Friedrich Wilhelm II (Duke of Saxe-Altenburg)

Friedrich Wilhelm II was the youngest of the children of Duke Friedrich Wilhelm I of Saxe-Weimar and Anna Maria of Palatinate-Neuburg , he was born eight months after the death of his father.

Shortly after the birth of Friedrich Wilhelm II, hereditary possessions were divided between Friedrich Wilhelm I's brother Johann and the sons of the deceased; sons got part of the duchy with Altenburg . The guardian of children was the Saxon Elector Christian II , and after his death his younger brother and new Elector Johann Georg I. In 1618, the eldest of the sons - Johann Philip of Saxe-Altenburg - was declared an adult, and began to rule the duchy independently. The brothers became his co-rulers, but two of them soon died, leaving no children, only Friedrich Wilhelm II survived; in fact, Johann-Philip held in his hands the full power until his death.

During the Thirty Years War, Friedrich Wilhelm II, like other members of his family, fought on the side of the Protestants, served under Hans Georg von Arnim-Beutzenburg , and participated in the Battle of Breitenfeld .

In 1638, Johann Ernst of Saxe-Eisenachsky died childless, because of which the Saxe-Eisenach line of the Wettin was cut short. It was decided to divide its land between Saxe-Weimar and Saxe-Altenburg, and by agreement with William of Saxe-Weimar Saxe-Altenburg crossed Coburg , Bad Rodach , Römhild , Hildburghausen and Neustadt-Coburg .

In 1660, Henneberg county was divided, from this section Friedrich Wilhelm II received Meiningen , Temar and Bühringen . The dispute with the Saxe-Weimar line regarding the rights to one or another land lasted until his death.

For the first time Frederick Wilhelm II married on September 18, 1638 in the Altenburg castle to Sofia Elizabeth , daughter of the Brandenburg margrave Christian Wilhelm . Sophia Elizabeth died in 1650, and did not give birth to a single child.

Frederick Wilhelm II on October 11, 1652 in Dresden on Magdalena Sibylle , daughter of Saxon Elector Johann George I, and widow of the Danish crown prince Christian (son of King Christian IV ). They had three children:

• Christian (February 27, 1654 - June 5, 1663)
• Johann Magdalena (January 14, 1656 - January 22, 1686), married Johann Adolf I of Saxe-Weissenfels
• Frederick William III of Saxe-Altenburg (July 12, 1657 - April 14, 1672)

• Friedrich Wilhelm II of Saxe-Altenburg at the Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie