Princess Magdalena Augusta of Anhalt-Zerbst
Magdalena Augusta of Anhalt- Zerbst ( born October 13, 1679 Zerbst, † October 11, 1740 in Altenburg ) was Princess of Anhalt- Zerbst from the house of Ascanians and by marriage Duchess of Saxe- Gotha -Altenburg.
Family
Magdalena Augusta was a daughter of Prince Karl Wilhelm von Anhalt- Zerbst (1652-1718) from his marriage to Sophie (1654-1724), daughter of Duke Augustus of Saxe - Weissenfels.
On June 17, 1696 married in Gotha, Duke Frederick II of Saxe -Gotha -Altenburg, who had come to power in 1691. The documentation retained in the Gotha library letters to the Duchess to her husband testify to a loving and happy marriage.
From a rather modest mind bears witness their refusal to teach her youngest daughter in English after it was promised to the presumptive heir to the throne UK. She claimed: " [ ... ] it was quite unnecessary, for as the Hanover family was on the English throne for over twenty years, the people in England and especially at court would have so often and so well speak German, like English. "
Progeny
From their marriage Magdalena Augusta had the following children:
- Sophie (1697-1703)
- Friedrich III. (1699-1772), Duke of Saxe- Gotha -Altenburg
- Wilhelm (1701-1771)
- Karl Friedrich (1702-1703)
- Johann August (1704-1767)
- Christian ( * / † 1705)
- Christian Wilhelm (1706-1748)
- Ernst Ludwig (1707-1763)
- Emanuel (1709-1710)
- Moritz (1711-1777), Regent of Saxony -Eisenach
- Sophie ( * / † 1712)
- Karl (1714-1715)
- Friederike (1715-1775)
- Magdalene Sibylle (* / † 1718)
- Augusta (1719-1772)
- Johann Adolf (1721-1799)
Others
Magdalena Augusta found their final resting place in the royal crypt of the castle church at the Gotha peace stone next to her late husband eight years earlier.