John Ernest IV


John Ernest IV was Duke of Saxe-Saalfeld from 1680 to 1729 and the founder of the House of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.

Life

He was the tenth but seventh surviving son of Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha and Elisabeth Sophie of Saxe-Altenburg, both members of the Ernestine line of the House of Wettin.
After the death of his father in 1675, Johann Ernest initially governed the duchy of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, jointly with his six older brothers, as set out in their father's will. However, in 1680, the brothers concluded a treaty dividing the paternal lands and Johann Ernest became duke of Saxe-Saalfeld, with the towns of Gräfenthal, Probstzella and Pössneck. As he was the youngest, he kept the smallest portion of the lands. Johann Ernest and his brother Ernest soon found themselves financially overstretched as a result of the partition, and they both made a protest. Over the following years, the controversy continued and increased, as their older brothers Albert of Saxe-Coburg, Henry of Saxe-Römhild and Christian of Saxe-Eisenberg died without male heirs. During these years, Johann Ernest took possession of Coburg, Römhild and 5/12 of Themar.
The "Coburg-Eisenberg-Römhilder Erbstreit" was finally resolved in 1735, six years after the death of Johann Ernest. His descendants retained Coburg. The decision was generally accepted, most importantly by the descendants of his older brother Bernhard, who also had a claim to Coburg.

Issue

In Merseburg on 18 February 1680, Johann Ernst married firstly Sophie Hedwig of Saxe-Merseburg, a daughter of Christian I, Duke of Saxe-Merseburg. They had five children:
  1. Christiane Sophie died aged 15, unmarried.
  2. Stillborn daughter.
  3. Christian Ernst, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.
  4. Charlotte Wilhelmine, married on 26 December 1705 to Philip Reinhard, Count of Hanau-Münzenberg.
  5. Stillborn son.
In Maastricht on 2 December 1690 Johann Ernst married secondly Charlotte Johanna of Waldeck-Wildungen. They had eight children:
  1. Wilhelm Frederick died unmarried and without issue.
  2. Karl Ernst died unmarried and without issue.
  3. Sophia Wilhelmina, married on 8 February 1720 to Frederick Anton, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt.
  4. Henriette Albertine died in infancy.
  5. Louise Emilie died unmarried and without issue.
  6. Charlotte died in infancy.
  7. Francis Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.
  8. Henriette Albertine died unmarried without issue.