Ernest Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld

Ernest Frederick
Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
Reign	16 September 1724 – 8 September 1800
Predecessor	Francis Josias
Successor	Francis
Born	(1724-03-08)8 March 1724 Saalfeld, Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, Holy Roman Empire
Died	8 September 1800(1800-09-08) (aged 76) Coburg, Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, Holy Roman Empire
Spouse	Sophia Antonia of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
Issue	Francis Prince Karl Wilhelm Princess Fredericka Princess Caroline Prince Ludwig Karl Prince Ferdinand August Prince Frederick
House	House of Wettin
Father	Francis Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
Mother	Anna Sophie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
Religion	Lutheranism

Ernest Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (8 March 1724 in Saalfeld – 8 September 1800 in Coburg), was a Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.

Biography

He was the eldest son of Francis Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld and Anna Sophie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. He is a patrilineal ancestor of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.

Ernest Frederick succeeded his father in the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld when he died in 1764 and established his definitive residence shifted in Coburg. Because of the high indebtedness of the duchy he was compelled by Emperor Joseph II in 1773 to work with a Debit commission—an obligatory administration of debts assigned by the emperor—for over thirty years.

Issue

In Wolfenbüttel on 23 April 1749 Ernest Frederick married with Sophia Antonia of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. They had seven children:

1. Franz Frederick Anton, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (b. Coburg 15 July 1750 – d. Coburg, 9 December 1806), father of Leopold I of Belgium and grandfather of Leopold II, Empress Carlota of Mexico, Queen Victoria of Great Britain, and her husband Prince Albert.
2. Karl Wilhelm Ferdinand (b. Coburg, 21 November 1751 – d. Coburg, 16 February 1757).
3. Fredericka Juliane (b. Coburg, 14 September 1752 – d. Coburg, 24 September 1752).
4. Caroline Ulrike Amalie (b. Coburg, 19 October 1753 – d. Coburg, 1 October 1829), a nun at Gandersheim.
5. Ludwig Karl Frederick (b. Coburg, 2 January 1755 – d. Coburg, 4 May 1806); he had an illegitimate son by some Mademoiselle Brutel de la Riviére: Ludwig Frederick Emil of Coburg (b. Hildburghausen, 1779 - d. Coburg, 1827). In turn, the five children of Ludwig Frederick were created Freiherren von Coburg. His descendants still alive.
6. Ferdinand August Heinrich (b. Coburg, 12 April 1756 – d. Coburg, 8 July 1758).
7. Frederick (b. Coburg, 4 March 1758 – d. Coburg, 26 June 1758).

Ancestry

16. John II, Duke of Saxe-Weimar

8. Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha

17. Dorothea Maria of Anhalt

4. John Ernest IV, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld

18. Johann Philipp, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg

9. Elisabeth Sophie of Saxe-Altenburg

19. Elisabeth of Brünswick-Wolfenbüttel

2. Francis Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld

20. Philip VII, Count of Waldeck-Wildungen

10. Josias II, Count of Waldeck-Wildungen

21. Anna Catherine of Sayn-Wittgenstein

5. Charlotte Johanna of Waldeck-Wildungen

22. William of Nassau-Hilchenbach

11. Wilhelmine Christine of Nassau-Siegen

23. Christina, Countess of Erbach

1. Ernest Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld

24. Louis Günther I, Count of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt

12. Albert Anton, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt

25. Emilie of Oldenburg-Delmenhorst

6. Louis Frederick I, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt

26. Albert Frederick of Barby-Mühlingen

13. Countess Emilie Juliane of Barby-Mühlingen

27. Sophie Ursula of Oldenburg-Delmenhorst

3. Anna Sophie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt

28. Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha (= 8)

14. Frederick I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg

29. Elisabeth Sophie of Saxe-Altenburg (= 9)

7. Anna Sophie of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg

30. August, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels

15. Magdalena Sibylle of Saxe-Weissenfels

31. Anna Maria of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

References

• August Beck: Ernst Friedrich, Herzog zu Sachsen-Koburg-Saalfeld. In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Band 6, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1877, S. 317.
• Das herzogliche Haus Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha: Seine Geschichte und gegenwärtige Stellung in Europa, C. Macklot, 1842, S. 236 (Digitalisat)