Frederick IV, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg

Frederick IV
Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
File:Friedrich IV von Sachsen-Gotha, by Carl Christian Vogel von Vogelstein.jpg
Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
Reign	1822–1825
Predecessor	Augustus
Successor	Dissolution Ernst III of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld Frederick of Saxe-Hildburghausen
Born	(1774-11-28)28 November 1774 Gotha
Died	Gotha
House	House of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
Father	Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
Mother	Princess Charlotte of Saxe-Meiningen

Frederick IV, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (Gotha, 28 November 1774 – Gotha, 11 February 1825), was the last duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg.

He was the third but second surviving son of Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg and Charlotte de Saxe-Meiningen.

After the death of his older brother August without sons (1822), Frederick (the only surviving male of the house) inherited the duchy of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg.

Frederick fought - after military training - in the Napoleonic campaigns and was heavily wounded. As a consequence of these injuries, he was constantly ill until his death. Because of his illness, he traveled for a long time seeking a cure. During these stays outside of his duchy, he left the government in hands of his secret advisor Bernhard August von Lindenau.

He only reigned three years and died unmarried; with him, the line of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg ended. After his death, his lands were repartitioned among his Wettin relations. Ernst I of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld received Gotha, and changed his title to Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, although the two duchies remained technically separate in a personal union. Altenburg was thereafter ruled by the Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen, whose dukedom was transferred to Saxe-Meiningen along with Saxe-Saalfeld, which Saxe-Coburg gave up in return for receiving Saxe-Gotha.

Ancestors

Frederick's ancestors in three generations

Frederick IV, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg	Father: Ernest II, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg	Paternal Grandfather: Frederick III, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg	Paternal Great-grandfather: Frederick II, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
			Paternal Great-grandmother: Magdalena Augusta of Anhalt-Zerbst
		Paternal Grandmother: Luise Dorothea of Saxe-Meiningen	Paternal Great-grandfather: Ernst Ludwig I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen
			Paternal Great-grandmother: Dorothea Marie of Saxe-Gotha
	Mother: Princess Charlotte of Saxe-Meiningen	Maternal Grandfather: Anton Ulrich, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen	Maternal Great-grandfather: Bernhard I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen
			Maternal Great-grandmother: Elisabeth Eleonore of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
		Maternal Grandmother: Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Philippsthal	Maternal Great-grandfather: Charles I, Landgrave of Hesse-Philippsthal
			Maternal Great-grandmother: Caroline Christine of Saxe-Eisenach

References

• August Beck: Friedrich IV., Herzog von Sachsen-Gotha und Altenburg. In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Band 8, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1878, S. 6 f.

Frederick IV, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg House of Wettin Born: 28 November 1774 Died: 11 February 1825
Preceded by Emil Leopold August	Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg 1822–1825	Succeeded by Ernst I as Duke of Saxe-Gotha
		Succeeded by Frederick as Duke of Saxe-Altenburg