Francis, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld

Franz Frederick Anton, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (b. Coburg, July 15 1750 - d. Coburg, December 9 1806), was a duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. He is a direct ancestor of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, Leopold II of Belgium, Carlota of Mexico, and King Albert II of Belgium.

He was the eldest son of Ernst Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld and Sophia Antonia of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel.

Franz Frederick succeeded his father in the duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld when he died in 1800.

He received a private, careful and comprehensive education. From this training, he became in a large art connoisseur. Franz Frederick is considered as the greatest collector of books and illustrations among the dukes of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (later Gotha). He laid the basis for a 300,000 picture collection of copperplate engravings in 1775, which can be visited today on the Veste Coburg and equipped the library of his residence with an extensive book collection. He bought in 1805 - only a few months before his death - the Schloss Rosenau as summer residence for his family.

Ancestry

First marriage

In Hildburghausen on March 6 1776, Franz Frederick married Sophie of Saxe-Hildburghausen, a daughter of Ernst Frederick III Karl, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen. She died on October 28 1776, only seven months after her wedding. There were no children born from this marriage.

Second marriage and children

In Ebersdorf on June 13 1777, Franz Frederick married Auguste Reuss of Ebersdorf und Lobenstein. They had ten children, seven of which survived to adulthood:

Name	Date of Birth	Date of Death	Age of Death	Notes
Sophie Fredericka Caroline Luise	August 19 1778, in Coburg	July 8 1835, in Tušimice, Bohemia	56 years	Married on February 23 1804 to Emmanuel von Mensdorff-Pouilly (later Count von Mensdorff-Pouilly).
Antoinette Ernestine Amalie	August 28 1779, in Coburg	March 14 1824, in St. Petersburg	44 years	Married on November 17 1798 to Alexander of Württemberg.
Juliane Henriette Ulrike [upon her marriage, she took the name Anna Feodorovna in a Russian Orthodox baptism]	September 23 1781, in Coburg	August 15 1860, in Elfenau, near Berne, Switzerland	78 years	Married on February 26 1796 to Grand Duke Constantine Pavlovich of Russia, the younger brother of Czar Alexander I of Russia (they divorced in 1820).
Stillborn Son	1782	1782	-
Ernst I Anton Karl Ludwig, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha	January 2 1784, in Coburg	January 29 1844, in Gotha	60 years	The father of Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria.
Ferdinand Georg August	March 28 1785, in Coburg	August 27 1851, in Vienna	66 years	The father of Ferdinand II of Portugal and Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Kohary.
Marie Luise Viktoria	August 17 1786, in Coburg	March 16 1861, in Frogmore House	74 years	Married on July 11 1818 to Prince Edward Augustus, Duke of Kent and Strathearn, the fourth son of King George III of Great Britain, the mother of Queen Victoria.
Marianne Charlotte	August 7 1788, in Coburg	August 23 1794, in Coburg	6 years
Leopold Georg Christian Frederick	December 16 1790, in Coburg	December 10 1865, in Laeken	75 years	First king of the Belgians under the name of Leopold I. His children included Leopold II of Belgium and Empress Carlota of Mexico.
Franz Maximilian Ludwig	December 12, 1792, in Coburg	January 3 1793, in Coburg	22 days

His descendants established ruling houses in Belgium, United Kingdom, Portugal and Bulgaria. His son Leopold ruled as Leopold I of the Belgians. His male-line great-grandson reigned as Edward VII of the United Kingdom. Another grandson, Ferdinand, reigned as jure uxoris king Ferdinand II of Portugal. His granddaughter, Leopold I of Belgium's daughter, was Empress Carlota of Mexico. Furthermore, a great-grandson ruled as Ferdinand I of Bulgaria.