Princess Sophie of Saxe-Hildburghausen

Princess Sophie of Saxe-Hildburghausen (Ernestine Friederike Sophie; 22 February 1760, Hildburghausen – 28 October 1776, Coburg), was a Princess of Saxe-Hildburghausen by birth, and by marriage she became the Hereditary Duchess of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.

Princess Sophie
Hereditary Princess of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
Born	(1760-02-22)22 February 1760 Hildburghausen
Died	28 October 1776(1776-10-28) (aged 16) Coburg
Burial	Crypt of St. Moritz Church, Coburg
Spouse	Francis, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld ​ ​ (m. 1776)​
Names Ernestine Friederike Sophie
House	Wettin
Father	Ernest Frederick III, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen
Mother	Princess Ernestine of Saxe-Weimar
Religion	Lutheranism

Early life and ancestry

Sophie was born on 22 February 1760, into the Ernestine branch of the House of Wettin. She was the daughter of Duke Ernest Frederick III of Saxe-Hildburghausen (1727–1780) and Princess Ernestine of Saxe-Weimar (1740–1786).

Her godparents were:

• the Danish royal couple: Frederick V of Denmark and Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
• the King of Poland: Augustus III of Poland
• the Duke of Saxe-Coburg: Francis Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
• the regent of Duchy of Saxe-Weimar: Duchess Anna Amalia of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel,
• the Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin: Frederick II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
• the Duke of Württemberg: Charles Eugene, Duke of Württemberg

Marriage

On 6 March 1776, Sophie married at the age of 16 (in Hildburghausen) the Hereditary Duke (and later Duke) Francis Frederick Anthony of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.

At the time, Francis had already fallen in love with his future wife Countess Augusta Reuss of Ebersdorf, but he was unable to break off his previous engagement with Sophie.

Death

Sophie died of influenza just seven months later, on 28 October 1776, aged only 16. Her marriage to Francis marriage remained childless. Hereditary Princess Sophie was buried in the crypt of the St. Moritz Church in Coburg, Germany.

Ancestry

Ancestors of Princess Sophie of Saxe-Hildburghausen[1]

8. Ernest Frederick I, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen 4. Ernest Frederick II, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen 9. Countess Sophia Albertine of Erbach-Erbach 2. Ernest Frederick III, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen 10.Philipp Charles, Count of Erbach-Fürstenau 5. Caroline of Erbach-Fürstenau 11.Countess Charlotte Amalie von Kunowitz 1. Princess Sophie of Saxe-Hildburghausen 12.Johann Ernst III, Duke of Saxe-Weimar 6. Ernest August I, Duke of Saxe-Weimar 13. Princess Sophie Auguste of Anhalt-Zerbst 3. Princess Ernestine of Saxe-Weimar 14.George Frederick Charles, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth 7. Margravine Sophie Charlotte of Brandenburg-Bayreuth 15.Princess Dorothea of Schelswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck