View source for Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

{{Short description|Collective name for the duchies of Saxe-Coburg and Saxe-Gotha in Germany}}
{{Other uses|House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha}}
{{EngvarB|date=February 2014}}
{{More citations needed|date=January 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2014}}
{{Infobox country
|native_name            = {{Native name|de|Herzogtum Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha}}
|conventional_long_name = Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
|common_name            = Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
|government_type        = [[Constitutional monarchy]]
|year_start             = 1826
|year_end               = 1918
|event_start            =
|date_start             =
|event_end              = [[German revolution of 1918–1919|German Revolution]]
|date_end               = 18 November
|p1                     = Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
|p2                     = Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg
|flag_p2                = Flag of Sachsen-Gotha-Altenburg.svg
|s1                     = Free State of Coburg
|flag_s1                = Flagge Herzogtum Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha (1911-1920).svg
|s2                     = Free State of Saxe-Gotha
|flag_s2                = Flagge Herzogtum Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha (1911-1920).svg
|s3                     = Free State of Gotha
|flag_s3                = Flagge Herzogtum Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha (1911-1920).svg
|image_flag             = Flagge Herzogtum Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha (1911-1920).svg
|image_coat             = Coat of Arms of the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.svg
|coa_size               = 100px
|image_map              = Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in the German Reich (1871).svg
|image_map_caption      = The Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (red) within the [[German Empire]]
|capital                = [[Gotha]]<br/>(northern part)<br/>[[Coburg]] (southern part)
|common_languages       = [[German language|German]] ([[Central Thuringian]] & [[East Franconian German|East Franconian]])
|title_leader           = [[Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha|Duke]]
|leader1                = [[Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha|Ernest I]]
|year_leader1           = 1826–1844
|leader2                = [[Ernest II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha|Ernest II]]
|year_leader2           = 1844–1893
|leader3                = [[Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha|Alfred]]
|year_leader3           = 1893–1900
|leader4                = [[Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha|Charles Edward]]
|year_leader4           = 1900–1918
|currency = {{Plainlist}}
* {{Lang|de|[[Conventionsthaler]]}} {{Small|(to 1837)}}
* [[Saxon thaler]] {{Small|(1837–57)}}
* [[Saxon vereinsthaler|Saxon {{Lang|de|Vereinsthaler|nocat=y}}]] {{Small|(1841–76)}}
* [[German gold mark]] {{Small|(1873–1914)}}
* {{Lang|de|[[Papiermark]]}} {{Small|(1914–18)}}
{{Endplainlist}}
}}

'''Saxe-Coburg and Gotha''' ({{Langx|de|Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha}}), or '''Saxe-Coburg-Gotha''' ({{Langx|de|Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha|links=no}} {{IPA|de|ˈzaksn̩ ˈkoːbʊʁk ˈɡoːta|}}), was an [[Ernestine duchies|Ernestine duchy]] in [[Thuringian states|Thuringia]] ruled by a branch of the [[House of Wettin]], consisting of territories in the present-day states of [[Thuringia]] and [[Bavaria]] in Germany.<ref>See also {{Cite book |last=Davies |first=Norman |title=Vanished Kingdoms: The Rise and Fall of States and Nations |date=2012 |publisher=Penguin Books |isbn=978-0-1431-2295-1 |pages=539–573}}</ref> It lasted from 1826 to 1918. In [[1918 in Germany|November 1918]], [[Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha]], was forced to abdicate. In 1920, the northern part of the duchy (since 1918 the [[Free State of Gotha]]; culturally and [[Thuringian|linguistically]] [[Thuringia]]n) was merged with six other [[Thuringian states|Thuringian free states]] to form the [[Free State of Thuringia]]: [[Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach]] (until 1918 a grand duchy), [[Saxe-Altenburg]] and [[Saxe-Meiningen]] (until 1918 duchies), [[Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt]] and [[Schwarzburg-Sondershausen]] (until 1918 principalities), as well as the [[People's State of Reuss]] (until 1918 the principalities of [[Reuss-Gera]] and [[Reuss-Greiz]]). The southern part of the duchy (since 1918 the [[Free State of Coburg]]; culturally and [[east Franconian|linguistically]] [[Franconia]]n), as southernmost of the Thuringian states, was the only one which, after a referendum, became part of the [[Free State of Bavaria]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Winterbottom |first=Derek |title=The Grand Old Duke of York: A Life of Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany 1763 1827 |date=31 July 2016 |publisher=Pen and Sword |isbn=978-1-4738-4580-0 |page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=DF1KDAAAQBAJ&q=History+germany+1918+revolution%2C++Saxe-coburg+and+Gotha+joined+Thuringia&pg=PA181 181]}}</ref>

The name ''Saxe-Coburg-Gotha'' also refers to the family of the ruling [[House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha]], which played many varied roles in the dynastic and political history of Europe in the 19th and 20th centuries. In the early part of the 20th century, before the [[First World War]], it was the family of the sovereigns of the [[UKGBI|United Kingdom]], [[Belgium]], [[Kingdom of Portugal|Portugal]], [[Principality of Bulgaria|Bulgaria]], and Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. In 1910, the Portuguese king was [[5 October 1910 revolution|deposed]], and the same thing occurred in Saxe-Coburg-Gotha in 1918 and in [[Third Bulgarian Empire|Bulgaria]] in [[1946 Bulgarian republic referendum|1946]] (although effective control had already ceased two years prior due to a [[1944 Bulgarian coup d'état|coup]]). {{As of|2025}}, a branch of the family still reigns in Belgium, and while the British line still technically exists up to the present day, it now uses the name [[House of Windsor|Windsor]] due to a proclamation issued by King [[George V]] in 1917. The former [[Tsar]] of Bulgaria, [[Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha|Simeon II]] (reigned 1943–46), kept his surname while serving as the Prime Minister of Bulgaria from 2001 to 2005.

==History==
[[File:Standard of the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.svg|thumb|left|180px|Ducal standard of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha]]
The Duchy was born when the arbitration of the King of Saxony, [[Frederick Augustus I of Saxony|Frederick Augustus]], produced the Treaty of Hildburghausen on 12 November 1826 for the ''Gothaische Teilung'' (Gothan Division), the extensive rearrangement of the [[Ernestine duchies]]. After the extinction of the [[Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg]] line, the Duke of [[Saxe-Hildburghausen]] exchanged his Duchy for that of [[Saxe-Altenburg]]. The [[Saxe-Meiningen]] line became Saxe-Hildburghausen and got from [[Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld]] the Saalfelder territories as well as the District of [[Themar]] and the places of [[Föritz|Mupperg]], [[Föritz|Mogger]], [[Föritz|Liebau]] and [[Föritz|Oerlsdorf]]. The Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld received for that the Duchy of [[Saxe-Coburg]], Districts of [[Königsberg, Bavaria|Königsberg]] and [[Sonnefeld]] from Saxe-Hildburghausen, and the properties of [[Coburg|Callenberg]] and [[Bad Rodach|Gauerstadt]] from Saxe-Meiningen.

By then, the [[Principality of Lichtenberg]], on the [[Nahe (Rhine)|Nahe River]], had already been a part of the Duchy of Coburg for ten years. Ernest III, the sovereign of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, had received it in 1816 from the [[Congress of Vienna]] for providing assistance to the Allies in their war against France. But, because of the great distance from Coburg and of the unrest caused by the [[Hambach Festival]], the Duke sold the Principality in 1834 to [[Prussia]].
[[File:Thuringia 1910 - en.svg|thumb|400x400px|'''The [[Thuringian states]] and their capitals until 1918'''<br>''Free states 1918-1920; united as [[Thuringia]] since 1920''<br>
'''''[[Ernestine duchies]]'''''<br>
''([[Ernestines]] → [[House of Wettin]])''
{{legend|#9ACD32|Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha ([[Gotha]], [[Coburg]])}}
{{legend|#008000|[[Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach]] ([[Weimar]])}}
{{legend|#FF8C00|[[Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg]] ([[Altenburg]])}}
{{legend|#FFFF00|[[Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen]] ([[Meiningen]])}}
'''''Reussian principalities'''''<br>
''([[House of Reuss]] → [[Vögte]] (advocates) of [[Vogtland|Weida, Gera and Plauen]])''
{{legend|#FF1493|[[Principality of Reuss-Gera]] ([[Gera]])}}
{{legend|#FFC6B1|[[Principality of Reuss-Greiz]] ([[Greiz]])}}
''United as [[People's State of Reuss]] (Gera) 1919-1920''<br>
'''''Schwarzburgian principalities'''''<br>
''([[House of Schwarzburg]])''
{{legend|#CD853F|[[Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt]] ([[Rudolstadt]])}}
{{legend|#696969|[[Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen]] ([[Sondershausen]])}}
'''Surrounding states and their capitals'''
{{legend|#1E90FF|[[Kingdom of Prussia]] ([[Berlin]]), [[Province of Saxony]] ([[Magdeburg]]), [[Regierungsbezirk|Region]] of Erfurt ([[Erfurt]])}}
{{legend|#87CEFA|Kingdom of Prussia, [[Province of Hesse-Nassau]] ([[Kassel]]), [[Kassel (region)|Region of Kassel]] (Kassel)}}
{{legend|#4682B4|Kingdom of Prussia, Province of Saxony, Region of Merseburg ([[Merseburg]])}}
{{legend|#66CDAA|[[Kingdom of Bavaria]] ([[Munich]])}}
{{legend|#FFFFE0|[[Kingdom of Saxony]] ([[Dresden]])}}
'''''Not in the [[German Empire]]'''''
{{legend|#D8BFD8|[[Austria-Hungary]] ([[Vienna]]), [[Cisleithania]] (Vienna), [[Kingdom of Bohemia]] ([[Prague]])}}]]
The newly created Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha was initially a double duchy, ruled by Ernest III as Duke Ernest I in a [[personal union]],<ref name="Erdmann">{{in lang|de}} Erdmann, ''Coburg, Bayern und das Reich 1918–1923'', p. 2–3</ref> but with only one vote in the ''[[Bundesrat of Germany|Bundesrat]]''. The opportunity to unify the two duchies in 1826 was missed. After the ''Staatsgrundgesetz'' ([[House law]]s) of 1852, the duchies were bound in a political and [[real union]].<ref name="Erdmann" /><ref>{{in lang|de}} Hess, Ulrich. ''Geschichte Thüringens 1866 bis 1914'' [''History of Thuringen, 1866 to 1914''] (Vienna: ''Verlag Hermann Böhlaus Nachfolger'', 1991), {{ISBN|3-7400-0077-5}}, p. 223</ref> They were then a quasi-federal unitary state.<ref>{{in lang|de}} Dressel, ''Die Entwicklung von Verfassung und Verwaltung in Sachsen-Coburg 1800–1826 im Vergleich'', p. 532</ref><ref>{{in lang|de}} [[Georg Jellinek|Jellinek, Georg]], ''Die Lehre von den Staatenverbindungen'' [''The Theory of the Unifications of States''] (Berlin: Verlag von O. Haering 1882), [https://archive.org/stream/dielehrevondens01jellgoog#page/n221/mode/2up p. 208 ff.]</ref> Later attempts to merge the duchies failed in 1867 because the ''[[Landtag]]'' of Gotha did not want to assume the higher state debts of Coburg and in 1872 because of the questions about the administration of the whole union.

The Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha received on 3 May 1852 a national constitution, which had taken substantial parts of the fundamental rights from the [[Frankfurt Constitution|Constitution]] of the [[Frankfurt Parliament|National Assembly]] in Frankfurt. It also joined the German [[Zollverein]] in 1834, the [[North German Confederation]] in 1866 and the [[German Empire]] in 1871. At the ''[[Bundesrat of Germany|Bundesrat]]'' in [[Berlin]], where it had a seat, it kept its agents but, since 1913, like most of the other [[Thuringian states]], it had to defer to the Grand Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen for the representation.

Ernest I died in 1844. His elder son and successor, Ernest II, ruled until his own death in 1893. Because he had died childless, the throne of the two duchies would have passed to his late brother [[Albert, Prince Consort|Prince Albert]]'s male descendants. But Prince Albert was the husband of [[Queen Victoria]] of the United Kingdom and his eldest son, [[Edward VII|Edward, the Prince of Wales]], was already her [[heir apparent]]. Besides, he was prohibited by the Constitutions of both duchies from inheriting the throne if there were other eligible male heirs.<ref>{{in lang|de}} Sander, Harold. "II.1.4 Prinz Albert", ''Das Haus von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha 1826 bis 2001'', page 86: "''Der zukünftige König von England und der vorraussichtliche englische Thronfolger sind von der von Regierung im Herzogtum ausgeschlossen''" ["The future King of England and the presumptive British Heir to the Throne are excluded from the government in the Duchy"]</ref> But he had already renounced his claim in favour of his next brother, [[Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha|Prince Alfred]], Duke of Edinburgh. So Alfred became the next Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.
[[File:Karte-HSG.png|left|thumb|Republic of Saxe-Gotha then Free State of Saxe-Gotha]]
[[File:Karte-HSC.png|left|thumb|Free State of Coburg]]
[[File:Karte-HSC-Ex.png|left|thumb|Enclave of the Free State of Saxe-Coburg, [[Königsberg, Bavaria|Königsberg in Bavaria]]]]
[[File:Lichtenberg.png|left|thumb|The [[Principality of Lichtenberg]], (1816–1834)]]
Alfred's only son, also named [[Alfred, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha|Alfred]], died in 1899, so when Duke Alfred died in 1900 he was succeeded by his nephew the [[Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha|Duke of Albany]], the 16-year-old son of Queen Victoria's youngest son, [[Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany|Leopold]], as Duke Alfred's next brother [[Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn|Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught]] and his son [[Prince Arthur of Connaught]] had renounced their own claims to the succession. Reigning as Duke Carl Eduard, [[Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha|Charles Edward]], because of his age, began under the Regency of [[Ernst II, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg|Prince Ernst von Hohenlohe-Langenburg]] until he came of age in 1905. The new Duke also continued to use his British title, the Duke of Albany. But, because he chose to side with the Germans against the British in the [[First World War]], he was stripped of his British titles in 1919.<ref>Fitzroy, Almeric. Clerk of the Privy Council, [https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31255/page/4000 "The Titles Deprivation Act, 1917"], ''[[The London Gazette]]'', Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, England, 28 March 1919, Issue No 31255, page 4000</ref>

After the [[German Revolution of 1918|November Revolution]] ended the monarchy in 1918, the two duchies became two different and independent states, the [[Free State of Coburg]], and the Republic of Gotha, later renamed the [[Free State of Gotha]]. Their leaders believed, however, that their new countries were not economically viable, so they began to search for possible mergers. Eventually, a referendum was held on 30 November 1919 and the decision was made. On 1 May 1920, the Free State of Gotha merged with the new State of [[Thuringia]], and the Free State of Coburg followed two months later, on 1 July 1920, by uniting with the [[Free State of Bavaria]].

==Politics==
In the German Empire, the Duchy had only one vote in the ''[[Bundesrat of Germany|Bundesrat]]'' and two votes (for the two Duchies of Coburg and Gotha) in the ''[[Reichstag (German Empire)|Reichstag]]''.<ref name="Robinson" />

Each Duchy had its own ''[[Landtag]]'', elected every four years by male taxpayers over 25 years of age. Only males 30 years or older were eligible to stand for the elections. The Coburger assembly had 11 members and its twin in Gotha had 19. The assemblies met every year but, every two years, they would combine, alternatively in Gotha and Coburg, for the matters and questions that involve both Duchies.<ref>[[Frederick Martin (editor)|Martin, Frederick]], ed., ''[[The Statesman's Yearbook]]: A Statistical, Genealogical, and Historical Account of the States and Sovereigns of the Civiised World for the Year 1866'' (London and [[Cambridge]]: [[Macmillan Publishers|MacMillan and Co.]], 1866) [https://books.google.com/books?id=QG4EAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA173 page 173]</ref>

For both duchies, however, there was a Ministry of State in Gotha but Coburg and Gotha had their own subordinate and almost independent ministries. The Minister of State directed Gotha's Ducal ministry but, for both Duchies, he was responsible for the state affairs, the economical and commercials policies, the judiciary and the conduct of Imperial laws. In Coburg, for state matters as such as community services, police duties, support of the state church, and education, as well as management of assets and finances, and also, until 1891, court matters, the local authorities could not interfere with the decisions from Gotha.

The finances of both Duchies remained basically disconnected. But, in their management, a distinction was always made between the Crown revenue from the domains and the State revenue from taxes and duties. Every four years, a common budget, especially in the financial dealings with the [[German Empire]], was made, even if it interfered with the local and national operations of the two Duchies. Grants from the state budgets of both Duchies were made in the ratio of 7 to 3 between Gotha and Coburg.

Because of its size and finances, the Duchy did not have ambassadors but it did have trade consuls. They were for trade with [[Austria-Hungary]], Belgium, [[Argentina]], [[Brazil]], [[Chile]], [[Cuba]], [[Ecuador]], France, Great Britain, Italy, [[Mexico]], [[Peru]], [[Portugal]], Prussia, Russia, Spain, [[Switzerland]], and [[Turkey]].<ref name="Robinson">Robinson, Janet and Joe Robinson, ''Handbook of Imperial Germany'' ([[Bloomington, Indiana]]: AuthorHouse, 2009), [https://books.google.com/books?id=4Qsz1mi1t_IC&q=Saxe-Coburg page 87]</ref> The United States had its own consul in Coburg from 1897 to 1918.<ref>Lawrence Kestenbaum, [http://politicalgraveyard.com/geo/ZZ/GR-consuls.html “U.S. consul officials in Germany”], ''The Political Graveyard'', retrieved 10 December 2013.</ref>

During the [[American Civil War]], [[Ernst Raven]] was assigned to the position of consul in the state of Texas. He applied to the Confederate Government for a diplomatic [[exequatur]] on 30 July 1861 and was accepted.<ref>58th Congress, 2nd Session, Senate Document No. 234, ''Journal of the Congress of the [[Confederate States of America]], 1861–1865'', Volume 5 (Washington, D. C.: Government Printing Office, 1905), [http://memory.loc.gov/ll/llcc/005/0400/04240422.gif page 422]</ref>

==Military==
[[File:Aerial image of the Coburg Fortress.jpg|thumb|[[Veste Coburg|Coburg Fortress]]]]
Before 1867, the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha had its own Army. But, on 26 June 1867, because of a treaty signed in 1866 with Prussia, its Army was added, for defending and recruiting purposes, to the 6th Thuringian Infantry Regiment No. 95 of the [[22nd Division (German Empire)|22nd Division]] of the [[XI Corps (German Empire)|XIth Army Corps]]. Three battalions of the 6th Thuringian were assigned to Gotha (No. 1), [[Hildburghausen]] (No. 2) and Coburg (No. 3) but the Corps headquarters was in [[Kassel]].<ref>{{Cite book |lang=de |url=http://www.deutsche-schutzgebiete.de/herzogtum_sachsen-coburg-gotha.htm |chapter=Militar |title=Das Deutsche Schutzgebiete: Herzogtum Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha |date=5 July 2017 |trans-title=The German Protectorates: The Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha}}</ref> Unlike Prussia, where military service was mandatory, Saxe-Coburg and Gotha filled its quota in the [[German Army (German Empire)|Imperial Army]] with the draft.<ref>{{Cite book |editor-last=Martin |editor-first=Fredrick |title=The Statesman's Yearbook 1866 |page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=QG4EAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA174 174] |lang=de |quote=... the finances of the duchy do not allow the maintenance of a large force, the troops required for actual service are drawn by conscription, in the form of ballot.}}</ref>

==Miscellaneous==
The capitals of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha were [[Coburg]] and [[Gotha]]. By 1914 the area and populations of the two duchies were:<ref>{{in lang|de}} Sander, Harold, “I.11 ''Herzogtum Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha''”, ''Das Haus von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha 1826 bis 2001'', page 27</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! rowspan="2"|Duchy
! colspan="2"|Area
! rowspan="2"|Population
|-
|align="center"|km<sup>2</sup>
|align="center"|sq&nbsp;mi
|-
| Saxe-Coburg
| {{convert|562|km2|sqmi|disp=table}}
|align="center"| 74,818
|-
| Saxe-Gotha
| {{convert|1415|km2|sqmi|disp=table}}
|align="center"| 182,359
|-
| '''Total'''
|style="text-align:right;"| '''1,977''' ||style="text-align:right;"| '''{{convert|1977|km2|sqmi|disp=number}}'''
|align="center"| '''257,177'''
|}

There are two [[Residenz|residences]] in Gotha and Coburg. Therefore, the whole ducal court, including the Court Theater, had to move twice a year: from Gotha to Coburg for the summer, from Coburg to Gotha for the winter.<ref name="Robinson" /> For the Court Theater, two almost identical buildings had to be built in 1840 in Gotha (destroyed in the Second World War) and Coburg (now the [[Landestheater Coburg|Coburg State Theater]]) and thereafter maintained at the same time. In addition to the residential castles, ''[[Friedenstein Castle|Friedenstein]]'' in Gotha and ''[[Ehrenburg Palace|Ehrenburg]]'' in Coburg, the Ducal family also used the ''Schloss'' [[Reinhardsbrunn]] in Gotha as well as the [[Schloss Rosenau, Coburg|Rosenau]] and [[Callenberg Castle|Callenberg]] castles in Coburg and the hunting lodge Greinburg Castle, [[Grein, Austria]] (the latter two still today owned by the ducal branch of the [[House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha]]).
<gallery>
File:Coburg-Veste4.jpg|[[Veste Coburg]]
File:Coburg-Ehrenburg1.jpg|[[Ehrenburg Palace]], Coburg
File:Gotha Schloss 1900.jpg|[[Friedenstein Palace]], Gotha
File:Reinhardsbrunn Schloss Winter.JPG|[[Reinhardsbrunn]] Castle, Gotha
File:Schloss Callenberg Luftbild.jpg|[[Callenberg Castle]], Coburg
File:CO Schloss Rosenau1.jpg|[[Schloss Rosenau, Coburg|Rosenau]] Castle, Coburg
</gallery>

Only the Duchy of Gotha, along with nearby Duchies of Saxe-Meiningen and Saxe-Altenburg and especially the Grand Duchy of [[Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach]] – was able to be one of the sponsoring states of the [[University of Jena]]. Coburg did not have its own university. It did not have its court of law, either. Gotha had its own court of law while Coburg had to go to [[Meiningen]] for the legal administration.

==Ruler==
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-R14328, Kinder des Herzogs v. Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha.jpg|thumb|The children of the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in 1917: Princess [[Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha|Sibylle]] and Prince [[Prince Hubertus of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (pilot)|Hubertus]]]]

{{main|House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha}}

===Titles and styles of the Sovereign of the House===
According to the ''Staatsgrundgesetz'' ([[House law]]s) of the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, the full title of the Duke was:<ref name="Velde">{{in lang|en|de}} Velde, François, "House Laws of the Saxe-Coburg and Gotha", posted 17 June 2008, ''Heraldica: Topics: Royalty'', http://www.heraldica.org/topics/royalty/HGSachsen-CG.htm, retrieved 10 December 2013. The original source was: Paul Posener, ''Die staatsverfassungen des Erdballs; unter Mitwirkung von Gelehrten und Staatsmännern'' [''The State Constitutions of the World, With Participation of Scholars and Statesmen'']. ([[Charlottenburg]]: Fichtner, 1909).</ref>

''Wir, Ernst, Herzog zu Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha, Jülich, Cleve und Berg, auch Engern und Westphalen, Landgraf in Thüringen, Markgraf zu Meißen, gefürsteter Graf zu Henneberg, Graf zu der Mark und Ravensberg, Herr zu Ravenstein und Tonna usw.''

Translation: We, Ernest, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, [[United Duchies of Jülich-Cleves-Berg|Jülich, Cleves and Berg]], also [[Angria]] and [[Westphalia]], [[Landgrave]] in Thuringia, [[Margrave]] of [[Meissen]], [[Princely Count]] of [[House of Henneberg|Henneberg]], [[County of Mark|Count of the Mark]] and [[County of Ravensberg|Ravensberg]], Lord of [[Ravenstein, Netherlands|Ravenstein]] and [[Tonna, Germany|Tonna]], et cetera.

===Titles and styles of other members of the House===
The use of Ducal and Princely titles may be restricted if the marriage conflicts with the requirements of the ''Staatsgrundgesetz'' or if a member of the House renounces his claims for himself and his descendants.<ref name="Velde" />

==Dukes of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1826–1918)==
[[File:Coat of Arms of the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.svg|thumb|[[Coat of arms]] of Saxe-Coburg <br /> and Gotha]]
[[File:Shield of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.svg|thumb|[[Heraldic shield]] of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha]]
{{Tree list}}
* '''[[Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha]]''' (1784–1844) '''reigned 1826–1844'''
** '''[[Ernest II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha]]''' (1818–1893) '''reigned 1844–1893'''
** ''[[Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha]]'' (1819–1861), Prince Consort of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 1840–1861
*** ''[[Edward VII|King Edward VII]]'' of the United Kingdom (1841–1910), reigned as king 1901–1910;
*** '''[[Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha|Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Duke of Edinburgh]]''' (1844–1900), '''reigned 1893–1900'''
**** ''[[Alfred, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha]]'' (1874–1899), predeceased father
*** ''[[Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn]]'' (1850–1942)
**** ''[[Prince Arthur of Connaught]]'' (1883–1938)
***** ''[[Alastair Windsor, 2nd Duke of Connaught and Strathearn]]'' (1914–1943)
*** ''[[Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany]]'' (1853–1884)
**** '''[[Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha]]''' (1884–1954), '''reigned 1900–1918''', abdicated 1918
{{Tree list/end}}

==State Ministers of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1824–1919)==
* 1824–1840 Christoph Anton Ferdinand von Carlowitz
* 1840–1840 Dietrich [Carl August] ''[[Freiherr]]'' von Stein (first time)
* 1840–1846 Georg Ferdinand von Lepel
* 1846–1849 Dietrich [Carl August] ''Freiherr'' von Stein (second time)
* 1849–1888 Camillo ''Freiherr'' von Seebach
* 1888–1891 Gisbert von Bonin
* 1891–1900 Office Vacant
* 1900–1905 [Philipp Hermann] Otto von Hentig
* 1905–1914 Ernst [Friedrich Hermann] von Richter
* 1914–1919 Hans Barthold von Bassewitz

==See also==
* [[Ernestine duchies]]
* [[Palais Coburg]] in Vienna
{{clear}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* Dressel, Carl-Christian H., [https://books.google.com/books?id=h0YMAQAAMAAJ&q=Die+Entwicklung+von+Verfassung+und+Verwaltung+in+Sachsen-Coburg+1800%E2%80%931826+im+Vergleich ''Die Entwicklung von Verfassung und Verwaltung in Sachsen-Coburg 1800–1826 im Vergleich''](''The Development and Comparison of the Constitution and Administration of Saxe-Coburg 1880 – 1826'') (Berlin: Duncker & Humblot, 2007), {{ISBN|978-3-428-12003-1}}, Subscription required. {{in lang|de}}
* Erdmann, Jürgen, [https://books.google.com/books?id=teLSugEACAAJ&q=Coburg,+Bayern+und+das+Reich+1918%E2%80%931923 ''Coburg, Bayern und das Reich 1918–1923''] (''Coburg, Bavaria and the Empire 1918–1923''), Coburg, Druckhaus und Vesteverlag A. Rossteutscher, 1969, (''Coburger Heimatkunde und Landesgeschichte Reihe 2, 22'' (''Coburger Studies of State and Local History Series 2, Nr 22''), ZDB-ID 1151614-8) (simultaneously: [[University of Würzburg]], Dissertation, 1969: ''Coburg in den Anfangsjahren der Weimarer Republik 1918–1923'' (''Coburg in the Beginning of the Weimar Republic Years 1918–1923'')) {{in lang|de}}
* [[Johann Homann|Homann, Johann B[aptist].]], ''Die Herzogtümer Gotha, Coburg und Altenburg 1729. Historische Karte'' (''The Duchies of Gotha, Coburg and Altenburg 1729. Historical Maps''), ''Tabula Geographica Principatus Gotha, Coburg, Altenburg'' (''Geographical Maps of the Principalities of Gotha, Coburg and Altenburg 1729''), Bad Langensalza, Verlag Rockstuhl, 1999 (reprint), {{ISBN|3-929000-78-4}}. {{in lang|de}}
* Niclas, Thomas, ''Das Haus Sachsen-Coburg – Europas späte Dynastie'' (''The House of Saxe-Coburg – Europe's Last Dynasty''), Stuttgart, [[Kohlhammer Verlag]], 2003, {{ISBN|3-17-017243-3}}. {{in lang|de}}
* Sandner, Harold, ''Das Haus von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha 1826 bis 2001'' (''The House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha 1826 to 2001''), Coburg, Neue Presse GmbH, 2004. {{ISBN|3-00-008525-4}}. {{in lang|de}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.sachsen-coburg-gotha.de/ The Ducal House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha] – the official website of the house {{in lang|de|en}}
* [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13494a.htm The Catholic Encyclopedia: Saxe-Coburg and Gotha] – article about the Duchy, written in 1910, with details about the religious issues {{in lang|en}}
* {{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Saxe-Coburg-Gotha}} {{in lang|en}}

{{Ernestine duchies}}
{{States of the German Confederation}}
{{States of the North German Confederation}}
{{States of the German Empire}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:States and territories disestablished in 1918]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1826]]
[[Category:States of the German Empire]]
[[Category:House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha|*]]
[[Category:Ernestine duchies|Coburg and Gotha]]
[[Category:Dukes of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha| ]]
[[Category:Former states and territories of Bavaria]]
[[Category:1826 establishments in Europe]]
[[Category:1918 disestablishments in Germany]]
[[Category:19th century in Germany by state]]
[[Category:Real unions]]
[[Category:States of the North German Confederation]]