Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1871.djvu/204

 1 68 GERMANY — SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA.

XIV. SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA.

(Herzogthum Sacrsen-Coburg-Gotha.)

Reigning Sovereign and Family.

Ernst II., Duke of Saxe-Cotmrg-Gotha, born June 21, 1818, the son of Duke Ernst I. of Saxe- Saalfeld-Coburg and of Princess Louise of Saxe-Altenburg. Studied philosophy and political economy at the University of Bonn, 1834-36 ; entered into the military service of Saxony, 183G; travelled in Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Northern Africa, 1838-40. Succeeded to the throne, at the death of his father, Jan. 29, 1844. Married, May 3, 1842, to Princess Alexandrine, born Dec. 6, 1820, the daughter of the late Grand-duke Leopold of Baden.

The Duke being childless, heir-apparent is his nephew, Prince Alfred, born Aug. 6, 1844, the son of Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg- Gotha, and of Victoria I., Queen of Great Britain.

The immediate ancestor of the reigning family of Saxe-Coburg- Gotha, formerly called Saxe-Saalfeld-Coburg, and previously Saxe- Coburg, was Prince Albrecht, second son of Duke Ernst, surnamed the Pious, who died in 1G99. A dispute about his heritage lasted through three generations, and was only settled, towards the end of the eighteenth century, by a re-distribution of the territories of the Saxon princes. A new division took place in 1826; on the extinction of the line of Saxe-Gotha, and it was then that the house of Saxe- Saalfeld- Coburg exchanged its name for that of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. The family is in possession of a large private fortune, accumulated chiefly by Duke Ernst I. of Saxe-Saalfeld-Coburg, whom the Congress of Vienna made a present of the principality of Lichtenberg, in return for his services as commander of the fifth corps d\trme'e in the year 1813. This principality he sold, Sept. 22, 1834, to the King of Prussia, for a sum of two million thaler, and other advantages. Besides a vast private income, Duke Ernst II. has a comparatively large civil list. It is paid out of the revenue of the domains, and amounts to 100,000 thaler, or 15,000/., at a minimum, and more in case these estates produce above 134,079 thaler, or 20,112/. a year. The proprietorship of these domains, Avhich, according to the decision of the highest legal authorities in Germany, belong to the State and not to the reigning family, gave rise for a time to ani- mated disputes between the Government and the legislature of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. A compromise was finally arrived at, by the terms of which the reigning Duke has a civil list of 100,000 thaler out of the income of the domains, and the surplus of 34,079 thaler