Francis, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld

Franz Frederick Anton, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (b. Coburg, July 15 1750 - d. Coburg, December 9 1806), was a duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. He is a direct ancestor of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, Leopold II of Belgium, Carlota of Mexico, and King Albert II of Belgium.

He was the eldest son of Ernst Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld and Sophia Antonia of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel.

Franz Frederick succeeded his father in the duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld when he died in 1800.

He received a private, careful and comprehensive education. From this training, he became in a large art "connoisseur". Franz Frederick is considered as the greatest collector of books and illustrations among the dukes of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (later Gotha). He laid the basis for a 300,000 picture collection of copperplate engravings in 1775, which can be visited today on the Veste Coburg and equipped the library of his residence with an extensive book collection. He bought in 1805 - only a few months before his death - the Schloss Rosenau as summer residence for his family.

Ancestry

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1= 1. Francis, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
2= 2. Ernest Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
3= 3. Sophia Antonia of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
4= 4. Francis Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
5= 5. Anna Sophie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
6= 6. Ferdinand Albert II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
7= 7. Antoinette Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg
8= 8. John Ernest IV, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
9= 9. Charlotte Johanne of Waldeck-Pyrmont
10= 10. Ludwig Friedrich I, Duke of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
11= 11. Anna Sophie of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
12= 12. Ferdinand Albert I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
13= 13. Christine of Hesse-Eschwege
14= 14. Louis Rudolph, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
15= 15. Christine Louise of Oettingen
16= 16. Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha and Altenburg
17= 17. Elisabeth Sophie of Saxe-Altenburg
18= 18. Josias II, Count of Waldeck and Pyrmont
19= 19. Wilhelmine Christine of Nassau-Siegen
20= 20. Albrecht Anton of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
21= 21. Emilie Juliana of Barby-Mühlingen
22= 22. Frederick I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
23= 23. Magdalena Sibylle of Saxe-Weissenfels
24= 24. Augustus the Younger, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
25= 25. Elisabeth Sofie of Mecklenburg-Gustrow
26= 26. Frederick, Landgrave of Hesse-Eschwege
27= 27. Eleonore Katharina of Zweibrucken
28= 28. Anthony Ulrich, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
29= 29. Elizabeth Juliana of Schleswig-Holstein-Sønderborg-Nordborg
30= 30. Albert Ernest I, Prince of Oettingen-Oettingen
31= 31. Christiane Friederike of Württemburg-Stuttgart

First marriage

In Hildburghausen on March 6 1776, Franz Frederick married Sophie of Saxe-Hildburghausen, a daughter of Ernst Frederick III Karl, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen. She died on October 28 1776, only seven months after her wedding. There were no children born from this marriage.

econd marriage and children

In Ebersdorf on June 13 1777, Franz Frederick married Auguste Reuss of Ebersdorf und Lobenstein. They had ten children, seven of which survived to adulthood:

His descendants established ruling houses in Belgium, United Kingdom, Portugal and Bulgaria. His son Leopold ruled as Leopold I of the Belgians. His male-line great-grandson reigned as Edward VII of the United Kingdom. Another grandson, Ferdinand, reigned as "jure uxoris" king Ferdinand II of Portugal. His granddaughter, Leopold I of Belgium's daughter, was Empress Carlota of Mexico. Furthermore, a great-grandson ruled as Ferdinand I of Bulgaria.