Princess Charlotte of Saxe-Meiningen
Encyclopedia
Princess Marie Charlotte Amalie Ernestine Wilhelmine Philippine of Saxe-Meiningen (11 September 1751, Frankfurt am Main, Free Imperial City of Frankfurt
, Holy Roman Empire
– 25 April 1827, Genoa
, Kingdom of Sardinia
) was a member of the House of Saxe-Meiningen
and a Princess of Saxe-Meiningen by birth and a member of the House of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
and Duchess consort of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg through her marriage to Ernest II, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg.
and his second wife Landgravine Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Philippsthal
. Charlotte was an elder sister of Charles William, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen and George I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen.
and his wife Luise Dorothea of Saxe-Meiningen
, on 21 March 1769 in Meiningen
. Charlotte and Ernest had four children:
Charlotte's husband Ernest was regarded as an enlightened
monarch
and a great patron of art and science, who led his country into a cultural flowering. In these efforts, he was assisted in his cultural undertakings by his wife Charlotte.
Like her husband, Charlotte was a patron
of astronomy
. She counted relief panels for the court astronomer
Franz Xaver von Zach and she also participated in observations. Charlotte also participated in the First European Astronomy Congress in 1798 at the Seeberg Observatory
and independently corresponded with the leading astronomers of her time.
with Zach and spent some time in Eisenberg
. Later she traveled with Zach throughout southern Europe and lived several years in Marseilles and later in Genoa
, where she died in 1827.
Free City of Frankfurt
For almost five centuries, the German city of Frankfurt am Main was a city-state within two major Germanic states:*The Holy Roman Empire as the Free Imperial City of Frankfurt...
, Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
– 25 April 1827, Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
, Kingdom of Sardinia
Kingdom of Sardinia
The Kingdom of Sardinia consisted of the island of Sardinia first as a part of the Crown of Aragon and subsequently the Spanish Empire , and second as a part of the composite state of the House of Savoy . Its capital was originally Cagliari, in the south of the island, and later Turin, on the...
) was a member of the House of Saxe-Meiningen
Saxe-Meiningen
The Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen was one of the Saxon duchies held by the Ernestine line of the Wettin dynasty, located in the southwest of the present-day German state of Thuringia....
and a Princess of Saxe-Meiningen by birth and a member of the House of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg was a duchy ruled by the Ernestine branch of the House of Wettin in today's Thuringia, Germany.It was nominally created in 1672 when Frederick William III, the last duke of Saxe-Altenburg, died and Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha , inherited the major part of his possessions...
and Duchess consort of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg through her marriage to Ernest II, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg.
Family
Charlotte was the eldest child and daughter of Anton Ulrich, Duke of Saxe-MeiningenAnton Ulrich, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen
Anton Ulrich, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen , was a duke of Saxe-Meiningen.He was the second but first surviving son of Bernhard I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen and his second wife, Elisabeth Eleonore of Brünswick-Wolfenbüttel.When his father died in 1706, according to his will, he inherited the duchy...
and his second wife Landgravine Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Philippsthal
Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Philippsthal
Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Philippsthal , was Duchess and regent from 1763 to 1782 of Saxe-Meiningen.- Life :...
. Charlotte was an elder sister of Charles William, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen and George I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen.
Marriage
Charlotte married Ernest, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (later Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg), son 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 Luise Dorothea of Saxe-Meiningen
Luise Dorothea of Saxe-Meiningen
Luise Dorothea of Saxe-Meiningen was the daughter of Ernst Ludwig I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen and Dorothea Marie of Saxe-Gotha. She was the wife off Frederick III, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg....
, on 21 March 1769 in Meiningen
Meiningen
Meiningen is a town in Germany - located in the southern part of the state of Thuringia and is the district seat of Schmalkalden-Meiningen. It is situated on the river Werra....
. Charlotte and Ernest had four children:
- Ernest, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (b. GothaGotha (town)Gotha is a town in Thuringia, within the central core of Germany. It is the capital of the district of Gotha.- History :The town has existed at least since the 8th century, when it was mentioned in a document signed by Charlemagne as Villa Gotaha . Its importance derives from having been chosen in...
, 27 February 1770 – d. GothaGotha (town)Gotha is a town in Thuringia, within the central core of Germany. It is the capital of the district of Gotha.- History :The town has existed at least since the 8th century, when it was mentioned in a document signed by Charlemagne as Villa Gotaha . Its importance derives from having been chosen in...
, 3 December 1779). - Augustus, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (b. GothaGotha (town)Gotha is a town in Thuringia, within the central core of Germany. It is the capital of the district of Gotha.- History :The town has existed at least since the 8th century, when it was mentioned in a document signed by Charlemagne as Villa Gotaha . Its importance derives from having been chosen in...
, 23 November 1772 – d. GothaGotha (town)Gotha is a town in Thuringia, within the central core of Germany. It is the capital of the district of Gotha.- History :The town has existed at least since the 8th century, when it was mentioned in a document signed by Charlemagne as Villa Gotaha . Its importance derives from having been chosen in...
, 27 May 1822) - Frederick IV, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-AltenburgFrederick IV, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-AltenburgFrederick IV, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg , was the last duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg....
(b. GothaGotha (town)Gotha is a town in Thuringia, within the central core of Germany. It is the capital of the district of Gotha.- History :The town has existed at least since the 8th century, when it was mentioned in a document signed by Charlemagne as Villa Gotaha . Its importance derives from having been chosen in...
, 28 November 1774 – d. GothaGotha (town)Gotha is a town in Thuringia, within the central core of Germany. It is the capital of the district of Gotha.- History :The town has existed at least since the 8th century, when it was mentioned in a document signed by Charlemagne as Villa Gotaha . Its importance derives from having been chosen in...
, 11 February 1825). - Prince Ludwig of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (b. GothaGotha (town)Gotha is a town in Thuringia, within the central core of Germany. It is the capital of the district of Gotha.- History :The town has existed at least since the 8th century, when it was mentioned in a document signed by Charlemagne as Villa Gotaha . Its importance derives from having been chosen in...
, 21 October 1777 – d. GothaGotha (town)Gotha is a town in Thuringia, within the central core of Germany. It is the capital of the district of Gotha.- History :The town has existed at least since the 8th century, when it was mentioned in a document signed by Charlemagne as Villa Gotaha . Its importance derives from having been chosen in...
, 26 October 1777).
Charlotte's husband Ernest was regarded as an enlightened
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...
monarch
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
and a great patron of art and science, who led his country into a cultural flowering. In these efforts, he was assisted in his cultural undertakings by his wife Charlotte.
Like her husband, Charlotte was a patron
Patrón
Patrón is a luxury brand of tequila produced in Mexico and sold in hand-blown, individually numbered bottles.Made entirely from Blue Agave "piñas" , Patrón comes in five varieties: Silver, Añejo, Reposado, Gran Patrón Platinum and Gran Patrón Burdeos. Patrón also sells a tequila-coffee blend known...
of astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
. She counted relief panels for the court astronomer
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
Franz Xaver von Zach and she also participated in observations. Charlotte also participated in the First European Astronomy Congress in 1798 at the Seeberg Observatory
Gotha Observatory
Gotha Observatory was a German astronomical observatory located on Seeberg hill near Gotha, Thuringia, Germany...
and independently corresponded with the leading astronomers of her time.
Later life
After her husband's death in 1804, there were difficulties with Charlotte's son Augustus upon his succession. Charlotte left GothaGotha (town)
Gotha is a town in Thuringia, within the central core of Germany. It is the capital of the district of Gotha.- History :The town has existed at least since the 8th century, when it was mentioned in a document signed by Charlemagne as Villa Gotaha . Its importance derives from having been chosen in...
with Zach and spent some time in Eisenberg
Eisenberg
-In Germany:*Eisenberg, Thuringia, a town in the Saale-Holzland district, Thuringia.*Eisenberg, Rhineland-Palatinate, a town in the Donnersbergkreis, Rhineland-Palatinate.*Eisenberg, Bavaria, a municipality in the district of Ostallgäu in Bavaria.-In Austria:...
. Later she traveled with Zach throughout southern Europe and lived several years in Marseilles and later in Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
, where she died in 1827.
Titles and styles
- 11 September 1751 – 21 March 1769: Her Serene Highness Princess Charlotte of Saxe-Meiningen, Duchess in Saxony
- 21 March 1769 – 10 March 1772: Her Serene Highness The Hereditary Princess of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, Princess of Saxe-Meiningen, Duchess in Saxony
- 10 March 1772 – 20 April 1804: Her Serene Highness The Princess of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, Princess of Saxe-Meiningen, Duchess in Saxony
- 20 April 1804 – 25 April 1827: Her Serene Highness The Dowager Princess of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, Princess of Saxe-Meiningen, Duchess in Saxony
Ancestry
Literature
- Bärbel Raschke: Charlotte Amalie Herzogin von Sachsen-Meiningen (1730–1801). Leben und Wirken im Kontext westeuropäischer und deutscher Aufklärung. In: Francia 2. Bd. 25, 1999, , S. 69-103.
- Ingeborg Titz-Matuszak und Peter Brosche (Hrsg.): Das Reisetagebuch 1807 der Herzogin Charlotte Amalie von Sachsen-Gotha-Altenburg. Thüringisches Staatsarchiv Gotha, Gotha 2003 (=Reihe: Schriften des Thüringischen Staatsarchivs Gotha. Bd.1. ).