Ernest Frederick III, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen

Ernst Friedrich III. Carl von Sachsen- Hildburghausen ( born June 10, 1727 Königsberg in Franconia, † September 23, 1780 at his hunting lodge Seidingstadt ) was Duke of Saxe- Hildburghausen of the House of Wettin Ernestine.

Life

Ernst Friedrich III. Carl was the eldest son of Duke Ernst Friedrich II of Saxe -Hildburghausen and his wife Countess Caroline of Erbach- Fuerstenau. After the death of his father in 1745 Ernst Friedrich III took over. the government; but stood until 1748 under guardianship of his mother. The usual grand tour he undertook with his brother Eugene. Even as a 17 -year-old he was by Elector Karl Theodor of the Order of St. Hubert and 1746 by King August III. been awarded by Poland, the White Eagle.

He was considered an intelligent, talented, facing the arts and sciences, but especially as one of the most beautiful princes of his time. He founded the city again a library and acquired in 1748 the estate and castle slipways that he left his uncle Ludwig Friedrich von Sachsen- Hildburghausen as appanage. In 1750 he left the old " Ballhaus " remodel to a Court Theatre, where he was to play for free. However, the operas listed in the original language hardly excited the interest of the residence residents. The Duke, who was sitting with his court alone in the theater, then went bad-tempered himself to surrounding fields and brought the farmers working there with the kind of violence to the performance.

1755 was initiated by the royal chamber president and former Planning Director Albrecht Friedrich von Brandenburg Kesslau the construction of the church orphanage, today's New Town Church. In the same year the Duke tried to process the Reich court against Saxe-Meiningen to the half term Schalkau to speed, but the matter was finally settled until 1789.

After they had found in Brattendorf silver made ​​Ernst Friedrich III. 1757 from the coinage use, but has been embroiled in a lawsuit by the Reich Treasury. The quality of the coins was so bad that they had to be melted down already turned black at delivery and again. The duke left the mint of his brother Eugene and turned away in 1760 of alchemy. He worked it himself and costly in the basement of the castle at various experiments to discover the " gold tincture " and the " Philosopher's Stone ".

The excessive wastefulness in exaggerated court and military pomp finally made ​​1769 the highest points attention to the financial situation of the country. Emperor Joseph II formed a debit Commission Directorate Duchess Charlotte Amalie of Saxe- Meiningen, Prince Eugene of Saxony- Hildburghausen and Prince Joseph Friedrich von Sachsen- Hildburghausen, the great-uncle of the Duke, to investigate the claims of creditors and regulation of revenue and expenses. The financial situation of the country was so disorganized that even a 35 -year-long duration of this Commission, the conditions could not fully organize.

The great fire of Hildburghausen on 19 August 1779 the Duke led finally to retreat to the hunting lodge Seidingstadt, where he died on September 23, 1780.

Marriages and descendants

The Duke was married three times. On October 1, 1749, he married at Castle Hirschholm Louise ( 1726-1756 ), only daughter of King Christian VI. of Denmark and his wife Sophie Magdalene of Brandenburg- Kulmbach, who died in 1756 after a long illness. With her he had a daughter, but the toddler age did not survive:

• Friederike Sophie Juliane Caroline (1755-1756)

On the occasion of the marriage of the Duke Danish Elephant Order and the Ordre de l'union received parfaite. Ernst Friedrich III. donated in honor of his wife also own the Order of the Federal lucky " l' ordre de l' heureuse Alliance ", which was received after the death of his wife.

His second wife married Ernst Friedrich III. Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen Christiane Sophie Charlotte of Brandenburg -Bayreuth (1733-1757), daughter of Margrave Friedrich Christian of Bayreuth, already the same year died in childbirth on January 20, 1757. The daughter of this marriage died in infancy:

• Friederike Karoline Sophie Marie (* / † 1757)

His third marriage joined the Duke on July 1, 1758 in Bayreuth with Ernestine Auguste ( 1740-1786 ), daughter of Duke Ernst August of Saxe -Weimar- Eisenach, with whom he had the following children:

• Ernestine Friederike Sophie (1760-1776)

• Christiane Karoline Sophie (1761-1790)

• Friedrich (1763-1834), Duke of Saxe- Hildburghausen; since 1826 of Saxe- Altenburg