On March 26, 1675, Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg died. Initially, his seven sons collectively governed the Duchy of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, as set out in their father’s will. On February 24, 1680, the seven brothers concluded a treaty of separation, with each brother getting a portion of the Duchy of Saxe-Gotha Altenburg and becoming a Duke. One of the seven new duchies was the Duchy of Saxe-Meinigen and Bernhard, one of the seven sons of Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg became the first Duke of Saxe-Meinigen.

On November 9, 1918, Wilhelm II abdicated as German Emperor and King of Prussia in the wake of the November Revolution.  Bernhard III, the last Duke of Saxe-Meiningen, abdicated the next day due to pressure from the Meininger Workers and Soldiers Council. His half-brother Ernst waived his succession rights on November 12, 1918, officially ending the monarchy of the Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen. Today the territory that encompassed the Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen is in the German state of Thuringia.

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Below is an indexed listing with links to biographical articles about the Ducal Family of Saxe-Meiningen. If it says “Notable Issue” before a name, that means not all of the children for the parent of that person are listed. Also listed below are links to the Saxe-Meiningen Content Areas.

House of Wettin

Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen (1680 – 1918)

Family of Bernhard I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen

• Bernhard I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen (reigned 1680 – 1706)
• Marie Hedwig of Hesse-Darmstadt, Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen (1st wife of Bernhard I)
  • Notable Issue: Ernst Ludwig I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen (see below)
  • Notable Issue: Friedrich Wilhelm, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen (see below)
• Elisabeth Eleonore of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen (2nd wife of Bernhard I)
  • Notable Issue: Anton Ulrich, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen (see below)

Family of Ernst Ludwig I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen

• Ernst Ludwig I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen (reigned 1706 – 1724)
• Dorothea Marie of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen (1st wife of Ernst Ludwig)
  • Notable Issue: Ernst Ludwig II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen (see below)
  • Notable Issue: Karl Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen (see below)
• Elisabeth Sophie of Brandenburg, Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen (2nd wife of Ernst Ludwig, no issue)

Ernst Ludwig II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen

• Ernst Ludwig II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen (unmarried, reigned 1724 – 1729)

Karl Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen

• Karl Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen (unmarried, reigned 1729 – 1743)

Friedrich Wilhelm, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen

• Friedrich Wilhelm, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen (unmarried, 1743 – 1746)

Family of Anton Ulrich, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen

• Anton Ulrich, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen (reigned 1746 – 1763)
• Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Philippsthal, Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen (wife of Anton Ulrich)
  • Notable Issue: Karl Wilhelm, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen (see below)
  • Notable Issue: Georg I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen (see below)

Family of Karl Wilhelm, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen

• Karl Wilhelm, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen (reigned 1763 – 1782)
• Luise of Stolberg-Gedern, Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen (wife of Karl Wilhelm, no issue)

Family of Georg I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen

• Georg I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen (reigned 1782 – 1803)
• Luise Eleonore of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen (wife of Georg I)
  • Notable Issue: Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen, Queen of the United Kingdom
  • Notable Issue: Bernhard II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen (see below)

Family of Bernhard II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen

• Bernhard II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen (reigned 1803 – 1866,  abdicated)
• Marie Friederike of Hesse-Kassel, Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen (wife of Bernhard II)
  • Notable Issue: Georg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen (see below)

Family of Georg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen

• Georg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen (reigned 1866 – 1914)
• Charlotte of Prussia, Hereditary Princess of Saxe-Meiningen (1st wife of Georg II)
  • Notable Issue: Bernhard III, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen (see below)
• Feodora of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen (2nd wife of Georg, had issue)
• Ellen Franz, Baroness von Heldburg (morganatic 3rd wife, no issue)

Family of Bernhard III, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen

• Bernhard III, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen (reigned 1914 – 1918, monarchy abolished)
• Charlotte of Prussia, Duchess of Saxe-Meiningen (wife of Bernhard III, had one daughter)

Pretenders to the Throne

• LAST REIGNING: Bernhard III, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen
• Former: Ernst, Prince of Saxe-Meiningen
• Former: Georg, Prince of Saxe-Meiningen
• Former: Bernhard, Prince of Saxe-Meiningen
• Current: Konrad, Prince of Saxe-Meiningen

Other Saxe-Meiningen Royals

• Feodora of Saxe-Meiningen, Grand Duchess of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (daughter of Prince Friedrich Johann of Saxe-Meiningen, granddaughter of Georg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen)

Saxe-Meiningen Content Areas

• Profiles: Dukes and Consorts of Saxe-Meiningen
• Saxe-Meiningen Royal Burial Sites
• Saxe-Meiningen Royal Dates