Frederick I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
Encyclopedia
Frederick I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (Gotha
, 15 July 1646 – Friedrichswerth
, 2 August 1691), 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 (1672), he made Frederick the regent of that duchy. In 1674 Ernst, who was already ill, made Frederick the regent of his entire lands.
After the death of his father (1675) Frederick assumed the throne of both duchies. However, on the basis of his family's house law, he had to allow his six younger brothers to take part in the government. At first, they agreed to a common household of all seven brothers in the Schloss Friedenstein, though this arrangement endured only until 1676.
Afterwards, negotiations began for the division of the paternal inheritance. This was finally accomplished on 24 February 1680; Frederick kept Gotha
, Tenneberg, Wachsenburg, Ichtershausen
, Georgenthal
, Schwarzwald, Reinhardsbrunn
, Volkenrode, Oberkranichfeld, Orlamünde
, Altenburg
and Tonna
. These towns virtually formed the old duchy of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg. They consisted of three large and coherent areas around Gotha, Kahla
and Altenburg, as well as six smaller enclaves.
Frederick continued the work of his father. In order to prevent future disputes between his descendants, he established primogeniture
for his house in 1685 (with Imperial assent granted in 1688). Around 1680 he established himself in the Lustschloss Friedrichswerth, near the village of Erffa, approximately 20 km of Gotha, which was renamed in his honour Friedrichswerth
.
In 1683 Frederick created the (still in existence today) Theatre of Gotha (Gothaer Schloßtheater). He was also an eager diary writer; these diaries became one of the most important sources of his time. Frederick took part in the Great Turkish War
against the Turks, and in the War of the Grand Alliance
against France. He ruined the finances of his small duchy, however, using them to maintain a standing army, which by the time of his death counted over 10,000 men.
on 14 November 1669, Magdalene Sibylle of Saxe-Weissenfels. They had eight children:
In Ansbach
on 14 August 1681, Frederick married secondly Christine of Baden-Durlach
. They had no 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...
, 15 July 1646 – Friedrichswerth
Friedrichswerth
Friedrichswerth is a municipality in the district of Gotha, in Thuringia, Germany....
, 2 August 1691), was a duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg was a duchy ruled by the Ernestine branch of the House of Wettin in today's Thuringia, Germany.It was nominally created in 1672 when Frederick William III, the last duke of Saxe-Altenburg, died and Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha , inherited the major part of his possessions...
. 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 (1672), he made Frederick the regent of that duchy. In 1674 Ernst, who was already ill, made Frederick the regent of his entire lands.
After the death of his father (1675) Frederick assumed the throne of both duchies. However, on the basis of his family's house law, he had to allow his six younger brothers to take part in the government. At first, they agreed to a common household of all seven brothers in the Schloss Friedenstein, though this arrangement endured only until 1676.
Afterwards, negotiations began for the division of the paternal inheritance. This was finally accomplished on 24 February 1680; Frederick kept Gotha
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...
, Tenneberg, Wachsenburg, Ichtershausen
Ichtershausen
Ichtershausen is a municipality in the district Ilm-Kreis, in Thuringia, Germany....
, Georgenthal
Georgenthal
Georgenthal is a municipality in the district of Gotha, in Thuringia, Germany....
, Schwarzwald, Reinhardsbrunn
Reinhardsbrunn
Reinhardsbrunn in Friedrichroda near Gotha, in Thuringia in Germany, is the site of a formerly prominent Benedictine abbey extant between 1085 and 1525, and, from 1827, of a royal castle and park of the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha family.-Monastery:...
, Volkenrode, Oberkranichfeld, Orlamünde
Orlamünde
Orlamünde is a town in the Saale-Holzland district, in Thuringia, Germany. It is situated at the confluence of the rivers Saale and Orla, 17 km south of Jena. It was the centre of a county, often united to Weimar, in the Early Middle Ages....
, Altenburg
Altenburg
Altenburg is a town in the German federal state of Thuringia, 45 km south of Leipzig. It is the capital of the Altenburger Land district.-Geography:...
and Tonna
Tonna, Germany
Tonna is a municipality in the district of Gotha, in Thuringia, Germany....
. These towns virtually formed the old duchy of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg. They consisted of three large and coherent areas around Gotha, Kahla
Kahla
Kahla is also the name of a village in Iran's Zanjan Province.----Kahla is a town in the Saale-Holzland district, in Thuringia, Germany. It is situated on the river Saale, 14 km south of Jena....
and Altenburg, as well as six smaller enclaves.
Frederick continued the work of his father. In order to prevent future disputes between his descendants, he established primogeniture
Primogeniture
Primogeniture is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn to inherit the entire estate, to the exclusion of younger siblings . Historically, the term implied male primogeniture, to the exclusion of females...
for his house in 1685 (with Imperial assent granted in 1688). Around 1680 he established himself in the Lustschloss Friedrichswerth, near the village of Erffa, approximately 20 km of Gotha, which was renamed in his honour Friedrichswerth
Friedrichswerth
Friedrichswerth is a municipality in the district of Gotha, in Thuringia, Germany....
.
In 1683 Frederick created the (still in existence today) Theatre of Gotha (Gothaer Schloßtheater). He was also an eager diary writer; these diaries became one of the most important sources of his time. Frederick took part in the Great Turkish War
Great Turkish War
The Great Turkish War refers to a series of conflicts between the Ottoman Empire and contemporary European powers, then joined into a Holy League, during the second half of the 17th century.-1667–1683:...
against the Turks, and in the War of the Grand Alliance
War of the Grand Alliance
The Nine Years' War – often called the War of the Grand Alliance, the War of the Palatine Succession, or the War of the League of Augsburg – was a major war of the late 17th century fought between King Louis XIV of France, and a European-wide coalition, the Grand Alliance, led by the Anglo-Dutch...
against France. He ruined the finances of his small duchy, however, using them to maintain a standing army, which by the time of his death counted over 10,000 men.
Ancestry
Marriage and children
Frederick married firstly in HalleHalle, Saxony-Anhalt
Halle is the largest city in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. It is also called Halle an der Saale in order to distinguish it from the town of Halle in North Rhine-Westphalia...
on 14 November 1669, Magdalene Sibylle of Saxe-Weissenfels. They had eight children:
- Anna SophieAnna Sophie of Saxe-Gotha-AltenburgDuchess Anna Sophie of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg was a princess of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg and Duchess in Saxony.-Ancestry:...
(b. Gotha, 22 December 1670 - d. Rudolstadt, 28 December 1728), married on 15 October 1691 to Ludwig Frederick I, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. - Magdalene Sibylle (b. Gotha, 30 September 1671 - d. Altenburg, 2 March 1673).
- Dorothea MarieDorothea Marie of Saxe-Gotha-AltenburgDorothea Marie of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg was the wife of Ernst Ludwig I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen. She was the daughter of Frederick I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg and his first wife, Magdalena Sybille of Saxe-Weissenfels. She married Ernst Ludwig I on the 19 September 1704.-Issue:#Josef Bernhard...
(b. Gotha, 22 January 1674 - d. Meiningen, 18 April 1713), married on 19 September 1704 to Ernst Ludwig I, Duke of Saxe-MeiningenErnst Ludwig I, Duke of Saxe-MeiningenErnst Ludwig I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen was a German nobleman.-Biography:He was born in Gotha, the eldest son of Bernhard I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen, and his first wife, Marie Hedwig of Hesse-Darmstadt....
. - Fredericka (b. Gotha, 24 March 1675 - d. Karlsbad, 28 May 1709), married on 25 May 1702 to Johann August, Prince of Anhalt-ZerbstJohn Augustus, Prince of Anhalt-ZerbstJohn Augustus, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst....
. - Frederick II, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-AltenburgFrederick II, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-AltenburgFrederick II, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg , was a duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg.He was the fifth child and first son of Frederick I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg and Magdalene Sibylle of Saxe-Weissenfels....
(b. Gotha, 28 July 1676 - d. Altenburg, 23 March 1732). - Johann Wilhelm (b. Gotha, 4 October 1677 - killed in battle, Toulon, 15 August 1707), General Imperial.
- Elisabeth (b. Gotha, 7 February 1679 - d. of smallpox, Gotha, 22 June 1680).
- Johanna (b. Gotha, 1 October 1680 - d. Strelitz, 9 July 1704), married on 20 June 1702 to Adolf Frederick II, Duke of Mecklenburg-StrelitzAdolf Frederick II, Duke of Mecklenburg-StrelitzAdolf Friedrich II was the first Duke of Mecklenburg reigning from 1701 to his death. His state was part of the Holy Roman Empire.-Biography:...
.
In Ansbach
Ansbach
Ansbach, originally Onolzbach, is a town in Bavaria, Germany. It is the capital of the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Ansbach is situated southwest of Nuremberg and north of Munich, on the Fränkische Rezat, a tributary of the Main river. As of 2004, its population was 40,723.Ansbach...
on 14 August 1681, Frederick married secondly Christine of Baden-Durlach
Christine of Baden-Durlach
Christine of Baden-Durlach was a German noblewoman.She was a daughter of Frederick VI, Margrave of Baden-Durlach and his wife Christina Magdalena of the Palatinate-Zweibrücken. Her first marriage was to Albert II, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach...
. They had no children.