Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
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Ernst II August Karl Johannes Leopold Alexander Eduard, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (b. Coburg, June 21, 1818 - d. Reinhardsbrunn, August 22, 1893) was the second sovereign duke of the German duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.
He was the eldest son of Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and Louise of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg. He was also the older brother of Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria.
He married Alexandrine of Baden in Karlsruhe on 3 May 1842 but the marriage didn't produce any children.
In 1844 Ernst succeeded his father to the duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.
He died without any heirs and was succeeded by his nephew Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, his brother's second son. (Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, Ernst's eldest nephew, had renounced his claims to the duchy.)
The Duke had a reputation for being a strong friend of the United States, as did his brother Albert. He was, however, the only European sovereign to appoint a consul to the Confederate States of America.[1]
The Duke was also an amateur composer; his opera Diana von Solange was given to dismal reviews at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City in 1890.
| Preceded by Ernst I |
Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha 1844–1893 |
Succeeded by Alfred |
![[1]](http://memory.loc.gov/ll/llcc/005/0400/04240422.gif){kind=link}