Francis Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld

Francis Josias
Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
Portrait of Franz Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
Reign 1745–1764
Predecessor Christian Ernest
Successor Ernest Frederick
Spouse Anna Sophie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
Issue
Ernest Frederick
Prince Johann Wilhelm
Princess Anna Sophie
Prince Christian Franz
Charlotte Sophie, Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Princess Fredericka Magdalene
Princess Fredericka Caroline
Prince Josias
House House of Wettin
Father John Ernest IV, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
Mother Charlotte Johanne of Waldeck-Pyrmont
Born 25 September 1697(1697-09-25)
Saalfeld
Died 16 September 1764(1764-09-16) (aged 66)
Rodach
Religion Lutheranism

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

He was the fourth living son of John Ernest IV, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, the third born by his father's second wife Charlotte Johanne of Waldeck-Pyrmont.

During his youth, Francis Josias served in the Imperial Army.

The death of his two older brothers Wilhelm Frederick (28 July 1720) and Charles Ernest (30 December 1720) made him the second in line in the succession of the duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, preceded only by his older half-brother, Christian Ernest.

When Christian Ernest married unequally in 1724, Francis Josias claimed the sole inheritance of the duchy. His father's will (1729) however compelled him rule jointly with his brother. In 1735, the support of the line of Saxe-Meiningen allowed him to effectively rule over Coburg on his own right, and Christian Ernest's death in 1745 made him the sole Duke. Already in 1733 he was proclaimed primogeniture in the duchy, which however was confirmed 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.

Ancestry

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
16. Johann Wilhelm, Duke of Saxe-Weimar
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
8. John II, Duke of Saxe-Weimar
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
17. Dorothea Susanne of Simmern
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4. Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha and Altenburg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
18. Joachim Ernest, Prince of Anhalt
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
9. Dorothea Maria of Anhalt
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
19. Eleonore of Württemberg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2. John Ernest IV, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
20. Frederick Wilhelm I, Duke of Saxe-Weimar
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
10. Johann Philipp, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
21. Anna Maria of the Palatinate-Neuburg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
5. Elisabeth Sophie of Saxe-Altenburg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
22. Heinrich Julius, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
11. Elisabeth of Brünswick-Wolfenbüttel
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
23. Elisabeth of Denmark
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1. Francis Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
24. Christian, Count at Waldeck-Wildungen
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
12. Philipp VII, Count of Waldeck-Wildungen
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
25. Elisabeth von Nassau-Siegen
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
6. Josias II, Count of Waldeck and Pyrmont
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
26. Wilhelm II, Count of Sayn-Wittgenstein
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
13. Anna of Sayn-Wittgenstein
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
27. Anna Ottilie of Nassau-Weilburg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3. Charlotte Johanne of Waldeck-Pyrmont
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
28. John VII, Count of Nassau-Siegen
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
14. Wilhelm, Count of Nassau-Siegen
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
29. Countess Magdalena of Waldeck-Wildungen
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
7. Wilhelmine Christine of Nassau-Siegen
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
30. George III, Count of Erbach
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
15. Christina, Countess of Erbach
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
31. Maria of Barby-Mühlingen
 
 
 
 
 
 

Issue

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

  1. Ernst Frederick (b. Saalfeld, 8 March 1724 - d. Coburg, 8 September 1800).
  2. Johann Wilhelm (b. Coburg, 11 May 1726 - killed in battle, Hohenfriedberg, 4 June 1745).
  3. Anna Sophie (b. Coburg, 3 September 1727 - d. Coburg, 10 November 1728).
  4. Christian Franz (b. Coburg, 25 January 1730 - d. Coburg, 18 September 1797).
  5. Charlotte Sophie (b. Coburg, 24 September 1731 - d. Schwerin, 2 August 1810), married on 13 May 1755 to Ludwig of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.
  6. Fredericka Magdalene (b. Coburg, 21 August 1733 - d. Coburg, 29 March 1734).
  7. 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.
  8. Frederick Josias (b. Ehrenburg Palace, Coburg, 26 December 1737 - d. Coburg, 26 February 1815).
Francis Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
Born: 25 September 1697 Died: 16 September 1764
Regnal titles
Preceded by
Christian Ernest
Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
1745–1764
Succeeded by
Ernest Frederick

External links