Prince August of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
Encyclopedia
Prince August of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (14 August 1747, Gotha
– 28 September 1806, Gotha) was a German prince of the Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg line of the Ernestine Wettins and a patron of the arts during the Age of Enlightenment
.
and his wife Princess Luise Dorothea of Saxe-Meiningen. Their mother made sure both August and his brother Ernest received a good education in literature, science and cameralism. He and Ernest also travelled to the Netherlands and England between 1768 and 1769.
August's parents had planned a military career for him, but he gave this up in 1769, handing over his Gotha infantry regiment in 's-Hertogenbosch to his nephew Frederick
. August then took a Grand Tour
to Italy from 1771 to 1777 and got to know Voltaire
in Geneva
. In 1777 he was also in London as one of three godparents to Princess Sophia of the United Kingdom
, his first cousin once-removed (Sophia's father's mother Augusta
was August's father's younger sister).
Considered to be an enlightened, open-minded and progressive prince, he gathered a witty circle around him at his palace in Gotha
from 1778 onwards. He was also considered as one of the most important translator of French literature into Weimar Classicism
. He also had a lively correspondence with Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
, Johann Gottfried Herder
and Christoph Martin Wieland
, being considered a particular supporter of Wieland, to whose Oberon
he was especially devoted.
(ADB). Band 1, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1875, S. 681. Götz Eckardt (Hrsg.): Das italienische Reisetagebuch des Prinzen August von Sachsen-Gotha-Altenburg, des Freundes von Herder, Wieland und Goethe. Stendal 1985
Gotha
-Places:* Gotha , a town in Thuringia, Germany* Gotha , in Thuringia, Germany* Gotha, Ethiopia* Gotha, Florida, a town in the United States* Saxe-Gotha, a former Thuringian duchy* Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, a former Thuringian duchy...
– 28 September 1806, Gotha) was a German prince of the Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg line of the Ernestine Wettins and a patron of the arts during the Age of Enlightenment
Age of Enlightenment
The Age of Enlightenment was an elite cultural movement of intellectuals in 18th century Europe that sought to mobilize the power of reason in order to reform society and advance knowledge. It promoted intellectual interchange and opposed intolerance and abuses in church and state...
.
Life
He was the youngest child of Frederick III, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-AltenburgFrederick III, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
Frederick III, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg , was a duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg.-Biography:He was the eldest son of Frederick II, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg and Magdalene Augusta of Anhalt-Zerbst....
and his wife Princess Luise Dorothea of Saxe-Meiningen. Their mother made sure both August and his brother Ernest received a good education in literature, science and cameralism. He and Ernest also travelled to the Netherlands and England between 1768 and 1769.
August's parents had planned a military career for him, but he gave this up in 1769, handing over his Gotha infantry regiment in 's-Hertogenbosch to his nephew Frederick
Frederick IV, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
Frederick IV, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg , was the last duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg....
. August then took a Grand Tour
Grand Tour
The Grand Tour was the traditional trip of Europe undertaken by mainly upper-class European young men of means. The custom flourished from about 1660 until the advent of large-scale rail transit in the 1840s, and was associated with a standard itinerary. It served as an educational rite of passage...
to Italy from 1771 to 1777 and got to know Voltaire
Voltaire
François-Marie Arouet , better known by the pen name Voltaire , was a French Enlightenment writer, historian and philosopher famous for his wit and for his advocacy of civil liberties, including freedom of religion, free trade and separation of church and state...
in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
. In 1777 he was also in London as one of three godparents to Princess Sophia of the United Kingdom
Princess Sophia of the United Kingdom
The Princess Sophia was a member of the British Royal Family, the twelfth child and fifth daughter of King George III and Queen Charlotte...
, his first cousin once-removed (Sophia's father's mother Augusta
Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha
Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg was Princess of Wales between 1736 and 1751, and Dowager Princess of Wales thereafter. She was one of only three Princesses of Wales who never became queen consort...
was August's father's younger sister).
Considered to be an enlightened, open-minded and progressive prince, he gathered a witty circle around him at his palace in Gotha
Gotha
-Places:* Gotha , a town in Thuringia, Germany* Gotha , in Thuringia, Germany* Gotha, Ethiopia* Gotha, Florida, a town in the United States* Saxe-Gotha, a former Thuringian duchy* Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, a former Thuringian duchy...
from 1778 onwards. He was also considered as one of the most important translator of French literature into Weimar Classicism
Weimar Classicism
Weimar Classicism is a cultural and literary movement of Europe. Followers attempted to establish a new humanism by synthesizing Romantic, classical and Enlightenment ideas...
. He also had a lively correspondence with Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was a German writer, pictorial artist, biologist, theoretical physicist, and polymath. He is considered the supreme genius of modern German literature. His works span the fields of poetry, drama, prose, philosophy, and science. His Faust has been called the greatest long...
, Johann Gottfried Herder
Johann Gottfried Herder
Johann Gottfried von Herder was a German philosopher, theologian, poet, and literary critic. He is associated with the periods of Enlightenment, Sturm und Drang, and Weimar Classicism.-Biography:...
and Christoph Martin Wieland
Christoph Martin Wieland
Christoph Martin Wieland was a German poet and writer.- Biography :He was born at Oberholzheim , which then belonged to the Free Imperial City of Biberach an der Riss in the south-east of the modern-day state of Baden-Württemberg...
, being considered a particular supporter of Wieland, to whose Oberon
Oberon (poem)
Oberon is an epic poem by the German writer Christoph Martin Wieland. It was based on the epic romance Huon de Bordeaux, a French medieval tale. It first appeared in 1780 and went through seven rewrites before its final form was published in 1796...
he was especially devoted.
Sources
Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie
Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie is one of the most important and most comprehensive biographical reference works in the German language....
(ADB). Band 1, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1875, S. 681. Götz Eckardt (Hrsg.): Das italienische Reisetagebuch des Prinzen August von Sachsen-Gotha-Altenburg, des Freundes von Herder, Wieland und Goethe. Stendal 1985