Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Duchy of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
Herzogtum Sachsen-Gotha-Altenburg
|
|||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1672–1825 | |||||||||||||
Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, shown within the other Ernestine duchies, 1826
|
|||||||||||||
| Status | State of the Holy Roman Empire, State of the Confederation of the Rhine, State of the German Confederation |
||||||||||||
| Government | Principality | ||||||||||||
| Historical era | Middle Ages | ||||||||||||
| 1672 1672 |
|||||||||||||
| 1825 1825 |
|||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (which in German is Sachsen-Gotha-Altenburg) was a small country. It existed in what is now the state of Thuringia in Germany. This duchy was a type of state ruled by a duke.
It was created in 1672 when two smaller areas, Saxe-Gotha and Saxe-Altenburg, joined together. This happened because Frederick Wilhelm III, the last ruler of Saxe-Altenburg, passed away. His lands were then inherited by Ernest I, who was the Duke of Saxe-Gotha. Ernest I was married to Frederick Wilhelm's cousin, Elisabeth Sophie.
After Ernest I died in 1675, his lands were divided among his sons. The Duchy of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg officially began in 1680. This was when Ernest's oldest son, Frederick, took control of the areas of Gotha and Altenburg.
Dukes of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
The Dukes were the rulers of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg. Here is a list of the dukes and when they ruled:
- Ernest I the Pious (1640-1675): He inherited Saxe-Altenburg in 1675, bringing the two areas together.
- Frederick I (1675-1691): He was Ernest the Pious's son. He was the first ruler to be officially called the Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg.
- Frederick II (1691-1732): He was Frederick I's son.
- Frederick III (1732-1772): He was Frederick II's son.
- Ernest II (1772-1804): He was Frederick III's son.
- Emil (1804-1822): He was Ernest II's son.
- Frederick IV (1822-1825): He was Emil's brother.
End of the Duchy
The family line of the Dukes of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg ended in 1825. Because there were no more direct heirs, the duchy was split up. The area of Saxe-Gotha went to Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. The area of Saxe-Altenburg went to the Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen.
Later, after World War I ended in 1918, the system of monarchies (countries ruled by kings or dukes) in Germany was abolished. In 1920, both Saxe-Gotha and Saxe-Altenburg became parts of the new German state called Thuringia.
Images for kids
-
Friedenstein Castle in Gotha was an important building in the duchy.
See also
In Spanish: Ducado de Sajonia-Gotha-Altemburgo para niños
