Francis Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld

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Portrait of Duke Franz Josias of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld

Franz Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (b. Saalfeld, 25 September 1697 - d. Rodach, 16 September 1764) was a duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.

He was the third (but fourth in order of birth) son of Johann Ernst, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld and Charlotte Johanne of Waldeck-Pyrmont, his second wife.

The death of his two older brothers Wilhelm Frederick (28 July 1720) and Karl Ernst (30 December 1720) make him the next in line in the succesion of the duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, preceded only by his older half-brother, Christian Ernst II.

During his youth, Franz Josias served into the Imperial Army. When Christian Ernst married unequally in 1724, he claimed the full inheritance of the duchy; but according to the testamentary determination of his father (1729), Franz Josias was compeled to co-rule with his brother. With the protection of the line of Saxe-Meiningen, he could take over the exclusive rule over Coburg from 1735. When Christian Ernst died childless in 1745, he became the only ruler over Coburg and Saalfeld. In 1733 Franz Josias inserted the right of the primogenitur in the duchy, but was approved by the emperor only in 1747. From 1750 to 1755, he was regent of the duchy of Saxe-Weimar on behalf of Ernst August II Konstantin.

In Rudolstadt on 2 January 1723 Franz Josias married with Anna Sophie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. They had eight children:

Ernst Frederick (b. Saalfeld, 8 March 1724 - d. Coburg, 8 September 1800).
Johann Wilhelm (b. Coburg, 11 May 1726 - killed in battle, Hohenfriedberg, 4 June 1745).
Anna Sophie (b. Coburg, 3 September 1727 - d. Coburg, 10 November 1728).
Christian Franz (b. Coburg, 25 January 1730 - d. Coburg, 18 September 1797).
Charlotte Sophie (b. Coburg, 24 September 1731 - d. Schwerin, 2 August 1810), married on 13 May 1755 to Ludwig of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.
Fredericka Magdalene (b. Coburg, 21 August 1733 - d. Coburg, 29 March 1734).
Fredericka Caroline (b. Coburg, 24 June 1735 - d. Schloß Schwaningen, 18 February 1791), married on 22 November 1754 to Karl Alexander, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach.
Frederick Josias (b. Schloß Ehrenburg, Coburg, 26 December 1737 - d. Coburg, 26 February 1815).