Ernest Günther I, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg

Ernest Günther I of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg (14 October 1609 – 18 January 1689) was a Duke of Schleswig-Holstein of its Sonderburg line.^[1] He was the first to have his ducal seat in Augustenborg Palace, which he built and named in honor of his wife.^[2] He ruled from 1647 until his death in 1689.^[3]

Ernest Günther
Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg
Reign	13 May 1627 - 18 January 1689
Successor	Frederick
Born	(1609-10-14)14 October 1609 Haus Beck, Westphalia, Holy Roman Empire
Died	18 January 1689(1689-01-18) (aged 79) Augustenborg Palace, Augustenborg, Duchy of Schleswig
Spouse	Augusta of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg
Issue	Frederick Princess Sophie Amalie Prince Philipp Ernst Princess Sophie Auguste Louise Charlotte, Duchess of Beck Princess Ernestine Justine Ernest August Dorothea Louise, Princess-Abbess of Itzehoe Prince Frederick William
House	House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg
Father	Alexander, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg
Mother	Dorothea of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen

Early life

Ernest Günther was born on 14 October 1609 at Haus Beck near Minden in Westphalia as the third son of Alexander, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg and his wife, Countess Dorothea of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen (1579-1639).^[4] His father was the eldest son of John the Younger of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg, who himself was a younger son of King Christian III of Denmark-Norway. Ernest Günther thus belonged to a junior branch of the House of Oldenburg which had ruled Denmark since 1448.

Family and children

On 15 June 1651 he married Princess Auguste of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (27 June 1633 – 26 May 1701), daughter of Duke Philipp of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and his wife, Princess Sophie Hedwig of Saxe-Lauenburg (1601-1660).^[5] They had ten children:

1. Frederick (10 December 1652 – 3 August 1692)
2. Sophie Amalie (25 August 1654 – 7 December 1655)
3. Philip Ernest (24 October 1655 – 8 September 1677)
4. Sophie Auguste (2 February 1657 – 20 July 1657)
5. Louise Charlotte (13 April 1658 – 2 May 1740), married on 1 January 1685 to Duke Frederick Louis of Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck
6. Ernestine Justine (30 July 1659 – 18 October 1662)
7. Ernest August (3 October 1660 – 11 May 1731)
8. Dorothea Louise (11 October 1663 – 21 April 1721), Abbess of Itzehoe in 1686-1721
9. a child, born and died 18 December 1665
10. Frederick William (18 November 1668 – 3 June 1714)