Francis, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld

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Franz Frederick Anton, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (b. Coburg, July 15, 1750 - d. Coburg, December 9, 1806), was a duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. He is a direct ancestor of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, Leopold II of Belgium, Carlota of Mexico, and King Albert II of Belgium .

He was the eldest son of Ernst Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld and Sophia Antonia of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel.

Franz Frederick succeeded his father in the duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld when he died in 1800.

He received a private, careful and comprehensive education. From this training, he became in a large art connoisseur. Franz Frederick is considered as the greatest collector of books and illustrations among the dukes of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (later Gotha). He laid the basis for a 300,000 picture collection of copperplate engravings in 1775, which can be visited today on the Veste Coburg and equipped the library of his residence with an extensive book collection. He bought in 1805 - only a few months before his death - the Schloss Rosenau as summer residence for his family.

[edit] Ancestry

16. Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha and Altenburg

8. John Ernest IV, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld

17. Elisabeth Sophie of Saxe-Altenburg

4. Francis Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld

18. Josias II, Count of Waldeck and Pyrmont

9. Charlotte Johanne of Waldeck-Pyrmont

19. Wilhelmine Christine of Nassau-Siegen

2. Ernest Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld

20. Albrecht Anton of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt

10. Ludwig Friedrich I, Duke of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt

21. Emilie Juliana of Barby-Mühlingen

5. Anna Sophie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt

22. Frederick I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg

11. Anna Sophie of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg

23. Magdalena Sibylle of Saxe-Weissenfels

1. Francis, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld

24. Augustus the Younger, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg

12. Ferdinand Albert I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg

25. Elisabeth Sofie of Mecklenburg-Gustrow

6. Ferdinand Albert II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg

26. Frederick, Landgrave of Hesse-Eschwege

13. Christine of Hesse-Eschwege

27. Eleonore Katharina of Zweibrucken

3. Sophia Antonia of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel

28. Anthony Ulrich, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel

14. Louis Rudolph, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg

29. Elizabeth Juliana of Schleswig-Holstein-Sønderborg-Nordborg

7. Antoinette Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg

30. Albert Ernest I, Prince of Oettingen-Oettingen

15. Christine Louise of Oettingen

31. Christiane Friederike of Württemburg-Stuttgart

[edit] First marriage

In Hildburghausen on March 6, 1776, Franz Frederick married Sophie of Saxe-Hildburghausen. She died on October 28, 1776, only seven months after her wedding. There were no children born from this marriage.

[edit] Second marriage and children

In Ebersdorf on June 13, 1777, Franz Frederick married Auguste Reuss of Ebersdorf und Lobenstein. They had ten children:

Name	Date of Birth	Date of Death	Age of Death	Notes
Sophie Fredericka Caroline Luise	August 19, 1778, in Coburg	July 8, 1835, in Tušimice, Bohemia	56 years	Married on February 23, 1804 to Emmanuel von Mensdorff-Pouilly (later Count von Mensdorff-Pouilly).
Antoinette Ernestine Amalie	August 28, 1779, in Coburg	March 14, 1824, in St. Petersburg	44 years	Married on November 17, 1798 to Alexander of Württemberg.
Juliane Henriette Ulrike [upon her marriage, she took the name Anna Feodorovna in a Russian Orthodox baptism]	September 23, 1781, in Coburg	August 15, 1860, in Elfenau, near Berne, Switzerland	78 years	Married on February 26, 1796 to Grand Duke Constantine Pavlovich of Russia, the younger brother of Czar Alexander I of Russia (they divorced in 1820).
Stillborn Son	1782	1782	-
Ernst I Anton Karl Ludwig, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha	January 2, 1784, in Coburg	January 29, 1844, in Gotha	60 years	The father of Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria.
Ferdinand Georg August	March 28, 1785, in Coburg	August 27, 1851, in Vienna	66 years	The father of Ferdinand II of Portugal and Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Kohary.
Marie Luise Viktoria	August 17, 1786, in Coburg	March 16, 1861, in Frogmore House	74 years	Married on July 11, 1818 to Prince Edward Augustus, Duke of Kent and Strathearn, the fourth son of King George III of Great Britain, the mother of Queen Victoria.
Marianne Charlotte	August 7, 1788, in Coburg	August 23, 1794, in Coburg	6 years
Leopold Georg Christian Frederick	December 16, 1790, in Coburg	December 10, 1865, in Laeken	75 years	First king of the Belgians under the name of Leopold I. His children included Leopold II of Belgium and Empress Carlota of Mexico.
Franz Maximilian Ludwig	December 12, 1792, in Coburg	January 3, 1793, in Coburg	22 days

His descendants established ruling houses in Belgium, United Kingdom, Portugal and Bulgaria. His son Leopold ruled as Leopold I of the Belgians. His male-line great-grandson reigned as Edward VIII of the United Kingdom. Another grandson, Ferdinand, reigned as jure uxoris king Ferdinand II of Portugal. His granddaughter, Leopold I of Belgium's daughter, was Empress Carlota of Mexico. Furthermore, a great-grandson ruled as Ferdinand I of Bulgaria.

Francis, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld House of Wettin Born: 15 July 1750 Died: 9 December 1806
Regnal titles
Preceded by Ernest Frederick	Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld 1800–1806	Succeeded by Ernest III