John Ernest IV, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld

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Johann Ernst of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.

Johann Ernst, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (b. Gotha, 22 August 1658 - d. Saalfeld, 17 February 1729) was a duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.

He was the tenth but seventh surviving son of Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha and Elisabeth Sophie of Saxe-Altenburg.

After the death of the father in 1675, Johann Ernst initially governed the duchy of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, jointly with his six older brothers, as set out in their father's will. However, in 1680 the brothers concluded a treaty dividing the paternal lands and Johann Ernst became duke of Saxe-Saalfeld, with the towns of Gräfenthal, Probstzella and Pössneck. As he was the youngest, he kept the smallest portion of the lands; Johann Ernst and his brother Ernst soon found themselves financially overstretched as a result of the partition (the income of their eldest brother, Frederick, far exceeded the income of Johann Ernst), and they both made a protest. Over the following years, the controversy continued and increased, as their older brothers Albrecht of Saxe-Coburg, Heinrich of Saxe-Römhild and Christian of Saxe-Eisenberg died without male heirs. During these years, Johann Ernst took possession of Coburg (in 1699), Römhild and 5/12 of Themar (in 1714).

The "Coburg-Eisenberg-Römhilder Erbstreit" was finally resolved (after repeated intervention and arbitration by the emperor) in 1735, six years after the death of Johann Ernst. His descendants retained Coburg. The decision was generally accepted, most importantly by his older brother Bernhard, who also had a claim to Coburg.

In Merseburg on 18 February 1680, Johann Ernst married firstly Sophia Hedwig of Saxe-Merseburg. They had five children:

Christiane Sofie (b. Saalfeld, 14 June 1681 - d. Saalfeld, 3 June 1697).
stillborn son (Saalfeld, 6 May 1682).
Christian Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (b. Saalfeld, 18 August 1683 - d. Saalfeld, 4 September 1745).
Charlotte Wilhelmine (b. Saalfeld, 4 May 1685 - d. Hanau, 5 April 1767), married on 26 December 1705 Philipp Reinhard of Hanau-Lichtenberg.
stillborn son (Saalfeld, 6 August 1686).

In Maastricht on 2 December 1690 Johann Ernst married secondly Charlotte Johanna of Waldeck and Pyrmont. They had eight children:

Wilhelm Frederick (b. Arolsen, 16 August 1691 - d. Saalfeld, 28 July 1720).
Karl Ernst (b. Saalfeld, 12 September 1692 - d. Cremona, 30 December 1720).
Sofie Wilhelmine (b. Saalfeld, 9 August 1693 - d. Rudolstadt, 4 December 1727), married on 8 February 1720 Frederick Anton of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt.
Henriette Albertine (b. Saalfeld, 8 July 1694 - d. Saalfeld, 1 April 1695).
Luise Emilie (b. Saalfeld, 24 August 1695 - d. Coburg, 21 August 1713).
Charlotte (b. Saalfeld, 30 October 1696 - d. Saalfeld, 2 November 1696).
Franz Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (b. Saalfeld, 25 September 1697 - d. Rodach, 16 September 1764).
Henriette Albertine (b. Saalfeld, 20 November 1698 - d. Coburg, 5 February 1728).