Frederick William II, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg
Frederick William II of Saxe -Altenburg, called Posthumus (* February 12, 1603 in Weimar, † April 22, 1669 in Altenburg ) was Duke of Saxe- Altenburg from the Ernestine line of the Wettin family.
Life
Frederick William was the youngest, posthumously born son of Duke Friedrich Wilhelm I of Saxe- Weimar (1562-1602) from his second marriage to Anna Maria (1575-1643), daughter of Duke Philipp Ludwig von Pfalz- Neuburg.
After the death of his father, Friedrich Wilhelm inherited together with his brothers Johann Philipp, Johann Wilhelm Friedrich and the Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg. The guardianship of the prince led the Elector of Saxony and their uncle Johann; after his death in 1605 of the Elector of Saxony alone. After the Jülich- Klevischer succession dispute the brothers with Jülich, Cleves and Berg had been invested, however, were only nominally Dukes and led the coat of arms. 1612 the brothers went for further training at the University of Leipzig. In 1618 the eldest brother Johann Philipp came of age and ruled independently. The brothers were the elders against the assurance of a Leibgedinges initially limited in time, in a later agreement in 1624 finally permanently the government. Friedrich Wilhelm undertook jointly with his brother Johann Wilhelm his Grand Tour to Italy, England, Holland, France and Hungary.
Under his brother Johann Wilhelm he served from 1631 Saxon services and participated in the Battle of Leipzig. Two years later he became a colonel and under Hans Georg von Arnim - Boitzenburg general of the cavalry and his absence supreme commander of the Saxon troops.
In 1639, all three older brothers, Frederick William had died. He resigned from the military service and became a sovereign Duke of Saxe- Altenburg. Following the Thirty Years' War, the country was completely prostrate. Friedrich Wilhelm focused on a directed at the common good policy. He issued a variety of orders, invested in churches and schools and brought the mining industry in Saalfeld running again.
After the death of Duke Johann Ernst of Saxe- Eisenach it came with the line Weimar on February 13, 1640 to a division of its lands. Friedrich Wilhelm was doing the offices Coburg, Hildburghausen, Römhild, Sonnenberg, Mönchröden, Unterrodach, Gestungshausen, Neustadt, Schalkau and monastery Sonnenfeld. 1660, he also acquired a portion of the former county of Henneberg Meiningen, Themar and Behrungen. Permanent disputes with Saxe-Weimar lasted until his death.
Friedrich Wilhelm II had a hunting lodge built in 1664 Hummelshain. A year later he built his second wife in Altenburg with the Magdalene pen a worthy widow seat.
Marriages and descendants
In his first marriage, Frederick William II married on September 18, 1638 in Altenburg Sophie Elisabeth von Brandenburg ( 1616-1650 ), daughter of the administrator of Magdeburg, Christian Wilhelm of Brandenburg. The marriage remained childless.
His second marriage joined Frederick William on October 11, 1652 in Dresden with Magdalena Sibylle of Saxony ( 1617-1668 ), youngest daughter of the Elector Johann Georg I of Saxony and widow of the Danish Crown Prince Christian. With her he had the following children:
- Christian (1654-1663)
- Johanna Magdalena (1656-1686)
- Friedrich Wilhelm III. (1657-1672), Duke of Saxe- Altenburg