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(1704-02-17)17 February 1704
Gotha
Died8 May 1767(1767-05-08) (aged 63)
Stadtroda
SpouseLuise Reuss of Schleiz
IssueAugusta, Princess of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
Louise, Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
HouseHouse of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
FatherFrederick II, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
MotherMagdalene 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

In Stadtroda on 6 January 1752, 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 Louise Fredericka (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

Notes
  1. The Limpurg Inheritance in: heraldica.org [retrieved 17 August 2016].
  2. 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
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