Bernhard I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen

Bernhard I (* September 10, 1649 in Gotha, † April 27, 1706 in Meiningen ), from the Ernestine branch of the House of Wettin, was the first Duke of Saxe- Meiningen.

Life

Bernhard was the third of seven sons of Duke Ernst I of Saxe- Gotha (1601-1675) and his wife Elizabeth Sophia (1619-1680), daughter of Duke Johann Philipp of Saxe- Altenburg.

The seven sons of Ernst I. reigned after his father's death in 1675 the land in common, but divided the Duchy after five years among themselves. Bernhard was. Due to the division of the founders of the line Saxe-Meiningen Meiningen and specific to his residence

With the establishment of a representative castle was begun immediately. The palace was completed in 1692 and was named after the second wife of Duke Elizabeth Castle. In 1690, the Duke established the court orchestra of 1692, the park was initially created as a Renaissance garden. The royal household was the financial situation completely inappropriate and so Bernhard slipped stability in the country soon. The sale of goods and a multi- chamber exposure of the public taxes and labor services were the result. But even his immense expenditure because of its propensity to alchemy and to the military, led to multiple complaints of the stands.

Bernhard was highly educated and gave especially topics such as religion and education his attention, where he worked in the administration of the country with General visitations. In foreign policy, was Bernard's government by tensions and armed conflicts, especially with his brothers, marked.

Although Bernhard possessed testamentary the indivisibility of the country, but there was not a primogeniture. So Bernard sons ruled after his death the land jointly. It thus came to power struggles and to further economic decline of the Principality.

Progeny

From his first marriage to Mary in 1671 closed Hedwig ( 1647-1680 ), daughter of the Landgrave George II of Hesse- Darmstadt, he had the following children:

  • Ernst Ludwig I (1672-1724), Duke of Saxe- Meiningen
  • Bernhard (1673-1694)
  • Johann Ernst (1674-1675)
  • Marie Elisabeth ( * / † 1676 )
  • Johann Georg (1677-1678)
  • Friedrich Wilhelm (1679-1746), Duke of Saxe- Meiningen
  • Georg Ernst (1680-1699)

From his second marriage to Elizabeth in 1681 closed Eleonore ( 1658-1729 ), daughter of Duke Anton Ulrich of Brunswick- Wolfenbüttel, the following children were born:

  • Elisabeth Ernestine (1681-1766), Abbess of Gander Home 1713
  • Eleonore Friederike (1683-1739), Kanonisse in Gander Home
  • Anton August (* / † 1684)
  • Wilhelmine Luise (1686-1753)
  • Anton Ulrich (1687-1763), Duke of Saxe- Meiningen
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