Sophie Hedwig of Saxe-Merseburg

Sophie Hedwig of Saxe-Merseburg
Duchess of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
Tenure	18 February 1680 – 2 August 1686
Born	(1660-08-04)4 August 1660 Merseburg
Died	2 August 1686(1686-08-02) (aged 25) Saalfeld
Spouse	Johann Ernest, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
Issue	Christian Ernest II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld Charlotte Wilhelmine, Countess of Hanau-Münzenberg
Names Sophie Hedwig of Saxe-Merseburg
House	House of Wettin
Father	Christian I, Duke of Saxe-Merseburg
Mother	Christiana of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg

Sophie Hedwig of Saxe-Merseburg (4 August 1660 - 2 August 1686), was a German noblewoman member of the House of Wettin and by marriage Duchess of Saxe-Saalfeld.

Biography

Born in Merseburg, she was a child of Christian I, Duke of Saxe-Merseburg and his wife, Christiana of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg. In Merseburg on 18 February 1680 Sophie Hedwig married Johann Ernest, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. Both belonged to the House of Wettin: she was a member of the Albertine, while her husband belonged to the Ernestine branch. Three years before (1677) one of Sophie Hedwig's sisters, Christiane, married Christian, Duke of Saxe-Eisenberg, in turn one of Johann Ernest's older brothers, so probably this marriage was instrumental for her future wedding.

The union produced five children, of whom only two survive adulthood: ^{[1] [2]}

• Christiane Sophie (b. Saalfeld, 14 June 1681 – d. Saalfeld, 3 June 1697).
• Stillborn daughter (Saalfeld, 6 May 1682).
• Christian Ernst, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (b. Saalfeld, 18 August 1683 – d. Saalfeld, 4 September 1745).
• Charlotte Wilhelmine (b. Saalfeld, 4 May 1685 – d. Hanau, 5 April 1767), married on 26 December 1705 to Philip Reinhard, Count of Hanau-Münzenberg.
• Stillborn son (Saalfeld, 2 August 1686).

Death

Sophie Hedwig died in childbirth in Saalfeld, two days before her twenty-six birthday. She was buried in the Johanniskirche, Saalfeld. ^[3]

References

1. Marek, Miroslav. "Genealogy of the House of Wettin". genealogy.euweb.cz. Retrieved 27 September 2014.^{[ self-published source ]}
2. http://www.royaltyguide.nl/families/fam-U-V-W/wettin/saxecoburggotha1.htm
3. http://www.royaltyguide.nl/families/fam-U-V-W/wettin/saxecoburggotha1.htm

Sophie Hedwig of Saxe-Merseburg House of Wettin Born: 4 August 1660 Died: 2 August 1686
German royalty
New creation	Duchess consort of Saxe-Saalfeld 1680-1686	Vacant Title next held by Charlotte Johanna of Waldeck-Wildungen