Sophie von Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel
Princess Sophie Antoinette of Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel-Bevern (born January 24, 1724 Wolfenbüttel ; † May 17, 1802 Coburg ) was a princess who came from the Guelph family and was duchess of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld through her marriage .
biography
Youth in Wolfenbüttel
Sophie Antoinette, also known as Sophie Antonia , was born either on January 13th or January 24th, 1724. In general, however, the date of birth is assumed to be January 24th. Sophie was the daughter of Ferdinand Albrecht II , Prince of Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel-Bevern, and his wife, Princess Antoinette Amalie of Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel . Her father's court was very modest for the circumstances at the time, but Sophie Antoinette had a happy childhood at Salzdahlum Castle .
family
Sophie Antoinette was a direct cousin of Tsar Peters II and the Empress Maria Theresa through her mother . By marrying her sister Elisabeth , she was a sister-in-law of King Friedrich II of Prussia. Through the marriage of her sister Luise Amalie to August Wilhelm , a brother of Friedrich II, she was the aunt of Friedrich Wilhelm II.
Since the princess was related to almost every ruling royal house in Europe, she received numerous wedding proposals. However, Sophie was neither pretty nor outwardly attractive, so many applications were withdrawn. Through contacts with her brother Carl , she found a marriage candidate in Ernst Friedrich von Sachsen-Coburg-Saalfeld . The Hereditary Prince, of the same age, was like Sophie a person with charity, but was unsuccessful with women, because they mocked him because of his appearance. Ernst was delighted with Sophie and they both got engaged in 1749. In the same year, on April 23rd, the two married in Coburg. The marriage was considered happy and Sophie Antoinette gave birth to seven children:
- Franz (* July 15, 1750 in Ehrenburg Castle , Coburg; † December 9, 1806 in Coburg), Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
- ⚭ 1. 1776 Princess Sophie of Saxony-Hildburghausen (1760–1776)
- ⚭ 2. 1777 Countess Auguste Reuss zu Ebersdorf (1757–1831)
- Karl (born November 21, 1751 in Ehrenburg Castle, Coburg; † September 24, 1757 in Coburg)
- Friederike Juliane (* / † September 24, 1752 in Coburg)
- Caroline Ulrike Amalie (born October 19, 1753 in Coburg; † October 1, 1829 there)
- Ludwig Karl Friedrich (born January 2, 1755 Coburg ; † May 4, 1806 ibid)
- Ferdinand August Heinrich (born April 12, 1756 in Coburg; † July 8, 1758 ibid)
- Friedrich (* / † March 4, 1758)
Her great-grandchildren are: Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha , Victoria of Great Britain , Ferdinand II of Portugal , Charlotte of Belgium and Leopold II of Belgium . She was also the grandmother of Leopold I of Belgium .
Sophie died two years after Ernst in Coburg.
Duchess of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
Ernst Friedrich succeeded his father in 1764 as Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, who had left behind considerable debts, and finally moved the residence to Coburg. Because of the country's high debt, Emperor Joseph II set up a debit commission for the administration of compulsory debt in 1773 , which worked for over thirty years. The commission was headed first by Prince Joseph Friedrich von Sachsen-Hildburghausen , later by Duke Ernst II. Von Sachsen-Gotha . Ernst Friedrich was given an annual income of 12,000 thalers. The Duke introduced the number lottery in 1768 to financially support the breeding and orphanage. He also promoted agriculture. The writer Moritz August von Thümmel acted as his chamberlain .
literature
- Christoph Timotheus Seidel, Ernst Friederich, Sachsen Herzog: On the Feyerliche Speech, in which because of the happy marriage of [...] Ernst Friederich, Duke of Saxony [...] with [...] Sophie Antoinette on April 23, 1749 in Wolfenbüttel , bored Duchess of Brunswick and Lüneburg & c. The German Society of Helmstädt wants to show its most submissive awe and joy through Carl Friederich Meyer of the worldly wisdom and divine wisdom of the devoted [...] on May 5 [...]; all […] friends […] are invited by Christoph Timotheus Seidel of the Holy Scriptures Doct. and first public teacher, the German Society Vorsteher. Schnorr, Helmstädt 1749, OCLC 255033115 ( online ).
- Christoph Timotheus Seidel, Ernst Friederich, Saxony Herzog: That the character of a prince can also be recognized from his marriage: a public speech of the completed High Wedding of [...] Ernst Friederich, Duke of Saxony [...] with the [...] Sophie Antoinette , Bored Duchess of Brunswick and Lüneburg & c. Dedicated to Schnorr, Helmstädt 1749, OCLC 255036616 ( online ) as a memorial […] by the German Society of Helmstädt .
Individual evidence
- ↑ Christian Fürchtegott Gellert , John F. Reynolds (ed.): CF Gellert's correspondence. Volume 4. Walter de Gruyter, 1996, ISBN 3-11-014609-6 , p. 876.
Web links
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Sophie von Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Sophie Antoinette of Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Duchess of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld |
| DATE OF BIRTH | January 24, 1724 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Wolfenbüttel |
| DATE OF DEATH | May 17, 1802 |
| Place of death | Coburg |