Frederick IV, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
German duke (1774–1825) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Frederick IV, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (Gotha, 28 November 1774 – Gotha, 11 February 1825), was the last duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg.
| Frederick IV | |
|---|---|
 Portrait by Carl Christian Vogel von Vogelstein | |
| Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg | |
| Reign | 1822–1825 |
| Predecessor | Augustus |
| Successor | Dissolution Ernst III of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha Frederick of Saxe-Altenburg |
| Born | (1774-11-28)28 November 1774 Gotha |
| Died | 11 February 1825(1825-02-11) (aged 50) Gotha |
| House | House of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg |
| Father | Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg |
| Mother | Princess Charlotte of Saxe-Meiningen |
He was the third but second surviving son of Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg and Charlotte de Saxe-Meiningen.
After the death of his older brother August without sons (1822), Frederick (the only surviving male of the house) inherited the duchy of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg.
Frederick fought - after military training - in the Napoleonic campaigns and was heavily wounded. As a consequence of these injuries, he was constantly ill until his death. Because of his illness, he traveled for a long time seeking a cure. During these stays outside of his duchy, he left the government in hands of his secret advisor Bernhard August von Lindenau.
He only reigned three years and died unmarried; with him, the line of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg ended. After his death, his lands were repartitioned among his Wettin relations. Ernst I of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld received Gotha, and changed his title to Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, although the two duchies remained technically separate in a personal union. Altenburg was thereafter ruled by the Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen, whose dukedom was transferred to Saxe-Meiningen along with Saxe-Saalfeld, which Saxe-Coburg gave up in return for receiving Saxe-Gotha.