Ernest Augustus II, Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
Ernst August II Konstantin ( Constantin also ) ( born June 2, 1737 Weimar, † May 28, 1758 ibid ) was Duke of Saxe- Weimar and Saxe- Eisenach. He was from the Ernestine branch of the House of Wettin.
Life
Ernst August Konstantin was the only surviving son of Duke Ernst August I of Saxony -Weimar -Eisenach from his second marriage with Sophia Charlotte (1713-1747), daughter of Margrave Georg Friedrich of Brandenburg- Bayreuth. His father, a magnificent loving " Baroque rulers ", who was due to his passion for hunting, especially in Eisenach, hardly cared for his son, so that it spent under the supervision of the Court Marshal at Castle Belvedere in Weimar his early years. He was trained comprehensively by the court preacher Bartholomei and the forest secretary Hindorf.
Ernst August II Konstantin lost his father when he was not yet eleven years old. Since the user was still too young for the takeover of government affairs, took over the Duke Friedrich III. of Saxe- Gotha -Altenburg, first the regency. Ernst August II Konstantin came to the court of the Gotha Duke, who saw to it that he got a proper education. After Saxe-Coburg and Saxe-Meiningen had lodged an appeal against this guardianship with the Emperor and the Imperial Assembly, 1748 Duke Franz Josias of Saxe- Coburg -Saalfeld was involved in the regency. The duchy of Weimar was of Franz Josias, Eisenach country part of Friedrich III. managed. In 1750, the Hofmarschallamt was erected in Weimar.
1755 Ernst August II Konstantin was declared by the emperor for an adult and began to rule independently. He has hardly made during his short reign known by special acts. His teacher, the kingdom of Count Heinrich von Bünau, he appointed the chancellor, this led on behalf of the Duke, the actual business of government. Only a few weeks after Ernst August throne he and his chancellor had left for bridal journey to Braunschweig.
Since Ernst August II Konstantin since his youth had health problems, urged the court to a quick marriage, as in the case of his death without heirs the Weimar dynasty would be extinct. On March 16, 1756 he married in Brunswick Anna Amalia ( 1739-1807 ), daughter of Duke Charles I of Brunswick -Wolfenbüttel, from the family of the Guelphs. A year later, the heir apparent, the future Duke and Grand Duke Karl August was born. The Duke went to the merits potato cultivation, which he promoted with payment of premiums and a supplement to agriculture rules.
In the year after the birth of the heir Ernst August II Konstantin died before his 21st birthday after four weeks of illness to " exhaustion ". Anna Amalia at this time was pregnant again, so that the second son of Ernst August II was born after the death of his father.
At the time of his death, since the Prince was still underage, began a long and beneficent government guardianship of the Duchess Anna Amalia, who laid the foundations for Weimar Classicism. The regency of Anna Amalia and her father was Ernst August Konstantin determined in his will.
Progeny
From his marriage Ernst August II had two sons:
- Karl August (1757-1828), Grand Duke of Saxe -Weimar -Eisenach
- Friedrich Ferdinand Konstantin (1758-1793)