Prince John August of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
Johann August of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (17 February 1704 – 8 May 1767), was a German prince, member of the House of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg.
| Prince John August | |
|---|---|
| Prince John August of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg | |
 | |
| Born | 17 February 1704 Gotha |
| Died | 8 May 1767 (aged 63) Stadtroda |
| Spouse | Countess Louise Reuss of Schleiz |
| Issue | Augusta, Princess of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt Louise, Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin |
| House | House of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg |
| Father | Frederick II, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg |
| Mother | Magdalene Augusta of Anhalt-Zerbst |
He was born in Gotha, the fifth but second surviving son of Frederick II, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg and Magdalene Augusta of Anhalt-Zerbst.
Life
In 1725 he entered in the Imperial army and fought in Italy and Hungary. In the Battle of Grocka he was wounded and then spent some time in Altenburg to recover. Later he resumed his military duties and fought in the War of the Austrian Succession in Silesia, Bohemia, Bavaria and the Rhine. He eventually became Imperial Field Marshal and received his own dragoon regiment.
He lived with his family in Stadtroda, where shortly before his death he received a visit from King Frederick the Great of Prussia. He was awarded the Polish Order of the White Eagle.
Marriage and issue
On 6 January 1752 at Roda (Stadtroda after 1925), Johann August married Louise Reuss of Schleiz, co-Countess of Limpurg-Gaildorf since 1734 [as her mother's only surviving child][1] (Staffelstein, 3 July 1726 – Stadtroda, 28 May 1773), widow of his younger brother Christian Wilhelm. They had four children:
- Augusta (b. Stadtroda, 30 November 1752 – d. Rudolstadt, 28 May 1805), co-Countess of Limpurg-Gaildorf (1773–1780) in succession of her mother jointly with her younger sister;[1] married on 28 November 1780 to Frederick Charles, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt.
- Stillborn child (Stadtroda, 18 November 1753).
- Stillborn child (Stadtroda, 27 December 1754).
- Louise (b. Stadtroda, 9 March 1756 – d. Ludwigslust, 1 January 1808), co-Countess of Limpurg-Gaildorf (1773–1780) in succession of her mother jointly with her older sister;[1] married on 1 June 1775 to Frederick Francis I, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (Grand Duke since 1815). She was a direct ancestress of Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, later Prince Consort of the United Kingdom, and, through him, a direct ancestress of the present British Royal Family.
Ancestors
| Ancestors of Prince John August of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg[2] |
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Notes
- The Limpurg Inheritance in: heraldica.org [retrieved 17 August 2016].
- Genealogie ascendante jusqu'au quatrieme degre inclusivement de tous les Rois et Princes de maisons souveraines de l'Europe actuellement vivans [Genealogy up to the fourth degree inclusive of all the Kings and Princes of sovereign houses of Europe currently living] (in French). Bourdeaux: Frederic Guillaume Birnstiel. 1768. p. 102.
References
- August Beck: Johann August, Prinz von Sachsen-Gotha. In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). vol. 14, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1881, p. 376.
- Johann Samuel Ersch (Hrsg): Allgemeine Encyclopädie der Wissenschaften und Künste, 2. Sektion, Leipzig, 1842, p. 240 online [retrieved 25 September 2014].