by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2018
Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen: On March 26, 1675, Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg died. Initially, his seven sons collectively governed the Duchy of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, as set out in their father’s will. On February 24, 1680, the seven brothers concluded a treaty of separation, with each brother getting a portion of the Duchy of Saxe-Gotha Altenburg and becoming a Duke. One of the seven new duchies was the Duchy of Saxe-Meinigen and Bernhard, one of the seven sons of Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg became the first Duke of Saxe-Meinigen.
On November 9, 1918, Wilhelm II abdicated as German Emperor and King of Prussia in the wake of the November Revolution. Bernhard III, the last Duke of Saxe-Meiningen abdicated the next day due to pressure from the Meininger Workers and Soldiers Council. His half-brother Ernst waived his succession rights on November 12, 1918, officially ending the monarchy of the Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen. Today the territory that encompassed the Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen is in the German state of Thuringia.
********************
Friedrich Wilhelm, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen
Friedrich Wilhelm was born on February 16, 1679, in Ichtershausen, Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen, now in Thuringia, Germany, the son of the future Bernhard I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen and his first wife, Maria Hedwig of Hesse-Darmstadt. He had six siblings:
- Ernst Ludwig I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen (1672-1724) – married (1) Dorothea Maria of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, had issue; (2) Elisabeth Sophie of Brandenburg, no issue
- Bernhard (1673-1694) – died in childhood
- Johann Ernst (1674-1675) – died in infancy
- Marie Elisabeth (born and died 1676) – died in infancy
- Johann Georg (1677-1678) – died in infancy
- Georg Ernst (1680-1699) – died from smallpox
He also had five half-siblings from his father’s second marriage to Elisabeth Eleonore of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel:
- Elisabeth Ernestine (1681-1766) – unmarried, Abbess of Gandersheim Abbey
- Eleonore Friederike (1683-1739) – unmarried, nun at Gandersheim Abbey
- Anton August (born and died 1684) – died in infancy
- Wilhelmine Luise (1686) – married Carl, Duke of Württemberg-Bernstadt, no issue
- Anton Ulrich, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen (1687-1763) – married Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Philippsthal, had issue
Following the death of his brother, Ernst Ludwig I, in 1724, Friedrich Wilhelm served as one of the guardians for his two young nephews – Ernst Ludwig II and Karl Friedrich – during their reigns. Following Karl Friedrich’s death in 1743, he became the reigning Duke of Saxe-Meiningen.
After reigning for just three years, Friedrich Wilhelm died in Meiningen, Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen, now in Thuringia, Germany, on March 10, 1746. He is buried in the Castle Church at Elisabethenburg Palace. in Meiningen. As he was unmarried and had no heirs, the ducal throne passed to his younger half-brother, Anton Ulrich.
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-Meiningen Resources at Unofficial Royalty