Charlotte Marie of Saxe-Jena
Encyclopedia
Charlotte Marie of Saxe-Jena (Jena
, 20 December 1669 – Gräfentonna
, 6 January 1703), was a German princess member of the House of Wettin in the branch of Saxe-Jena
and by marriage Duchess of Saxe-Weimar.
She was the fourth child of Bernhard II, Duke of Saxe-Jena
by his wife Marie Charlotte, daughter of Henry de La Trémoille, 3rd Duke of Thouars, 2nd Duke of La Tremoille, and Prince of Talmond and Taranto. The early death of her two brothers and older sister before her own birth left Charlotte Marie as the only child of her parents for several years, until the birth of her younger brother and future 2nd Duke of Saxe-Jena, Johann Wilhelm
in 1675.
, following the testamentary instructions of the late Duke Bernhard II; however, Duke Johann Ernst II died soon after (15 May 1683) and the tutelage of the young princes of Saxe-Jena was given to another uncle, Johann Georg I, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach
.
Six months later, on 2 November 1683, Charlotte Marie married with her cousin Wilhelm Ernst, Duke of Saxe-Weimar, son and successor of the former regent Johann Ernst II. The dowry established to her in Duke Bernhard II's will was so small that Wilhelm Ernst refused to claimedafter the wedding.
Three years later (in 1686), Duke Johann Georg I died and Wilhelm Ernst took the guardianship of the still underage Duke of Saxe-Jena, as his closest male relative (first cousin and brother-in-law).
Charlotte Marie is described as extremely beautiful and well-behaved, but also superficial and frivolous. Her marriage with Wilhelm Ernst remained childless and was marked by frequent clashes between them. When the Duchess made a journey without the permission of her husband, Wilhelm Ernst captured her and confined in Weimar
. Finally, on 23 August 1690 the marriage was formally dissolved.
At first, Charlotte Marie went to live with her brother in Jena
, but after his death two months later (4 November 1690), she was forced to fled. Penniless and in debt, she wandered until Frederick I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
finally allowed her to reside permanently in her lands. The dispute with her former husband for the town of Porstendorf
came before Emperor Leopold I
and was settled in favor of Charlotte Marie, who sold it in 1694 in order to pay her debts. She lived on a pension at the Gotha court and was involved in another processes against the House of Saxe-Weimar when she died, aged 34.
Jena
Jena is a university city in central Germany on the river Saale. It has a population of approx. 103,000 and is the second largest city in the federal state of Thuringia, after Erfurt.-History:Jena was first mentioned in an 1182 document...
, 20 December 1669 – Gräfentonna
Tonna, Germany
Tonna is a municipality in the district of Gotha, in Thuringia, Germany....
, 6 January 1703), was a German princess member of the House of Wettin in the branch of Saxe-Jena
Saxe-Jena
The Duchy of Saxe-Jena was one of the Saxon Duchies held by the Ernestine line of the Wettin Dynasty. Established in 1672 for Bernhard, fourth son of Wilhelm, Duke of Saxe-Weimar, Saxe-Jena was reincorporated into Saxe-Weimar on the extinction of Bernhard's line in 1690.-Dukes of Saxe-Jena:*...
and by marriage Duchess of Saxe-Weimar.
She was the fourth child of Bernhard II, Duke of Saxe-Jena
Bernhard II, Duke of Saxe-Jena
Bernhard II, Duke of Saxe-Jena , was duke of Saxe-Jena.He was the seventh child but fourth surviving son of Wilhelm, Duke of Saxe-Weimar and Eleonore Dorothea of Anhalt-Dessau....
by his wife Marie Charlotte, daughter of Henry de La Trémoille, 3rd Duke of Thouars, 2nd Duke of La Tremoille, and Prince of Talmond and Taranto. The early death of her two brothers and older sister before her own birth left Charlotte Marie as the only child of her parents for several years, until the birth of her younger brother and future 2nd Duke of Saxe-Jena, Johann Wilhelm
Johann Wilhelm, Duke of Saxe-Jena
Johann Wilhelm, Duke of Saxe-Jena , was a duke of Saxe-Jena.He was the youngest but sole surviving son of Bernhard II, Duke of Saxe-Jena by his wife Marie Charlotte, daughter of Henry de La Trémoille, 3rd Duke of Thouars, 2nd Duke of La Tremoille, and Prince of Talmond and Taranto.-Life:When only...
in 1675.
Life
After the early deaths of her father (3 May 1678) and her mother (24 August 1682) Charlotte Marie and her brother were placed under the guardianship of their uncle, Johann Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-WeimarJohann Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Weimar
John Ernest II , was a duke of Saxe-Weimar.He was the second but eldest surviving son of William, Duke of Saxe-Weimar, and Eleonore Dorothea of Anhalt-Dessau....
, following the testamentary instructions of the late Duke Bernhard II; however, Duke Johann Ernst II died soon after (15 May 1683) and the tutelage of the young princes of Saxe-Jena was given to another uncle, Johann Georg I, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach
John George I, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach
Johann Georg I, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach .He was the fifth but third surviving son of Wilhelm, Duke of Saxe-Weimar and Eleonore Dorothea of Anhalt-Dessau....
.
Six months later, on 2 November 1683, Charlotte Marie married with her cousin Wilhelm Ernst, Duke of Saxe-Weimar, son and successor of the former regent Johann Ernst II. The dowry established to her in Duke Bernhard II's will was so small that Wilhelm Ernst refused to claimedafter the wedding.
Three years later (in 1686), Duke Johann Georg I died and Wilhelm Ernst took the guardianship of the still underage Duke of Saxe-Jena, as his closest male relative (first cousin and brother-in-law).
Charlotte Marie is described as extremely beautiful and well-behaved, but also superficial and frivolous. Her marriage with Wilhelm Ernst remained childless and was marked by frequent clashes between them. When the Duchess made a journey without the permission of her husband, Wilhelm Ernst captured her and confined in Weimar
Weimar
Weimar is a city in Germany famous for its cultural heritage. It is located in the federal state of Thuringia , north of the Thüringer Wald, east of Erfurt, and southwest of Halle and Leipzig. Its current population is approximately 65,000. The oldest record of the city dates from the year 899...
. Finally, on 23 August 1690 the marriage was formally dissolved.
At first, Charlotte Marie went to live with her brother in Jena
Jena
Jena is a university city in central Germany on the river Saale. It has a population of approx. 103,000 and is the second largest city in the federal state of Thuringia, after Erfurt.-History:Jena was first mentioned in an 1182 document...
, but after his death two months later (4 November 1690), she was forced to fled. Penniless and in debt, she wandered until Frederick I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
Frederick I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
Frederick I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg , was a duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg. He was the fourth but eldest surviving son of Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Altenburg and Elisabeth Sophie of Saxe-Altenburg.When Ernst inherited the duchy of Saxe-Altenburg , he made Frederick the regent of that duchy...
finally allowed her to reside permanently in her lands. The dispute with her former husband for the town of Porstendorf
Neuengönna
Neuengönna is a municipality in the district Saale-Holzland, in Thuringia, Germany....
came before Emperor Leopold I
Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
| style="float:right;" | Leopold I was a Holy Roman Emperor, King of Hungary and King of Bohemia. A member of the Habsburg family, he was the second son of Emperor Ferdinand III and his first wife, Maria Anna of Spain. His maternal grandparents were Philip III of Spain and Margaret of Austria...
and was settled in favor of Charlotte Marie, who sold it in 1694 in order to pay her debts. She lived on a pension at the Gotha court and was involved in another processes against the House of Saxe-Weimar when she died, aged 34.