German Awards - German States - Saxe-Altenburg - Duchy

The Duchy of Saxe-Gotha arose from the division of Ernestine possessions in 1640. Saxony-Gotha was then separated from Saxony-Weimar and ruled by Duke Ernst I. In 1672, there was no succession in Saxe-Altenburg and thus the land was divided between the duchies of Saxe-Weimar and Saxe-Gotha. The duchy of Saxe-Gotha received a much larger part, and thus a newly formed duchy called Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg arose. The successor of Ernst I (the Pious) was his eldest son Frederick I. In 1825, the ruling clan died out in Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg. The lands were divided between the duchies of Saxe-Hildburghausen and Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (later Saxe-Coburg-Gotha).
Duke Frederick of Saxony Hildburghausen ceded his former territory to Saxe-Meiningen and founded the new Duchy of Altenburg. In 1828, the country joined the Middle German Trade Union. After that, in 1833/1834, the Customs Union. In 1862, a military convention was concluded with Prussia. In the war of 1866, Saxe-Altenburg fought on the side of Prussia and became a member of the North German Union. The duchy lasted until 1918.
The dukes were:

• Friedrich in 1826-1834
• Joseph in 1834-1848
• Georg 1848-1853
• Ernst I in 1853-1908
• Ernst II. 1908-1918