Francis, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld

Francis
Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
Reign 1800–1806
Predecessor Ernest Frederick
Successor Ernest III
Spouse Princess Sophie of Saxe-Hildburghausen
Countess Augusta of Reuss-Ebersdorf
Issue
Princess Sophie Fredericka, Countess von Mensdorff-Pouilly
Antoinette, Duchess Alexander of Württemberg
Grand Duchess Anna Feodorovna of Russia
Ernest I
Prince Ferdinand Georg
Victoria, Duchess of Kent and Strathearn
Princess Marianne
Leopold I of Belgium
Prince Franz Maximilian
Full name
(German: Franz Frederick Anton)
(English: Francis Frederick Anthony)
House House of Wettin
Father Ernst Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
Mother Sophia Antonia of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
Born 15 July 1750(1750-07-15)
Coburg
Died 9 December 1806(1806-12-09) (aged 56)
Coburg
Religion Lutheranism

Franz Frederick Anton, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (Coburg, 15 July 1750 – Coburg, 9 December 1806), was a duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. He is a patrilineal ancestor of Elizabeth II, Albert II of Belgium and Simeon B. Sakskoburggotski, former tsar (Simeon II) and prime minister of Bulgaria.

Contents

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Biography

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. As a result of this training, he became 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. In 1805, he bought back the Schloss Rosenau as a summer residence for his family; due to an administration of the debts of his father, Ernst Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, the property had passed out of the family.

First marriage

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

Second marriage and children

In Ebersdorf on 13 June 1777, Franz Frederick married Augusta Reuss of Ebersdorf und Lobenstein. They had ten children, seven of whom survived to adulthood:

Name Date of birth Date of death Age at death Notes
Sophie Fredericka Caroline Luise 19 August 1778, in Coburg 8 July 1835, in Tušimice, Bohemia 56 years Married on 23 February 1804 to Emmanuel von Mensdorff-Pouilly (later Count von Mensdorff-Pouilly).
Antoinette Ernestine Amalie 28 August 1779, in Coburg 14 March 1824, in St. Petersburg 44 years Married on 17 November 1798 to Alexander of Württemberg.
Juliane Henriette Ulrike (upon her marriage, she took the name Anna Feodorovna in a Russian Orthodox baptism) 23 September 1781, in Coburg 15 August 1860, in Elfenau, near Berne, Switzerland 78 years Married on 26 February 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 2 January 1784, in Coburg 29 January 1844, in Gotha 60 years The father of Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria.
Ferdinand Georg August 28 March 1785, in Coburg 27 August 1851, in Vienna 66 years The father of Ferdinand II of Portugal and Victoria, Duchess of Nemours.
Marie Luise Victoria 17 August 1786, in Coburg 16 March 1861, in Frogmore House 74 years Married on 11 July 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 7 August 1788, in Coburg 23 August 1794, in Coburg 6 years
Leopold Georg Christian Frederick 16 December 1790, in Coburg 10 December 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 12 December 1792, in Coburg 3 January 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 VII 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. He was also the maternal grandfather of Queen Victoria. Furthermore, a great-grandson ruled as Ferdinand I of Bulgaria.

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 Juliane of Barby-Mühlingen
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
5. Princess 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 Zweibrücken
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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
 
 
 
 
 
 

References

Francis, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
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