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 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 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 so his half-brother Franz Josias, who was fourteen years younger, became the sole Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.

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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].