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Friedrich Josias, Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Head of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2019

Friedrich Josias, Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

The Head of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha from 1954 until he died in 1998, Friedrich Josias was born at Callenberg Castle, now in Coburg, Bavaria, Germany on November 29, 1918. His birth occurred just three weeks after the Workers’ and Soldiers Council of Gotha, deposed his father as Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. His father signed a declaration relinquishing his rights to the throne but he remained Head of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Christened Friedrich Josias Carl Eduard Ernst Kyrill Harald, he was the youngest of the five children and the youngest of the three sons of Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and his wife Viktoria Adelheid of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg.

Friedrich Josias’ father was the posthumous son of Queen Victoria’s youngest son Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany. Therefore, Friedrich Josias was a great-grandchild of Queen Victoria.  His mother was the daughter of Friedrich Ferdinand, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and his wife Princess Karoline Mathilde of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg. His maternal grandfather was the eldest son of Friedrich, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and a nephew of King Christian IX of Denmark. His maternal grandmother was a granddaughter of Princess Feodora of Leiningen, the half-sister of Queen Victoria from her mother’s first marriage.

Left to right: Prince Hubertus, the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Princess Caroline Mathilde, Prince Johann Leopold, Prince Friedrich Josias on the lap of the Duchess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Princess Sibylla

Friedrich Josias had four elder siblings:

Friedrich Josias was educated at home by tutors. He then attended the Casimirianum Coburg in Coburg, Bavaria, Germany from 1929 to 1934. He then attended the Schnepfenthal Salzmann School, a boarding school in Gotha, Germany, founded in 1784, graduating in 1938.

In 1938, Friedrich Josias joined the German Army and participated in the German occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1939. In 1941, he participated in the German occupation of Poland and France and fought in campaigns in Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union.

In 1932, Friedrich Josias’ elder brother Johann Leopold made an unequal marriage against the Saxe-Coburg and Gotha House Act of March 1, 1855, and had to renounce succession rights for himself and any children from the marriage. His brother Hubertus was designated the heir to his father as Head of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. However, after Hubertus was killed in action in an airplane crash during World War II in 1943, Friedrich Josias became the heir to Head of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

In 1944, Friedrich Josias became an adjutant to Field Marshal Erwin Rommel who was in charge of the German campaign in North Africa. Later in 1944, he was transferred to the staff of General Hermann von Hanneken, the supreme commander of the German forces in Denmark. In May 1945, Friedrich Josias was captured by British forces in Denmark and remained in captivity until he was released that autumn when he returned to Coburg.

Friedrich Josias married his first cousin Countess Viktoria-Luise of Solms-Baruth on January 25, 1942.  The couple divorced on September 19, 1946.

Friedrich Josias and Viktoria-Luise had one son who succeeded his father as the Head of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha:

On February 14, 1948, Friedrich Josias made a second marriage to Denyse Henriette de Muralt in San Francisco, California. The couple divorced in 1964 and had three children:

  • Maria of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1949 – 2016), married Gion Schäfer, had two daughters
  • Beatrice of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (born 1951), married Friedrich-Ernst of Saxe-Meiningen, had one son and one daughter
  • Adrian of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1955 – 2011), married (1) Lea Rinderknecht, had two sons (2) Gertrud Krieg

Friedrich Josias and his third wife Katrin

Friedrich Josias married one last time, on October 30, 1964, in Hamburg, Germany to Katrin Bremme. The couple had no children. His third wife Katrin survived him by twenty-three years, dying in 2011.

In 1946, Friedrich Josias went to Stockholm, Sweden. He stayed for a while with his elder sister Sibylla who was married to Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden, Duke of Västerbotten, the second in line to the Swedish throne after his father, the future King Gustaf VI Adolf. Prince Gustaf Adolf, the father of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, would have himself become King of Sweden had he not died tragically in an airplane crash in 1947. In Sweden, Friedrich Josias worked for Johnson Line AB, a Swedish shipping company.

In 1948, Friedrich Josias accepted a position with W.R. Grace and Company, another shipping company, in San Francisco, California, and later in Santos, Brazil, and Hamburg, Germany. As per his father’s wish, he ended his employment with W.R. Grace and Company to work for the Foundation of the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha family and the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Foundation for Art and Science. When his father died in 1954, Friedrich Josias became Head of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

From 1958 – 1964, Friedrich Josias again worked for the Swedish shipping company Johnson Line AB, this time in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Upon his return to Germany, he first lived in Hamburg. Beginning in 1967, he spent his time in Coburg, now in Bavaria, Germany, and Grein, Austria. During the last years of his life, Friedrich Josias was in ill health and his son Andreas took over many of his duties. He died on January 23, 1998, in a hospital in Amstetten, Austria at the age of 79 and was buried in the family cemetery in the forest of Schloss Callenberg in Coburg, Bavaria, Germany.

The Saxe-Coburg and Gotha family cemetery in the forest of Callenberg Castle; 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.

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. (n.d.). Friedrich Josias Prinz von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha. [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Josias_Prinz_von_Sachsen-Coburg_und_Gotha [Accessed 28 Jan. 2019].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (n.d.). Friedrich Josias, Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Josias,_Prince_of_Saxe-Coburg_and_Gotha [Accessed 28 Jan. 2019].
  • Thepeerage.com. (2019). Person Page. [online] Available at: http://www.thepeerage.com/p10859.htm#i108581 [Accessed 28 Jan. 2019].

Princess Caroline Mathilde of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Caroline Mathilde of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha; Credit – https://www.stadtgeschichte-coburg.de

Princess Caroline Mathilde of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, known as Calma, was born on June 22, 1912, at Callenberg Castle in Coburg, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, now in Bavaria, Germany. She was the younger of the two daughters and the fourth of the five children of Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and his wife Viktoria Adelheid of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg. Calma’s father was the posthumous son of Queen Victoria’s youngest son Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany. Therefore, Calma was a great-grandchild of Queen Victoria.  Her mother was the daughter of Friedrich Ferdinand, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and his wife Princess Karoline Mathilde of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg. Her father was the eldest son of Friedrich, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and a nephew of King Christian IX of Denmark.  Calma’s mother was a granddaughter of Princess Feodora of Leiningen, the half-sister of Queen Victoria from their mother’s first marriage.

Calma had four siblings:

The Christening of Caroline Mathilde; Credit – Wikipedia

Calma was christened Caroline Mathilde Helene Ludwiga Augusta Beatrice on July 25, 1912, at Callenberg Castle.

Her godparents were:

Wedding of Princess Caroline Mathilde and Count Friedrich Wolfgang Otto of Castell-Rüdenhausen at Schloss Greinburg; Credit – By Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-R14380 / CC-BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5368325

Calma married Count Friedrich Wolfgang of Castell-Rüdenhausen, son of Hugo Friedrich of Castell-Rüdenhausen and Clementine of Solms-Sonnenwalde, on December 14, 1931, at Greinburg Castle on the Danube in Austria. The marriage was not a happy one. Eventually, Calma left Friedrich, amid much controversy and scandal, and they were officially divorced on May 2, 1938. In 1940, during World War II, Friedrich was killed in action while flying over England.

Calma and Friedrich had three children:

  • Count Bertram Friedrich of Castell-Rüdenhausen (born 1932), married Felicita von Auersperg, had two children
  • Count Conradin Friedrich of Castell-Rüdenhausen (1933 – 2011), married Marta Catharina Lonegren, had two children
  • Countess Viktoria Adelheid of Castell-Rüdenhausen (born 1935), married Sir John Miles Huntington-Whiteley, 4th Baronet, had three children

On June 22, 1938, in Berlin, Germany, Calma married Captain Max Schnirring, a famous pilot whose aviation career began during World War I. He had been friends with the famous “ Red Baron” Manfred von Richthofen. Max was one of the first pilots for Deutsche Luft Hansa, a precursor to today’s Lufthansa. He also worked as a training supervisor for Focke-Wulf and as a test pilot for Arado. He had crashed four times during his test flights without serious injury. However, during a test flight on July 6, 1944, he crashed in a field near Parow, a village a few miles north of Stralsund in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. Max died the next day, at the age of 49, in a hospital in Stralsund, Germany.

Calma and Max had three children:

  • Calma Barbara Schnirring (born 1938), married (1) Richard Darrell Berger, had six children (2) James Cook, adopted a daughter
  • Dagmar Schnirring (born 1940), married (1) Heinrich Walz, had two children, divorced in 1989 (2) married Eberhard Schäl, no children
  • Peter Michael Schnirring (1943 – 1966), unmarried

Calma married a third time on December 23, 1946, to Karl Otto Andree. The couple had no children and divorced on October 10, 1949.

After the end of World War II, Calma’s father Charles Edward was placed under house arrest at his residence the Veste Coburg because of his Nazi sympathies. In 1949, a denazification appeals court classified Charles Edward as a Nazi Follower, Category IV. He was heavily fined and almost bankrupted. Calma had a difficult time adjusting to her family’s circumstances and became estranged from some of her children. To make ends meet, she became a shoemaker. She had numerous relationships with different men and one relationship caused her to spend some time in prison.

Calma became involved with an engineer and factory owner named Alexander Glascow who had left his wife and five children for her. Glascow was accused of having sex with two underage girls who worked at his factory. One of the girls, just 15-years-old, became pregnant. Calma did not want to lose Glascow and became involved in the situation. She arranged for one of her sons to be named the father and further arranged for the pregnant girl to have an abortion, which was illegal. Unfortunately, the girl died during the abortion. Calma and Glascow were charged with committing a “continuing crime of acquiescence to a serious abortion crime”. On December 21, 1956, both Calma and Glascow were convicted and both spent about six months in prison.

Calma died on September 5, 1983, at the age of 71 in Erlangen, Germany. She was buried in the family cemetery in the forest of Schloss Callenberg.

The Saxe-Coburg and Gotha family cemetery in the forest of Callenberg Castle; 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.

Works Cited

  • Australia, K., profile, V. and Australia, K. (n.d.). H.H. Princess Caroline Mathilde of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1912 – 1983). [online] Royalchristenings.blogspot.gr. Available at: http://royalchristenings.blogspot.gr/2014/08/hh-princess-caroline-mathilde-of-saxe.html [Accessed 23 Jan. 2019].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2018). Princess Caroline Mathilde of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Caroline_Mathilde_of_Saxe-Coburg_and_Gotha [Accessed 23 Jan. 2019].
  • Es.wikipedia.org. (n.d.). Carolina Matilde de Sajonia-Coburgo-Gotha. [online] Available at: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carolina_Matilde_de_Sajonia-Coburgo-Gotha [Accessed 23 Jan. 2019].
  • Parow-info.de. (n.d.). Flugkapitän Max Otto Schnirring. [online] Available at: https://www.parow-info.de/c/Schnirring.html [Accessed 23 Jan. 2019].
  • Stegemann, W. (2013). Caroline Prinzessin von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha saß 1956 im Dorstener Amtsgerichtsgefängnis | DORSTEN-transparent.de. [online] Dorsten-transparent.de. Available at: http://www.dorsten-transparent.de/2013/01/caroline-prinzessin-von-sachsen-coburg-und-gotha-sas-1956-im-dorstener-amtsgerichtsgefangnis/ [Accessed 23 Jan. 2019].

Prince Hubertus of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2019

Prince Hubertus of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha; Credit – Wikipedia

Prince Hubertus of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha was born on August 24, 1909, at Reinhardsbrunn Castle, now in Friedrichroda, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, near Gotha, in Thuringia, Germany. Christened with the names Dietmar Hubertus Friedrich Wilhelm Philip, he was the third of the five children and the second of the three sons of Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and his wife Viktoria Adelheid of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg. Hubertus’ father was the posthumous son of Queen Victoria’s youngest son Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany. Therefore, Hubertus was a great-grandchild of Queen Victoria.  His mother was the daughter of Friedrich Ferdinand, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and his wife Princess Karoline Mathilde of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg. Her father was the eldest son of Friedrich, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and a nephew of King Christian IX of Denmark. Her mother was a granddaughter of Princess Feodora of Leiningen, the half-sister of Queen Victoria from her mother’s first marriage.

Hubertus and his family in 1918: (left to right) Hubertus, his mother Viktoria Adelheid, his sister Sibylla, his sister Karoline Mathilde, his father Charles Edward, and his brother Johann Leopold. His youngest brother was not yet born; Credit – Wikipedia

Hubertus had four siblings:

Hubertus and his sister Sibylla; Credit – Wikipedia

Hubertus was first educated by tutors at home, and then attended the Casimirianum Coburg in Coburg, Bavaria, Germany. On November 9, 1918, the Workers’ and Soldiers Council of Gotha, deposed Hubertus’ father as Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Five days later, Charles Edward signed a declaration relinquishing his rights to the throne but remained Head of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. In 1932, Hubertus’ elder brother Johann Leopold made an unequal marriage against the Saxe-Coburg and Gotha House Act of March 1, 1855 and renounced succession rights for himself and any children from the marriage. As the next son, Hubertus was designated the heir to his father as Head of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

Hubertus became a member of the Nazi Party on October 1, 1939. He saw action with the German Army on the Eastern Front during World War II. He served as a first lieutenant on the High Command of the Army and was deployed as a Luftwaffe pilot serving as a squadron leader. Hubertus was killed in action in an airplane crash at the age of 34 on November 26, 1943, in Velyki Mosty, in present-day Ukraine. His funeral took place on November 30, 1943, at the German Luftwaffe base in Lötzen in East Prussia, now Giżycko, Poland. Hubertus was buried in the family cemetery in the forest of Callenberg Castle in Coburg, Bavaria, Germany.

The Saxe-Coburg and Gotha family cemetery in the forest of Callenberg Castle; Credit – Wikipedia

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org. (2019). Hubertus von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha. [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hubertus_von_Sachsen-Coburg_und_Gotha [Accessed 22 Jan. 2019].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2019). Prince Hubertus of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1909–1943). [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Hubertus_of_Saxe-Coburg_and_Gotha_(1909%E2%80%931943) [Accessed 22 Jan. 2019].
  • Petropoulos, Jonathan. (2009) Royals and the Reich. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

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.

Johann Leopold, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Johann Leopold, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha; Credit – Wikipedia

Johann Leopold was the eldest of the five children and the eldest of the three sons of Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and his wife Viktoria Adelheid of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg. He was born on August 2, 1906, at Callenberg Castle, now in Coburg, Bavaria, Germany. On September 19, 1906, Johann Leopold was christened Johann Leopold Wilhelm Albrecht Ferdinand Viktor with his father’s first cousin, Wilhelm II, German Emperor and his wife Empress Augusta Victoria, serving as godparents. Because he was the firstborn son, Johann Leopold was the heir to the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and was styled Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and his wife with their son Johann Leopold: Credit – Wikipedia

Johann Leopold had four younger siblings:

Johann Leopold and his sister Sybilla in the park of Castle Reinhardsbrunn: Credit – Wikipedia

Johann Leopold’s mother was the daughter of Friedrich Ferdinand, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and his wife Princess Karoline Mathilde of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg. Her father was the eldest son of Friedrich, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and a nephew of King Christian IX of Denmark. Her mother was a granddaughter of Princess Feodora of Leiningen, the half-sister of Queen Victoria from her mother’s first marriage.

Johann Leopold’s parents in 1905; Credit – Wikipedia

Charles Edward, Johann Leopold’s father, was the posthumous son of Queen Victoria’s youngest son, Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany. Therefore, Johann Leopold was a great-grandchild of Queen Victoria. At the time of Johann Leopold’s birth, his father also held the British title Duke of Albany. However, due to his participation in World War I with the German Imperial Army, Charles Edward lost his British title via the 1917 Titles Deprivation Act. Charles Edward and his children also lost their titles of Prince and Princess of the United Kingdom and the styles Royal Highness and Highness. According to the Titles Deprivation Act, the male heirs of those deprived of their titles have the right to ask the British Crown to reinstate their titles. Johann Leopold remained heir to the title Duke of Albany and was eligible to apply for its reinstatement, though he did not do so, and neither have any heirs since then.

At 11 AM on November 11, 1918 – “the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month” – a ceasefire ending World War I went into effect. On November 9, 1918, the Workers’ and Soldiers Council of Gotha, deposed Charles Edward as Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Five days later, he signed a declaration relinquishing his rights to the throne.

In 1926, Johann Leopold completed his studies at the Ritterakademie in Brandenburg. He then studied economics, art history, and constitutional law at the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms University in Bonn, now the University of Bonn. During this period, Johann Leopold had many conflicts with his father. The conflicts came to a head when Johann Leopold wanted to marry against the Saxe-Coburg and Gotha House Law of March 1, 1855, which stated that members of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha could make only equal marriages with members of princely or royal houses. His intended bride was Feodora Freiin von der Horst, from a noble family – Freiin means Baroness – but not from a princely or royal house. If Johann Leopold and Feodora married, Johann Leopold would have to renounce his succession rights for himself and any children from the marriage. The couple married civilly on March 9, 1932, in Niedersedlitz near Dresden, Germany, and religiously on March 14, 1932, at a church in Dresden. Johann Leopold was allowed to keep his title of Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

Johann Leopold and Feodora had three children:

  • Princess Marianne of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (born 1933), married Michael Nielsen, had two daughters
  • Prince Ernst Leopold of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1935 – 1996), married (1) Ingeborg Henig, divorced 1963, had one son (2) Gertraude Monika Pfeiffer, divorced 1985, had two daughters and three sons (3) Sabine Biller, with whom he died by suicide, no children
  • Prince Peter of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (born 1939), married Roswitha Henriette Breuer; had two sons

On April 1, 1932, Johann Leopold joined the Nazi Party but his loyalty to the party was repeatedly questioned. During World War II, he served as a sergeant in an anti-aircraft regiment but was released in 1943 because of political unreliability. After World War II, proceedings against him in a denazification appeals court were discontinued on February 20, 1947.

In 1948, Johann Leopold made headlines when he was sentenced to two years in prison by a criminal court in Amberg, Bavaria, Germany, on charges of indecency with children. After this, he broke off all connections with his family. He did not attend the funeral of his father in Coburg in 1954.

On February 27, 1962, his marriage to Feodora ended in divorce. Johann Leopold married again on May 3, 1963, to a divorced commoner, Maria Theresia Reindl. The two lived in Karlstein near Maria’s hometown of Bad Reichenhall in Bavaria, Germany. On May 4, 1972, Johann Leopold died at the age of 65 from cancer in Grein, Austria. He was buried in his second wife’s family grave at the Roman Catholic Church of St. Zeno in Bad Reichenhall, Bavaria, Germany. His second wife Maria survived him by 24 years, dying in 1996 at the age of 88.

Ill-fortune also followed Johann Leopold’s elder son Ernst Leopold. In 1986, Ernst Leopold married for a third time to Sabine Biller, a journalist. The couple began to have money problems as they were living beyond their means. On June 27, 1996, in the parking lot of a chalet restaurant in Bad Wiessee, Bavaria, Germany, the bodies of Ernst Leopold and Sabine were found in their car, dead from gunshot wounds from hunting rifles. Apparently, they had simultaneously shot themselves.

The Church of St. Zeno where Johann Leopold is buried; Credit – Von Wolfgang Sauber – Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11612030

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

  • “Johann Leopold, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 29 May 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Leopold,_Hereditary_Prince_of_Saxe-Coburg_and_Gotha.
  • “Johann Leopold Von Sachsen-Coburg Und Gotha.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 4 Jan. 2019, de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Leopold_von_Sachsen-Coburg_und_Gotha.
  • Karacs, Decca Aitkenhead/Imre. “Royal Couple Could Not Afford Lavish Life.” The Independent, Independent Digital News and Media, 23 Oct. 2011, www.independent.co.uk/news/world/royal-couple-could-not-afford-lavish-life-1339488.html.

Antoinette of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, Duchess of Württemberg

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Antoinette of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, Duchess of Württemberg; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Antoinette 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. She was the second of the nine children and the second of the five daughters of Franz Friedrich Anton, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld and second wife Augusta Reuss of Ebersdorf. Antoinette Ernestine Amalie was born in Coburg, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, now in Bavaria, Germany on August 28, 1779.

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. 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 Budberg’s mission and suggested the daughters of the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.

Antoinette in a painting sent to Russia for her possible groom Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich; Credit – Wikipedia

Once the prospect of a Coburg bride was approved by Catherine the Great, Antoinette and her elder sister Sophie and her next younger sister Juliane, accompanied by their mother, traveled to Saint Petersburg in August 1795. Her elder sister 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 her younger sister, 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.

Antoinette married Duke Alexander of Württemberg in Coburg, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld on November 17, 1798. Alexander was the eleventh of the twelve children and seventh of eight sons of Friedrich II Eugen, Duke of Württemberg and Friederike of Brandenburg-Schwedt, a niece of Friedrich II (the Great), King of Prussia. Among Alexander’s siblings were his eldest brother Friedrich who would become the first King of Württemberg, his eldest sister Sophie Dorothea (Empress Maria Feodorovna) who was the second wife of Paul I, Emperor of All Russia and his sister Elisabeth who was the first of the four wives of the future Franz I, Emperor of Austria. Sadly, Elisabeth died at the age of 22 in childbirth.

Alexander of Württemberg; Credit – Wikipedia

Antoinette and Alexander had one daughter and four sons:

Alexander and Antoinette are the ancestors of the fifth branch of the House of Württemberg. When the eldest branch died out upon the death of King Wilhelm II of Württemberg in 1921, the ducal line became the new dynasty of the House of Württemberg.

Alexander began his military service in the Württemberg army in 1791 and then transferred to the Austrian army, serving in the campaign against France in 1796-1799. In 1799, on the recommendation of Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov, a Russian military leader and a national hero, Alexander joined the Russian army. Antoinette and Alexander settled in Russia where he had a military and diplomatic career. Two of his sons, Alexander and Ernst, were generals in the Russian army.

Alexander’s sister Empress Maria Feodorova of Russia; Credit – Wikipedia

Alexander was the brother of Empress Maria Feodorova (born Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg), the wife of Emperor Paul I, and the maternal uncle of two future Emperors of All Russia, Alexander I and Nicholas I. A year after their arrival in Russia, Emperor Paul was assassinated and his son Alexander became Emperor. Antoinette took an active part in the life of the Russian Imperial Family. She was very friendly with Alexander I’s wife Empress Elizabeth Alexeievna, born Louise of Baden.

In the marital conflict between her sister Juliane, now Grand Duchess Anna Fedorovna, and her husband Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich, Antoinette sided with Konstantin, calling her sister “the shame of the family.” In 1817, Antoinette and her daughter Maria were among those who met Princess Charlotte of Prussia, the bride of Grand Duke Nicholas Pavlovich, the future Nicholas I, Emperor of All Russia.

Antoinette in later life; Credit – Wikipedia

Antoinette and her family traveled to Austria and Germany between 1819 – 1821 where they visited family and friends. When they returned to Russia, they settled in a magnificent palace in the Yusupov Garden in St. Petersburg.

Antoinette died from erysipelas at the age of 44 on March 14, 1824, in St. Petersburg, Russia. She was buried in Gotha, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, now in the German state of Thuringia, at Castle Friedenstein (link in German) in the Prince’s Crypt at the castle church next to her two sons who had died in childhood. Alexander survived his wife by nine years, dying on July 4, 1833, aged 62, at the Gotha residence of his son-in-law Ernst I of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. He was buried next to his wife Antoinette and their two sons who had died in childhood.

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). Antoinette von Sachsen-Coburg-Saalfeld. [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoinette_von_Sachsen-Coburg-Saalfeld [Accessed 4 Feb. 2019].
  • De.wikipedia.org. (2019). Alexander Friedrich Karl von Württemberg. [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Friedrich_Karl_von_W%C3%BCrttemberg [Accessed 4 Feb. 2019].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2019). Princess Antoinette of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Antoinette_of_Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld [Accessed 4 Feb. 2019].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2019). Duke Alexander of Württemberg (1771–1833). [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_Alexander_of_W%C3%BCrttemberg_(1771%E2%80%931833) [Accessed 4 Feb. 2019].
  • Ru.wikipedia.org. (2019). Антуанетта Саксен-Кобург-Заальфельдская. [online] Available at: https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%90%D0%BD%D1%82%D1%83%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B5%D1%82%D1%82%D0%B0_%D0%A1%D0%B0%D0%BA%D1%81%D0%B5%D0%BD-%D0%9A%D0%BE%D0%B1%D1%83%D1%80%D0%B3-%D0%97%D0%B0%D0%B0%D0%BB%D1%8C%D1%84%D0%B5%D0%BB%D1%8C%D0%B4%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B0%D1%8F [Accessed 4 Feb. 2019].

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].

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

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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

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

Works Cited

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  • 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].