Duchy of Saxe-Gotha

one of the Saxon duchies of the Wettin dynasty

Saxe-Gotha (German: Sachsen-Gotha) was a state in today's Thuringia, Germany.

Duchy of Saxe-Gotha
Herzogtum Sachsen-Gotha
15531572
16401680
Thuringia, showing the combined territory of Saxe-Gotha and Saxe-Altenburg, before it was again divided (1672 – 80)
Thuringia, showing the combined territory of Saxe-Gotha and Saxe-Altenburg, before it was again divided (167280)
StatusState of the Holy Roman Empire
CapitalGotha
GovernmentPrincipality
Historical eraMiddle Ages
• Split from Saxe-Thuringia
1553 1553
• Split into Saxe-Coburg and Saxe-Eisenach
1572
• Split from Saxe-Weimar
1640
• Partitioned in seven
1680
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Image missing Saxe-Thuringia
Image missing Saxe-Weimar
Saxe-Coburg Image missing
Saxe-Eisenach Image missing
Saxe-Eisenburg Image missing
Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg Image missing
Saxe-Hildburghausen Image missing
Saxe-Meiningen Image missing
Saxe-Römhild Image missing
Saxe-Saalfeld Image missing

It was created in 1640 for Duke Ernest I and ended in 1680 when his lands were divided after his death in 1675. The area around Gotha passed to Ernest's eldest surviving son, Frederick of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, who also inherited Altenburg (which Ernest had inherited through his wife Elisabeth Sophie) and became Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg.

Dukes of Saxe-Gotha change

When the house of Saxe-Gotha and Altenburg became extinct in 1825, Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg was split. Saxe-Gotha passed to the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld who in turn gave Saalfeld to Saxe-Meiningen. The Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen became Duke of Saxe-Altenburg, and gave Saxe-Hildburghausen to Saxe-Meiningen.

After the abolition of German monarchies at the end of the First World War it became a part of the newly created state of Thuringia in 1920.

References change