Ernst, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen
Encyclopedia
Ernst, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen (Gotha
, 12 June 1655 – Hildburghausen
, 17 October 1715) was a duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen
.
He was the ninth but sixth surviving son of Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Altenburg and Elisabeth Sophie of Saxe-Altenburg.
When his father died in 1675, Ernst and his six brothers jointly assumed the government of the duchy; five years later, in 1680, and under the treaty of division of the family lands, he received the towns of Hildburghausen
, Eisfeld
, Heldburg, Königsberg
. Ernst became thereby founder and first duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen. After the death of his brothers Heinrich and Albrecht without male descendants, he took the towns of Sonnefeld
and Behringen
.
Ernst settled his official residence in Hildburghausen
and began the building of his castle. In 1710 he approved the building in his lands of a new city of French Huguenot families, who were driven out after the Edict of Nantes
from France.
As Master of Cavalry he fought in 1683 in the Battle of Vienna
, and 1685 in the conquest of Gran
and Neuhaeusel, after this he entered in Dutch services as a Colonel with the conquest of Kaiserwerth.
In the building of his new residence, Ernst acquired a serious indebtedness of the principality to his brothers, which could not be reduced even by ever larger taxations.
. They had five children:
Gotha (town)
Gotha is a town in Thuringia, within the central core of Germany. It is the capital of the district of Gotha.- History :The town has existed at least since the 8th century, when it was mentioned in a document signed by Charlemagne as Villa Gotaha . Its importance derives from having been chosen in...
, 12 June 1655 – Hildburghausen
Hildburghausen
Hildburghausen is a town in Thuringia in central Germany, capital of the district Hildburghausen. It is situated on the river Werra, 20 km south of Suhl, and 25 km northwest of Coburg....
, 17 October 1715) was a duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen
Saxe-Hildburghausen
Saxe-Hildburghausen was an Ernestine duchy in what is now southern Thuringia, Germany. Its territory was similar to that of the modern Hildburghausen district.-History:...
.
He was the ninth but sixth surviving son of Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Altenburg and Elisabeth Sophie of Saxe-Altenburg.
When his father died in 1675, Ernst and his six brothers jointly assumed the government of the duchy; five years later, in 1680, and under the treaty of division of the family lands, he received the towns of Hildburghausen
Hildburghausen
Hildburghausen is a town in Thuringia in central Germany, capital of the district Hildburghausen. It is situated on the river Werra, 20 km south of Suhl, and 25 km northwest of Coburg....
, Eisfeld
Eisfeld
Eisfeld is a municipality in the district of Hildburghausen, in Thuringia, Germany. It is situated on the river Werra, 12 km east of Hildburghausen, and 19 km north of Coburg....
, Heldburg, Königsberg
Königsberg
Königsberg was the capital of East Prussia from the Late Middle Ages until 1945 as well as the northernmost and easternmost German city with 286,666 inhabitants . Due to the multicultural society in and around the city, there are several local names for it...
. Ernst became thereby founder and first duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen. After the death of his brothers Heinrich and Albrecht without male descendants, he took the towns of Sonnefeld
Sonnefeld
Sonnefeld is a municipality in the district of Coburg in Bavaria in Germany.-Notable residents:*Friedrich Geißhardt , a German former Luftwaffe fighter ace...
and Behringen
Behringen
Behringen is a former municipality in the Wartburgkreis district of Thuringia, Germany. Since 1 December 2007, it is part of the municipality Hörselberg-Hainich....
.
Ernst settled his official residence in Hildburghausen
Hildburghausen
Hildburghausen is a town in Thuringia in central Germany, capital of the district Hildburghausen. It is situated on the river Werra, 20 km south of Suhl, and 25 km northwest of Coburg....
and began the building of his castle. In 1710 he approved the building in his lands of a new city of French Huguenot families, who were driven out after the Edict of Nantes
Edict of Nantes
The Edict of Nantes, issued on 13 April 1598, by Henry IV of France, granted the Calvinist Protestants of France substantial rights in a nation still considered essentially Catholic. In the Edict, Henry aimed primarily to promote civil unity...
from France.
As Master of Cavalry he fought in 1683 in the Battle of Vienna
Battle of Vienna
The Battle of Vienna took place on 11 and 12 September 1683 after Vienna had been besieged by the Ottoman Empire for two months...
, and 1685 in the conquest of Gran
Esztergom
Esztergom , is a city in northern Hungary, 46 km north-west of the capital Budapest. It lies in Komárom-Esztergom county, on the right bank of the river Danube, which forms the border with Slovakia there....
and Neuhaeusel, after this he entered in Dutch services as a Colonel with the conquest of Kaiserwerth.
In the building of his new residence, Ernst acquired a serious indebtedness of the principality to his brothers, which could not be reduced even by ever larger taxations.
Ancestors
| Ernest III, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen | Father: Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha -Family and children:In Altenburg on 24 October 1636, Ernst married his cousin Elisabeth Sophie of Saxe-Altenburg. As a result of this marriage Saxe-Gotha and Saxe-Altenburg were unified, when the last duke of the line died childless in 1672. Ernst and Elisabeth Sophie had eighteen children:#... |
Paternal Grandfather: John II, Duke of Saxe-Weimar |
Paternal Great-grandfather: Johann Wilhelm, Duke of Saxe-Weimar |
| Paternal Great-grandmother: Dorothea Susanne of Simmern Dorothea Susanne of Simmern Dorothea Susanne of Simmern was a princess of the Electoral Palatinate and by marriage Duchess of Saxe-Weimar.- Life :... |
|||
| Paternal Grandmother: Dorothea Maria of Anhalt Dorothea Maria of Anhalt Dorothea Maria of Anhalt , was by birth a member of the House of Ascania and princess of Anhalt... |
Paternal Great-grandfather: Joachim Ernest, Prince of Anhalt Joachim Ernest, Prince of Anhalt Joachim Ernest of Anhalt , was a German prince of the House of Ascania, ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst, and from 1570 sole ruler of all the Anhalt lands.... |
||
| Paternal Great-grandmother: Eleonore of Württemberg |
|||
| Mother: Princess Elisabeth Sophie of Saxe-Altenburg Princess Elisabeth Sophie of Saxe-Altenburg Elisabeth Sophie of Saxe-Altenburg , was a princess of Saxe-Altenburg and, by marriage, duchess of Saxe-Gotha.... |
Maternal Grandfather: Johann Philipp, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg |
Maternal Great-grandfather: Frederick Wilhelm I, Duke of Saxe-Weimar |
|
| Maternal Great-grandmother: Anna Maria of the Palatinate-Neuburg |
|||
| Maternal Grandmother: Elizabeth |
Maternal Great-grandfather: Henry Julius, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg Henry Julius, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg Henry Julius was duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and prince of Wolfenbüttel from 1589 until his death. In 1576 he had become the first rector of the Protestant University of Helmstedt.- Life :... |
||
| Maternal Great-grandmother: Elizabeth of Denmark |
Issue
He was married in Arolsen on the 30 November 1680 to Sophie of WaldeckSophie of Waldeck
Sophia Henriette of Waldeck was a Princess of Waldech by birth and by mairriage Duchess of Saxe-Hildburghausen,- Life :...
. They had five children:
- Ernst Frederick I, Duke of Saxe-HildburghausenErnst Frederick I, Duke of Saxe-HildburghausenErnst Frederick I, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen , was a duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen.He was the eldest son of Ernst, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen and Sophie of Waldeck....
(b. Gotha, 21 August 1681 - d. Hildburghausen, 9 March 1724). - Sophie Charlotte (b. Arolsen, 23 December 1682 - d. Eisfeld, 20 April 1684).
- Sophie Charlotte (b. Hildburghausen, 23 March 1685 - d. Hildburghausen, 4 June 1710).
- Karl Wilhelm (b. Arolsen, 25 July 1686 - d. Arolsen, 2 April 1687).
- Joseph Maria Frederick Wilhelm (b. Erbach, 5 October 1702 - d. Hildburghausen, 4 January 1787).