Saxe-Coburg

Duchy of Saxe-Coburg Herzogtum Sachsen-Coburg
State of the Holy Roman Empire
←   ← 1596–1633 1680–1735 →   →
Coat of arms
Saxe-Coburg, shown with the other Ernestine duchies
Capital	Coburg
Government	Principality
Historical era	Early modern Europe
- Division of     S-Coburg-Eisenach     and S-Weimar	1572
- Division of S-Coburg     and S-Eisenach	1596
- Fell to S-Eisenach	1633
- Re-partitioned     from S-Gotha	1680
- Claimed by     S-Saalfeld	1699–1735
- Incorporated into     S-Coburg-Saalfeld	1735
a: The coat of arms shown is that of Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, as used in Saxony.

Saxe-Coburg (German: Sachsen-Coburg) was a duchy held by the Ernestine branch of the Wettin dynasty in today's Bavaria, Germany.

Veste Coburg

After the Division of Erfurt in 1572, Coburg was part of the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Eisenach, ruled by the Ernestine duke John Casimir jointly with his brother John Ernest. In 1596 Saxe-Coburg-Eisenach was split, John Casimir got Saxe-Coburg while John Ernest received Saxe-Eisenach. When Casimir died in 1633, his brother Ernst of Saxe-Eisenach ruled in personal union over Saxe-Coburg until his death in 1638. His estates were then divided among Saxe-Weimar and Saxe-Altenburg, whereby Coburg fell to Frederick William II, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg.

Saxe-Altenburg in turn was incorporated into the Duchy of Saxe-Gotha under Ernest I in 1672. Ernest left seven sons, who in 1680 divided his lands among themselves. The Duchy of Saxe-Coburg was thereby restored and given to Albert V. It remained under this name until 1699, when Albert died without sons. His brother John Ernest of Saxe-Saalfeld claimed the heritage, initiating a long-time quarrel with his elder brother Bernhard I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen. The conflict was not resolved until 1735, when the major part of Saxe-Coburg was incorporated into the Duchy of Saxe-Saalfeld on decision of Emperor Charles VI. The united duchy was then renamed Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.

Dukes of Saxe-Coburg

• John Casimir (1596–1633)

Duchy fell to Saxe-Eisenach, restored in 1680

• Albert V (1680–99)
  • John Ernest IV, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (1699–1729), claimant
  • Christian Ernest II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (1729–35), claimant

Incorporated into Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld

See also

• Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
• Ernestine duchies

References

• Saxe-Coburg and Gotha royal family