Sophie Hedwig of Saxe-Merseburg

Sophie Hedwig of Saxe-Merseburg
Duchess of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
Tenure18 February 1680 – 2 August 1686
Born(1660-08-04)4 August 1660
Merseburg
Died2 August 1686(1686-08-02) (aged 25)
Saalfeld
SpouseJohann Ernest, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
IssueChristian Ernest II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
Charlotte Wilhelmine, Countess of Hanau-Münzenberg
Names
Sophie Hedwig of Saxe-Merseburg
HouseHouse of Wettin
FatherChristian I, Duke of Saxe-Merseburg
MotherChristiana 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.

Born in Merseburg, she was a child of Christian I, Duke of Saxe-Merseburg and his wife Christiana of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg.

Life

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 line 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][better source needed]

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

References

  1. ^ Marek, Miroslav. "Genealogy of the House of Wettin". genealogy.euweb.cz. Retrieved 27 September 2014.[self-published source]
Sophie Hedwig of Saxe-Merseburg
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