Ernst Frederick I, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen
Encyclopedia
Ernst Frederick I, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen (Gotha
, 21 August 1681 – Hildburghausen
, 9 March 1724), was a duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen
.
He was the eldest son of Ernst, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen
and Sophie of Waldeck
.
During his youth he served on the Netherlands
in the imperial military army, during which he was wounded in the Spanish Succession War at Höchstädt
; in 1715 he left the Army after the death of his father, and assumed the government of the duchy of Saxe-Hildburghausen.
He wanted, like many German princes, to repeat the splendor of the court of the King Louis XIV of France
in his own duchy; but this was the cause of his financial ruin.
Constantly in need of money, he levied taxes and sold towns. Among them was the county of Cuylenburg
, the dowry of his wife. The county was sold in 1720 to the General States, not for the repayment of the debts but to build in his palace a garden connected with a channel. Likewise, in 1723 the office was finally sold to the duchy of Saxe-Meiningen. But the sale, without the assent of his wife was illegal, and this led to a war with Saxe-Meiningen. The county was occupied with troops of both duchies and at the end of the war all of the county was devastated and ruined.
Because of his intolerable fiscal charges, in 1717 an open revolt developed in the duchy.
In Erbach
on 4 February 1704, Ernst Frederick married Countess Sophia Albertine of Erbach-Erbach
. They had fourteen 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...
, 21 August 1681 – 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....
, 9 March 1724), 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 eldest son of Ernst, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen
Ernst, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen
Ernst, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen 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....
and Sophie of Waldeck
Sophie of Waldeck
Sophia Henriette of Waldeck was a Princess of Waldech by birth and by mairriage Duchess of Saxe-Hildburghausen,- Life :...
.
During his youth he served on the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
in the imperial military army, during which he was wounded in the Spanish Succession War at Höchstädt
Höchstädt an der Donau
Höchstädt an der Donau is a town in the district of Dillingen, Bavaria, Germany. It is situated near the banks of the River Danube. It consists of the following neighborhoods: Höchstädt an der Donau, Deisenhofen, Oberglauheim, Schwennenbach and Sonderheim....
; in 1715 he left the Army after the death of his father, and assumed the government of the duchy of Saxe-Hildburghausen.
He wanted, like many German princes, to repeat the splendor of the court of the King Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
in his own duchy; but this was the cause of his financial ruin.
Constantly in need of money, he levied taxes and sold towns. Among them was the county of Cuylenburg
Culemborg
Culemborg is a municipality and a city in the centre of the Netherlands. The city is situated just south of the Lek River...
, the dowry of his wife. The county was sold in 1720 to the General States, not for the repayment of the debts but to build in his palace a garden connected with a channel. Likewise, in 1723 the office was finally sold to the duchy of Saxe-Meiningen. But the sale, without the assent of his wife was illegal, and this led to a war with Saxe-Meiningen. The county was occupied with troops of both duchies and at the end of the war all of the county was devastated and ruined.
Because of his intolerable fiscal charges, in 1717 an open revolt developed in the duchy.
In Erbach
Erbach
-Places:*Erbach, a constituent community of Bad Camberg in Hesse*Erbach an der Donau, town in Baden-Württemberg**Erbach Castle, castle in Erbach an der Donau*Erbach im Odenwald, town in Hesse**Erbacher Schloss, castle in Erbach im Odenwald...
on 4 February 1704, Ernst Frederick married Countess Sophia Albertine of Erbach-Erbach
Countess Sophia Albertine of Erbach-Erbach
Sophia Albertine, Countess of Erbach-Erbach , was Countess of erbach-erbach by birth and by marriage Duchess of Saxe-Hildburghausen...
. They had fourteen children:
- Ernst Ludwig Hollandinus (b. Hildburghausen, 24 November 1704 - d. Hildburghausen, 26 November 1704).
- Sophie Amalie Elisabeth (b. Hildburghausen, 5 October 1705 - d. Hildburghausen, 28 February 1708).
- Ernst Ludwig (b. Hildburghausen, 6 February 1707 - d. Hildburghausen, 17 April 1707).
- Ernst Frederick II, Duke of Saxe-HildburghausenErnst Frederick II, Duke of Saxe-HildburghausenErnst Frederick II, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen , was a duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen.-Young Duke:...
(b. Hildburghausen, 17 December 1707 - d. Hildburghausen, 13 August 1745). - Frederick August (b. Hildburghausen, 8 May 1709 - d. Hildburghausen, 1710).
- Ludwig Frederick (b. Hildburghausen, 11 September 1710 - d. Nimwegen, 10 June 1759), married on 4 May 1749 to Christine Luise von Holstein-Plön. This marriage was childless.
- Stillborn son (Hildburghausen, 2 August 1711).
- Stillborn son (Hildburghausen, 24 August 1712).
- Elisabeth Albertine (b. Hildburghausen, 3 August 1713 - d. Neustrelitz, 29 June 1761), married on 5 May 1735 to Karl Ludwig Frederick of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Herr of MirowMirowMirow is a city in the district of Mecklenburgische Seenplatte in southern Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany.-Geography:Mirow lies in the middle of the Mecklenburg Lake District on the southern shore of Lake Mirow, which is connected to the Müritz and the Havel by a system of lakes, rivers,...
. - Emanuel Frederick Karl (b. Hildburghausen, 26 March 1715 - d. Hildburghausen, 29 June 1718).
- Elisabeth Sophie (b. Hildburghausen, 13 September 1717 - d. Hildburghausen, 14 October 1717).
- Stillborn son (Hildburghausen, 17 March 1719).
- Georg Frederick Wilhelm (b. Hildburghausen, 15 July 1720 - d. Hildburghausen, 10 April 1721).
- Stillborn son (Hildburghausen, 15 December 1721).