Sophie Hedwig of Saxe-Merseburg
Sophie Hedwig of Saxe-Merseburg, was a German noblewoman member of the House of Wettin and by marriage Duchess of Saxe-Saalfeld.
Biography
Born in Merseburg, she was a child of Christian I, Duke of Saxe-Merseburg and his wife, Christiana of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg.In Merseburg on 18 February 1680 Sophie Hedwig married Johann Ernest, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. Both belonged to the House of Wettin: she was a member of the Albertine, while her husband belonged to the Ernestine branch. Three years before one of Sophie Hedwig's sisters, Christiane, married Christian, Duke of Saxe-Eisenberg, in turn one of Johann Ernest's older brothers, so probably this marriage was instrumental for her future wedding.
The union produced five children, of whom only two survive adulthood:
- Christiane Sophie.
- Stillborn daughter.
- Christian Ernst, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.
- Charlotte Wilhelmine, married on 26 December 1705 to Philip Reinhard, Count of Hanau-Münzenberg.
- Stillborn son.