Wilhelm Heinrich, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach

Wilhelm Heinrich of Saxe- Eisenach ( * November 10, 1691 in Heerenveen - Orange forest; † July 26, 1741 in Eisenach ) was Duke of Saxe- Eisenach. He came from the Ernestine branch of the House of Wettin.

Family

Wilhelm Heinrich was born the son of Duke Johann Wilhelm of Saxe- Eisenach and his first wife Amalia of Nassau- Dietz.

Life

As a 18- year-old he survived a fall from a horse just barely, but withdrew severe kidney injury, which should afflict him throughout his life. 1729, after the death of his father he succeeded to the ducal throne of Saxe- Eisenach.

Already since 1723 through marriage with a Prussian Princess Knight of the Order of the Black Eagle, he showed great interest in all things military. Two of his regiments Eisenachischen he gave to foreign services, as in the Netherlands and the Imperial Army. He also promised to the October 17, 1740 his nephew by marriage, the Prussian King Frederick II, another regiment, which later Füsilierregiment No. 40 had already in 1732 with the two musketeer battalions established regiment already in the Polish Succession War, in imperial service fought on the Rhine, in northern Italy and am Bodensee, since 1734 with three battalions. After the Peace of Vienna and the return to Eisenach in 1739 it was reduced to a battalion; most of the officers dropped out. On October 8, 1739 sworn in on Prussia, it was taken over by Derschau in Magdeburg by Colonel Christian Reinhold 1740. The Duke committed 25 non- eisenachische officers procured a substitute for the second battalion and was commander of the regiment.

He was buried in St. George's Church to Eisenach.

Marriages

Wilhelm Heinrich was married twice. In his first marriage he married in 1713 Albertine Juliana of Nassau- Idstein. His second wife he married in 1723 Anna Sophie Charlotte of Brandenburg- Schwedt. Both marriages were childless.

With the death of William Henry therefore died from the family of the Dukes of Saxe -Eisenach and the Principality fell as an inheritance of Saxe-Weimar. Since then the two countries were united and known as a duchy, in 1815 the Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar- Eisenach.