffered from declining health for the last few years of his life. He died of stomach cancer in a clinic in Munich, Germany on January 27, 1958, and is buried at Hohenzollern Castle in Bisingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Ernst Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld/Saxe-Coburg and Gotha: In 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. In 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-Saalfeld and Johann Ernst, one of the seven sons of Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg became the first Duke of Saxe-Saalfeld.  When two of his brothers died without male heirs, Johann Ernst took possession of Coburg (in 1699) and Römhild (in 1714). In 1699, Johann Ernst’s title changed to Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.

In 1825, 145 years after the initial split, another line became extinct and there was another split between three surviving duchies. Ernst III, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld became Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. For more information on the switch, see Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld/Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Index.

On November 9, 1918, after the German Empire lost World War I, the Workers’ and Soldiers Council of Gotha, deposed the last Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Charles Edward, a grandson of Queen Victoria.  Five days later, he signed a declaration relinquishing his rights to the throne. The territory that encompassed the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha is now in the German states of Bavaria and Thuringia.

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Ernst Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld; Credit – Wikipedia

The great-grandfather of Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert, Ernst Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, was born on March 8, 1724, in Saalfeld, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, now in Thuringia, Germany. Ernst Friedrich was the eldest of the eight children and the eldest of the four sons of Franz Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld and Anna Sophie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt.

Ernst Friedrich had seven siblings:

Sophia Antonia of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel; Credit – Wikipedia

On April 23, 1749, Ernst Friedrich married Sophia Antonia of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, daughter of Ferdinand Albrecht II, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel and his first cousin once removed Antoinette Amalie of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel.

Ernst Friedrich and Sophia Antonia had seven children but only three survived childhood:

Ernst Friedrich nearly became Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. Prince Heinrich XXXV of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen, a controversial and extravagant ruler, was emotionally distanced from his family, his principality, and his subjects. Since he had a tense relationship with his family, he decided to bequeath his assets to Ernst Friedrich. However, when Heinrich died unmarried in 1758, he was succeeded by his nephew Christian Günther III.

In 1764, Ernst Friedrich succeeded his father as Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld and transferred the official residence of the duchy from Saalfeld to Coburg. Because the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld was heavily in debt, Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II appointed a debit commission headed by Prince Joseph of Saxe-Hildburghausen and then Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, to prevent the bankruptcy of the duchy. The work of the debt commission lasted over thirty years and during that period, Ernst Friedrich was given a strict annual allowance.

The Morizkirche in Coburg where Ernst Friedrich and his wife are buried; Credit – By PeterBraun74 – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6965943

Ernst Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld died on September 8, 1800, in Coburg, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld at the age of 76. He was buried in the ducal crypt at the Morizkirche (or Stadtkirche St. Moriz) in Coburg, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, now in Bavaria, Germany. His wife Sophia Antonia survived him by almost two years, dying on May 17, 1802, at the age of 78. She was buried with her husband.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty

Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld/Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. (2019). Ernst Friedrich (Sachsen-Coburg-Saalfeld). [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernst_Friedrich_(Sachsen-Coburg-Saalfeld) [Accessed 7 Feb. 2019].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2019). Ernest Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Frederick,_Duke_of_Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld [Accessed 7 Feb. 2019].

Elizabeth Charlotte (Liselotte) of the Palatinate, Duchess of Orléans

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Elizabeth Charlotte (Liselotte) of the Palatinate, Duchess of Orléans: Credit – Wikipedia

Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate was the second wife of Philippe I, Duke of Orléans, the only sibling of King Louis XIV of France. She was born on May 27, 1652, at Heidelberg Castle in Heidelberg, then in the Electorate of the Palatinate, now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Nicknamed Liselotte, she was the only daughter and the second of the three children of Karl I Ludwig, Elector Palatine and Charlotte of Hesse-Kassel, daughter of Wilhelm V, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel.

Liselotte had two brothers:

Elizabeth Stuart, Electress Palatine, Liselotte’s paternal grandmother; Credit – Wikipedia

Liselotte’s paternal grandmother was Elizabeth Stuart, the daughter of King James I of England and the granddaughter of Mary, Queen of Scots. Liselotte’s paternal aunt Sophia of the Palatinate, Electress of Hanover was the heiress presumptive to Queen Anne of Great Britain in accordance with the Act of Settlement 1701 but Sophia died two months before Queen Anne died. Upon Queen Anne’s death on August 1, 1714, Liselotte’s first cousin succeeded to the British throne as King George I of Great Britain.

Liselotte’s parents did not have a happy marriage. In 1653, her father Karl Ludwig began an affair with Marie Luise von Degenfeld, a lady-in-waiting to her mother. Five years later, Karl Ludwig published divorce documents and declared himself to be married to Marie Luise von Degenfeld, although many questioned the legality of the divorce and considered the marriage bigamous. Liselotte’s mother Charlotte lived the next twenty-three years in seclusion, only to emerge after the death of Karl Ludwig when their son became the next Elector Palatine.

Liselotte had thirteen half-siblings via her father’s relationship with Marie Luise von Degenfeld. All had the surname “von der Pfalz” and all received the title Raugraf or Raugräfin (Raufgrave or Raufgravine in English). Five of her half-siblings died at an early age. Of the survivors, all five sons died unmarried and childless, four were killed in action as soldiers, and one was killed in a duel. Of the three surviving daughters, only Karoline, the oldest, married.

  • Karl Ludwig (1658 – 1688), unmarried, killed in action
  • Karoline Elisabeth (1659 – 1696), married Meinhardt Schomberg, 3rd Duke of Schomberg, had four children
  • Luise (1661 – 1733), unmarried
  • Ludwig (born and died1662), died in infancy
  • Amalie Elisabeth (1663 – 1709), unmarried
  • Georg Ludwig (1664 – 1665), died in infancy
  • Frederike (1665 – 1674), died in childhood
  • Friedrich Wilhelm (1666 – 1667), died in infancy
  • Karl Eduard (1668 – 1690), unmarried, killed in action
  • Sophie (born and died 1669), died in infancy
  • Karl Moritz (1671 – 1702), unmarried, killed in action
  • Karl August (1672 – 1691), unmarried, killed in action
  • Karl Kasimir (1675 – 1691), unmarried, killed in a duel

Sophia of the Palatinate, Electress of Hanover, Liselotte’s favorite aunt; Credit – Wikipedia

Due to the situation with her parents, five-year-old Liselotte was sent off to Hanover to live with her paternal aunt Sophia of the Palatinate, wife of Ernst August, Elector of Hanover, and the mother of the future King George I of Great Britain. Liselotte considered the seven years she lived in Hanover as the happiest years of her life. While living with her aunt, Liselotte was educated by Gottfried Leibniz, one of the most important mathematicians and natural philosophers of the Age of Enlightenment. Leibniz served the House of Hanover as a historian, political adviser, and librarian. Liselotte visited her paternal grandmother, born Elizabeth Stuart, in The Hague in the Dutch Republic and got to know her second cousin Willem III, Prince of Orange, later King William III of England. As a young girl, Liselotte hoped to marry her cousin Willem.

In 1662, Liselotte moved back to Heidelberg and lived with her father, brother, stepmother, and half-siblings. She developed relationships with her half-siblings. Liselotte corresponded with several of her half-sisters after her marriage. Her half-brother Karl Moritz was her favorite and he visited her several times at the French court after her marriage.

Liselotte in 1670; Credit – Wikipedia

On June 30, 1670, Liselotte’s first cousin once removed, Henrietta of England, daughter of King Charles I of England, wife of Philippe, Duke of Orléans, and sister-in-law of King Louis XIV of France, died at the age of 26. There were rumors that her husband’s lover Philippe, Chevalier de Lorraine had poisoned her. While Henrietta was mourned at the French court, she was not mourned by her husband due to their strained relationship. Philippe’s brother King Louis XIV of France wanted a male heir to continue the Orléans line and looked for a second wife for Philippe himself. King Louis XIV rejected many potential second brides for his brother before settling on 18-year-old Liselotte.

Philippe, Duke of Orléans; Credit – Wikipedia

Liselotte had been raised in the Calvinist religion, a form of Protestantism, and yet no one in her family said anything about her marrying a Roman Catholic. Marrying the only sibling of the King of France was obviously a good match. Liselotte converted to Roman Catholicism but the religion never imprinted on her. She was never worried about her salvation and was not fond of the long Catholic Masses. On November 16, 1671, Liselotte was married by proxy to Philippe I, Duke of Orléans at Metz Cathedral in northeast France, near the borders of the German territories. At that time, she also received the Roman Catholic sacraments of the Eucharist (Communion) and Confirmation. Three days later, on November 19, 1671, at Saint Etienne Cathedral in Châlons, France, Liselotte and Philippe married in person.

Liselotte acted as a mother to Philippe’s children by his first wife Henrietta and maintained correspondence with them throughout their lives.

Philippe and Henrietta’s children, Liselotte’s stepchildren:

Liselotte with her two surviving children; Credit – Wikipedia

As with his first marriage, Philippe had homosexual affairs but was intent on fulfilling his dynastic responsibility of having children. Philippe and Liselotte had three children:

Liselotte never felt comfortable at the French court, governed by rigorous etiquette and where all sorts of intrigues flourished. She did have a good relationship with her brother-in-law King Louis XIV. Liselotte had apartments at the Palace of Versailles and at the Palais-Royal in Paris but her favorite residence, was the Château de Saint-Cloud on the outskirts of Paris, the couple’s main residence when they were not at the Palace of Versailles. After the birth of their three children, Liselotte and Philippe mutually agreed to end marital relations. In 1682, Liselotte was quite distressed that Philippe’s slavish devotion to his lover Philippe, Chevalier de Lorraine upset their “marriage.” She asked King Louis XIV if she could retire to the convent where her paternal aunt Louise Hollandine of the Palatinate was the abbess but Louis XIV refused.

On June 9, 1701, Philippe I, Duke of Orléans died from a stroke at the Château de Saint-Cloud at the age of 60. After Philippe’s death, Liselotte was concerned that she would be forced to retire to a convent as stated in her marriage contract. However, her brother-in-law Louis XIV appreciated her and allowed Liselotte to keep her apartments at all the royal residences and retain her rank. She received funds from Philippe’s estate, King Louis XIV, and her son Philippe II, Duke of Orléans

Liselotte in her later years; Credit – Wikipedia

Liselotte survived Philippe by twenty-one years, dying at her favorite home, the Château de Saint-Cloud, at age 70 on December 8, 1722. She was buried at the Basilica of Saint-Denis near Paris, France. Liselotte and Philippe were the founders of the 4th House of Orléans, sometimes called the House of Bourbon-Orléans, which still exists today.

Basilica of St. Denis; Credit – By Thomas Clouet – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=42109690

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. (2019). Liselotte von der Pfalz. [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liselotte_von_der_Pfalz [Accessed 26 Jul. 2019].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2019). Charles I Louis, Elector Palatine. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_I_Louis,_Elector_Palatine [Accessed 26 Jul. 2019].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2019). Elizabeth Charlotte, Madame Palatine. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Charlotte,_Madame_Palatine [Accessed 26 Jul. 2019].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2019). Landgravine Charlotte of Hesse-Kassel. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landgravine_Charlotte_of_Hesse-Kassel [Accessed 26 Jul. 2019].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2019). Marie Luise von Degenfeld. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Luise_von_Degenfeld [Accessed 26 Jul. 2019].
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2019). Philippe I, Duke of Orléans. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/philippe-i-duke-of-orleans/ [Accessed 26 Jul. 2019].
  • Fr.wikipedia.org. (2019). Élisabeth-Charlotte de Bavière. [online] Available at: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89lisabeth-Charlotte_de_Bavi%C3%A8re [Accessed 26 Jul. 2019].
  • Fraser, Antonia. (2006). Love and Louis XIV. New York: Nan A. Talese Doubleday.

Franz Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld/Saxe-Coburg and Gotha: In 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. In 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-Saalfeld and Johann Ernst, one of the seven sons of Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg became the first Duke of Saxe-Saalfeld.  When two of his brothers died without male heirs, Johann Ernst took possession of Coburg (in 1699) and Römhild (in 1714). In 1699, Johann Ernst’s title changed to Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.

In 1825, 145 years after the initial split, another line became extinct and there was another split between three surviving duchies. Ernst III, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld became Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. For more information on the switch, see Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld/Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Index.

On November 9, 1918, after the German Empire lost World War I, the Workers’ and Soldiers Council of Gotha, deposed the last Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Charles Edward, a grandson of Queen Victoria.  Five days later, he signed a declaration relinquishing his rights to the throne. The territory that encompassed the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha is now in the German states of Bavaria and Thuringia.

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Franz Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld; Credit – Wikipedia

Franz Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld was born September 25, 1697, in Saalfeld, Duchy of Saxe-Saalfeld, now in the German state of Thuringia. He was the youngest of the three sons and the seventh of the eight children of Johann Ernst IV, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld and his second wife Charlotte Johanna of Waldeck-Wildungen.

Franz Josias had seven siblings:

  • Wilhelm Friedrich (1691 – 1720), unmarried
  • Karl Ernst (1692 – 1720), unmarried
  • Sophia Wilhelmina (1693 – 1727), married Friedrich Anton, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, had one son and two daughters
  • Henriette Albertine (1694 – 1695), died in infancy
    Luise Amalia (1695 – 1713), died as a teenager
  • Charlotte (born and 1696), died in infancy
  • Henriette Albertine (1698 – 1728), unmarried

He also had three half-siblings from his father’s first marriage to Sophie Hedwig of Saxe-Merseburg, who died in childbirth along with a stillborn son:

Franz Josias’s paternal uncles Albrecht, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Heinrich, Duke of Saxe-Römhild died without male heirs. Upon their deaths, Franz Josias’s father Johann Ernst took possession of Coburg (in 1699) and Römhild (in 1714). In 1699, Johann Ernst’s title changed to Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.

Franz Josias had served in the army of the Holy Roman Empire since 1718, had fought in 1719 in the Battle of Francavilla, and participated in the sieges of Palermo and Messina. In 1720, after the deaths of his two elder brothers, he returned to Coburg upon his father’s request. Johann Ernst IV, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld had only two surviving sons, Christian Ernst from his first marriage and Franz Josias from his second marriage. Franz Josias was described as a handsome man although he lost his left eye while playing a match in the then very popular sport, badminton.

Anna Sophie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt; Credit – Wikipedia

Franz Josias married Anna Sophie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt in Rudolstadt, Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, now in the German state of Thuringia, on January 2, 1723. Anna Sophie was the daughter of Ludwig Friedrich I, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Anna Sophie of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg.

Franz Josias and Anna Sophie had eight children:

Christian Ernst, Franz Josias’s elder half-brother had fallen in love with Christiane von Koss, the daughter of Saalfeld forestry master. This relationship displeased both his father and his half-brother. Eventually, Christian Ernst’s father consented to the marriage, and the couple was married morganatically on August 18, 1724. A morganatic marriage meant that Christiane and any children from the marriage would not be entitled to her husband’s titles and privileges.

Veste Coburg; Credit – By Presse03 – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6251198

As the elder son, Christian Ernst was his father’s heir but because of his unequal marriage, Franz Josias claimed the sole inheritance of the duchy. However, Johann Ernst decided that both his sons should reign jointly, and upon his death in 1729, his will forced the joint reign. After their father’s death, Christian Ernst resided at Schloss Saalfeld (link in German) and Franz Josias lived at Veste Coburg. From 1735, with the support of the Duke of Saxe-Meiningen, Franz Josias effectively ruled over Coburg in his own right.

On September 4, 1745, Christian Ernst died at Schloss Saalfeld at the age of 62. Christian Ernst had died childless and his half-brother Franz Josias became the sole Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. After the death of his brother, Franz Josias introduced primogeniture in the duchy so there would be no question about the succession.

From 1750 to 1755, he served as Regent of the Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, along with Friedrich III, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, for Ernst August II Konstantin, Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach until he came of age.

Franz Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld died on September 16, 1764, aged 66, at Schloss Rodach in Rodach, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. He was buried in the ducal crypt at the Morizkirche (or Stadtkirche St. Moriz) in Coburg, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, now in Bavaria, Germany. His wife Anna Sophie survived him by sixteen years, dying on December 11, 1780, at the age of 80. She was buried with her husband at the Morizkirche in Coburg.

Morizkirche where Franz Josias is buried; Credit – Wikipedia

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld/Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. (2019). Franz Josias (Sachsen-Coburg-Saalfeld). [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Josias_(Sachsen-Coburg-Saalfeld) [Accessed 6 Feb. 2019].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2019). Francis Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Josias,_Duke_of_Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld [Accessed 6 Feb. 2019].
  • Flantzer, S. (2019). Johann Ernst IV, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/johann-ernst-iv-duke-of-saxe-coburg-saalfeld/ [Accessed 6 Feb. 2019].
  • Flantzer, S. (2019). Christian Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/christian-ernst-ii-duke-of-saxe-coburg-saalfeld-8-4-19/ [Accessed 6 Feb. 2019].

Christian Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld/Saxe-Coburg and Gotha: In 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. In 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-Saalfeld and Johann Ernst, one of the seven sons of Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg became the first Duke of Saxe-Saalfeld.  When two of his brothers died without male heirs, Johann Ernst took possession of Coburg (in 1699) and Römhild (in 1714). In 1699, Johann Ernst’s title changed to Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.

In 1825, 145 years after the initial split, another line became extinct and there was another split between three surviving duchies. Ernst III, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld became Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. For more information on the switch, see Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld/Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Index.

On November 9, 1918, after the German Empire lost World War I, the Workers’ and Soldiers Council of Gotha, deposed the last Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Charles Edward, a grandson of Queen Victoria.  Five days later, he signed a declaration relinquishing his rights to the throne. The territory that encompassed the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha is now in the German states of Bavaria and Thuringia.

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Christian Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld; Credit – Wikipedia

Christian Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld was the only son and the second of the three children of Johann Ernst IV, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld and his first wife, Sophie Hedwig of Saxe-Merseburg. He was born in Saalfeld, Duchy of Saxe-Saalfeld, now in the German state of Thuringia, on August 18, 1683.

Christian Ernst had two sisters:

On August 2, 1686, two weeks short of his first birthday, Christian Ernst’s mother died in childbirth after giving birth to a stillborn son. Four years after his mother’s death, Christian Ernst’s father married Charlotte Johanna of Waldeck-Wildungen on December 2, 1690. Charlotte Johanna was the daughter of Count Josias II of Waldeck-Wildungen and Wilhelmine Christine of Nassau-Hilchenbach.

Christian Ernst had eight half-siblings from his father’s second marriage:

Christian Ernst’s paternal uncles Albrecht, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Heinrich, Duke of Saxe-Römhild died without male heirs. Upon their deaths, Christian Ernst’s father Johann Ernest took possession of Coburg (in 1699) and Römhild (in 1714). In 1699, Johann Ernst’s title changed to Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.

Christian Ernst fell in love with Christiane von Koss, the daughter of Saalfeld forestry master. This relationship displeased both his father and his only surviving half-brother Franz Josias. Eventually, Christian Ernst’s father consented to the marriage, and the couple was married morganatically on August 18, 1724. A morganatic marriage meant that Christiane and any children from the marriage would not be entitled to her husband’s titles and privileges.

Schloss Saalfeld; Credit – Wikipedia

As the elder son, Christian Ernst was his father’s heir but because of his unequal marriage, his half-brother Franz Josias claimed the sole inheritance of the duchy. However, Johann Ernst decided that both his sons should reign jointly, and upon his death in 1729, his will forced the joint reign. After their father’s death, Christian Ernst resided at Schloss Saalfeld (link in German) and Franz Josias lived at Veste Coburg. From 1735, with the support of the Duke of Saxe-Meiningen, Franz Josias effectively ruled over Coburg in his own right.

Christian Ernst was an advocate of Pietism, a movement within the Lutheran religion that emphasized individual piety and living a vigorous Christian life.  As a result, he turned Saalfeld into a very pious court. Nikolaus von Zinzendorf, a religious and social reformer, was a frequent visitor to Saalfeld and Christian Ernst had long talks with and regularly corresponded with him.

The interior of the Johanneskirche in Saalfeld; Credit – Wikipedia

On September 4, 1745, Christian Ernst died at Schloss Saalfeld at the age of 62. He was buried in the ducal crypt at the Johanneskirche (link in German) in Saalfeld, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, now in Thuringia, Germany. Christian Ernst died childless and his half-brother Franz Josias, who was fourteen years younger, became the sole Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld/Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. (2019). Christian Ernst (Sachsen-Coburg-Saalfeld). [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Ernst_(Sachsen-Coburg-Saalfeld) [Accessed 5 Feb. 2019].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2019). Christian Ernest II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Ernest_II,_Duke_of_Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld [Accessed 5 Feb. 2019].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2019). Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld [Accessed 5 Feb. 2019].

Johann Ernst IV, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld/Saxe-Coburg and Gotha: In 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. In 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-Saalfeld and Johann Ernst, one of the seven sons of Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg became the first Duke of Saxe-Saalfeld.  When two of his brothers died without male heirs, Johann Ernst took possession of Coburg (in 1699) and Römhild (in 1714). In 1699, Johann Ernst’s title changed to Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.

In 1825, 145 years after the initial split, another line became extinct and there was another split between three surviving duchies. Ernst III, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld became Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. For more information on the switch, see Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld/Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Index.

On November 9, 1918, after the German Empire lost World War I, the Workers’ and Soldiers Council of Gotha, deposed the last Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Charles Edward, a grandson of Queen Victoria.  Five days later, he signed a declaration relinquishing his rights to the throne. The territory that encompassed the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha is now in the German states of Bavaria and Thuringia.

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Johann Ernst IV, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld; Credit – Wikipedia

The founder of the House of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, the precursor to the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and the ancestor of all British monarchs since Queen Victoria, Johann Ernst IV, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld was born on August 22, 1658, in Gotha, Duchy of Saxe-Gotha, now in Thuringia, Germany. He was the fifteenth of the eighteen children and the eleventh of the twelve sons of Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha and Elisabeth Sophie of Saxe-Altenburg.

Johan Ernst had seventeen siblings. The birth of his siblings spanned 25 years. Three siblings of his siblings died in December 1657 from smallpox and six died in infancy.

Johann Ernst was the youngest of his father’s seven surviving sons. All seven surviving sons were raised and educated as future rulers because Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha disliked primogeniture in which the eldest son is the sole heir. In 1672, the Duchy of Saxe-Gotha and the Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg were united under Ernst I when Friedrich Wilhelm III, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg, the cousin of Ernst’s wife Elisabeth of Saxe-Altenburg, died childless. Ernst I was now the Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg.

Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, father of Johann Ernst; Credit – Wikipedia

On March 26, 1675, Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg died. Initially, all seven brothers 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.

The map below shows the combined territory of Saxe-Gotha and Saxe-Altenburg from 1672 before it was again divided in 1680.

Credit – Wikipedia

Joann Ernst’s elder brothers Albrecht of Saxe-Coburg and Heinrich of Saxe-Römhild died without male heirs. Upon their deaths, Johann Ernest took possession of Coburg (in 1699) and Römhild (in 1714). In 1699, Johann Ernst became Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.

In 1825, 145 years after the initial split, the House of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg became extinct and the Duchy of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg was split. Saxe-Gotha passed to the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, who gave Saalfeld to the Duke of Saxe-Meiningen. The Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen received Saxe-Altenburg and gave the district of Hildburghausen to Saxe-Meiningen.

As a result:

On February 18, 1680, Johann Ernst married Sophie Hedwig of Saxe-Merseburg, daughter of Christian I, Duke of Saxe-Merseburg and Christiana of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg.  Three years earlier, Sophie Hedwig’s sister Christiane married Christian, Duke of Saxe-Eisenberg, Johann Ernst’s brother. Sophie Hedwig, aged 25, died in childbirth on August 2, 1686, after giving birth to a stillborn son. She was buried in the Johanneskirche in Saalfeld, Duchy of Saxe-Saalfeld, now in Thuringia, Germany.

Johann Ernst and Sophie Hedwig had three children:

Charlotte Johanna of Waldeck-Wildungen, Johann Ernst’s second wife; Credit – Wikipedia

Four years after his first wife’s death, Johann Ernst married Charlotte Johanna of Waldeck-Wildungen on December 2, 1690. Charlotte Johanna was the daughter of Count Josias II of Waldeck-Wildungen and Countess Wilhelmine Christine of Nassau-Siegen. Charlotte Johanna died on February 1, 1699, at the age of 34 and was buried in the Johanneskirche in Saalfeld, Duchy of Saxe-Saalfeld, now in Thuringia, Germany. Johann Ernst did not marry again.

Johann Ernst and Charlotte Johanna had eight children:

Schloss Saalfeld; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1677, Ernst’s elder brothers Albrecht and Bernhard started the construction of a castle on the site of a former Benedictine monastery in Saalfeld. When Johann Ernst became Duke of Saxe-Saalfeld in 1680, he took over the construction of the unfinished castle. He moved into the castle, Schloss Saalfeld, in 1691 and it was his residence for the remainder of his life. Today the castle serves as the administrative seat of the district Saalfeld-Rudolstadt and the castle gardens are a public park.

Johanneskirche, the burial site of Johann Ernst and his two wives; Von Michael Sander – Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3775005

Johann Ernst IV, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld died at Schloss Saalfeld on February 17, 1729, at the age of 70. He was buried with his two wives in the crypt at the Johanneskirche (link in German) in Saalfeld, Duchy of Saxe-Saalfeld, now in Thuringia, Germany.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld/Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. (2019). Johann Ernst (Sachsen-Coburg-Saalfeld). [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Ernst_(Sachsen-Coburg-Saalfeld) [Accessed 5 Feb. 2019].
  • De.wikipedia.org. (2019). Schloss Saalfeld. [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schloss_Saalfeld [Accessed 5 Feb. 2019].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2019). John Ernest IV, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ernest_IV,_Duke_of_Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld [Accessed 5 Feb. 2019].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2019). Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld [Accessed 5 Feb. 2019].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2019). Saxe-Gotha. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saxe-Gotha [Accessed 5 Feb. 2019].

Prince August Wilhelm of Prussia

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Prince August Wilhelm of Prussia; Credit – Wikipedia

Prince August Wilhelm Heinrich Günther Viktor of Prussia was the fourth son of Wilhelm II, German Emperor and King of Prussia and Princess Augusta Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein. He was born on January 29, 1887, at the Potsdam City Palace, in Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Brandenburg, Germany.

He had six siblings:

Along with his brothers, August Wilhelm received a strict military education at the Princes’ House at Plön Castle. He later studied at the universities in Bonn, Berlin, and Strasbourg, and received his doctorate in political science in 1907.

Alexandra Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg. source: Wikipedia

On October 22, 1908, at the Berlin City Palace, August Wilhelm married his first cousin, Princess Alexandra Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg. She was the daughter of Friedrich Ferdinand, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein and Princess Karoline Mathilde of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg (his mother’s sister). The marriage ended 12 years later, and August Wilhelm was given full custody of their only child:

Following their marriage, the couple initially planned to live at Schönhausen Palace in Berlin but instead moved to Villa Leignitz in Sanssouci Park in Potsdam, which was given to them by August Wilhelm’s father. During World War I, August Wilhelm served as District Administrator of Ruppin and used Rheinsberg Palace as his residence. During this time, his marriage fell apart, reportedly due to his close relationship with his personal adjutant. Following the war and the end of the monarchy, August Wilhelm remained at his home in Sanssouci, where he lived a very quiet life. Having taken up drawing, he often sold some of his work to gain additional income. August Wilhelm and his wife also divorced, in March 1920, and he retained full custody of their only child.

Prince August Wilhelm speaking at a Nazi party rally in 1932. photo: Von Bundesarchiv, B 145 Bild-P046293 / Weinrother, Carl / CC BY-SA 3.0 DE, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9842838

In later years, August Wilhelm became involved with the Nazi Party – much to the dislike of his family. His involvement was, however, welcomed by Adolf Hitler, who saw the possibility of using him to help gain support and votes to bring the party into power. He was later made a member of the German Reichstag, which he held until the establishment of the Third Reich when Hitler no longer needed him. He remained involved in the Nazi Party until 1942  when he made some private but negative comments about Joseph Goebbels, the Reich Minister of Propaganda.

On May 8, 1945, August Wilhelm was arrested by US forces for being a Nazi. In 1948 he was finally sentenced to 2-½ years of hard labor but was considered to have already served his sentence and he was released. However, just after his release, new charges were filed and another arrest warrant was issued from a court in Potsdam, which was now in the Soviet zone. He was never physically arrested and soon became seriously ill. Prince August Wilhelm died in a hospital in Stuttgart, Germany on March 25, 1949. He is buried in Langenburg, Germany in the cemetery of the Princes of Hohenlohe-Langenburg.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.