Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg

former Thuringian duchy

Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (German: Sachsen-Gotha-Altenburg) was a country in what is today Thuringia, Germany.

Duchy of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
Herzogtum Sachsen-Gotha-Altenburg
1672–1825
Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, shown within the other Ernestine duchies, 1826
Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, shown within the other Ernestine duchies, 1826
StatusState of the Holy Roman Empire,
State of the Confederation of the Rhine,
State of the German Confederation
GovernmentPrincipality
Historical eraMiddle Ages
• Union of Saxe-Gotha
    and Saxe-Altenburg
 
1672 1672
• Partitioned between
    Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld and
    Saxe-Hildburghausen
 
 
1825 1825
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Image missing Saxe-Gotha
Image missing Saxe-Altenburg
Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld Image missing
Saxe-Hildburghausen Image missing

It was formed in 1672 when Frederick Wilhelm III, the last duke of Saxe-Altenburg died and Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha (who had married Frederick Wilhelm's cousin, Elisabeth Sophie) inherited his possessions.

The duchy was split up again after Ernest’s death in 1675, and the Duchy of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg officially came into existence in 1680 when his eldest son, Frederick, took control of the parts of the country Gotha and Altenburg.

When the royal house of Saxe-Gotha and Altenburg became extinct in 1825, Saxe-Gotha was given to Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld and Saxe-Altenburg passed to the Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen. After the abolition of German monarchies at the end of the First World War, both Saxe-Gotha and Saxe-Altenburg became part of the newly created state of Thuringia in 1920.

Dukes of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg

change

Divided between Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld and Saxe-Hildburghausen