House of Saxony-Meiningen

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Coat of arms of the House of Saxony-Meiningen
Elisabethenburg residential palace

The House of Saxony-Meiningen is a German princely house that ruled the Duchy of Saxony-Meiningen . It was a branch of the Ernestines , which in turn form the older branch of the House of Wettin . Their residence was the city of Meiningen in what is now southern Thuringia .

The first Duke of the House of Saxe-Meiningen was Bernhard I , the third son of Duke Ernst I of Saxe-Gotha (1601–1675) and his wife Elisabeth Sophia (1619–1680). The family ruled Saxony-Meiningen as dukes from 1680 until they lost their throne in the November Revolution of 1918, like all German dynasties.

The family still exists today, its current head is Friedrich-Konrad Prince of Saxony-Meiningen .

Dukes of Saxe-Meiningen

Surname Life dates Government data married to Remarks
Bernhard I. 1649-1706 1680-1706 first marriage to Marie Hedwig von Hessen-Darmstadt

second marriage to Elisabeth Eleonore von Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel

Ernst Ludwig I. 1672-1724 1706-1724 first marriage to Dorothea Maria von Sachsen-Gotha-Altenburg

second marriage to Elisabeth Sophie von Brandenburg

Ernst Ludwig II. 1709-1729 1724-1729 died before the age of majority under the tutelage of Friedrich Wilhelm (Sachsen-Meiningen)
and Friedrich II. (Sachsen-Gotha-Altenburg)
Karl Friedrich 1712-1743 1729-1743 unmarried under the tutelage of Friedrich Wilhelm (Sachsen-Meiningen)
and Friedrich II. (Sachsen-Gotha-Altenburg)
Friedrich Wilhelm 1679-1746 1743-1746 unmarried as early as 1724 guardian of the dukes Ernst Ludwig II and
Karl Friedrich, ruled together with Anton Ulrich
Anton Ulrich 1687-1763 1743-1763 first marriage to Philippine Elisabeth Caesar ( Morganatic marriage )

second marriage to Charlotte Amalie von Hessen-Philippsthal

ruled from 1743 to 1746 together with Friedrich Wilhelm
Karl 1754-1782 1763-1782 Princess Luise (1764–1834) Stolberg-Geldern until 1775 under the tutelage of his mother Charlotte Amalie
until 1782 together with her, 1782 with Georg I.
George I. 1761-1803 1782-1803 Louise Eleonore zu Hohenlohe-Langenburg 1782 together with his brother Karl
ruled in enlightened absolutism
Bernhard II. 1800-1882 1803-1866 Marie of Hessen-Kassel until 1821 under the tutelage of his mother Louise Eleonore
had to abdicate in 1866 after the German war
George II 1826-1914 1866-1914 first marriage to Charlotte of Prussia

in second marriage with Feodora zu Hohenlohe-Langenburg
in third marriage with Ellen Franz (Helene Freifrau von Heldburg)

Theater duke
Bernhard III. 1851-1928 1914-1918 Charlotte of Prussia Brother-in-law of Kaiser Wilhelm II.
Last ruling duke

Heads of the House of Sachsen-Meiningen since 1918

Surname Life dates Head of family married to Remarks
Bernhard III. 1851-1928 1918-1928 Charlotte of Prussia (1860-1919) until 1918 last duke
son of George II and Charlotte of Prussia (1831–1855)
Ernst of Saxe-Meiningen 1859-1941 1928-1941 Katharina Jensen (1874–1945) Artist (painter) and colonel
son of Georg II and Feodora zu Hohenlohe-Langenburg; 1914–1918 Hereditary Prince of the Duchy
George of Saxe-Meiningen 1892-1946 1928-1946 Klara Maria Countess von Korff called Schmising-Kerssenbrock also Georg III., son of Friedrich von Sachsen-Meiningen
Bernhard of Saxe-Meiningen 1901-1984 1946-1984 first marriage (1931–1947) with Margot Grössler (1911–1998)

second marriage (from 1948) to Vera Freiin Schäffer von Bernstein (1914–1994)

youngest son of Friedrich von Sachsen-Meiningen
Friedrich-Konrad of Saxe-Meiningen * 1952 since 1984 Son of Bernhard von Sachsen-Meiningen,
great-grandson of Georg II.

Other well-known members of the Princely House

literature