Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg

Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg (German: Ernst I. Friedrich Paul Georg Nikolaus von Sachsen-Altenburg) (16 September 1826 in Hildburghausen – 7 February 1908 in Altenburg), was a duke of Saxe-Altenburg. He was the first son of Georg, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg and Marie Luise of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. In 1853, he succeeded his father as Duke of Saxe-Altenburg. He was of a retiring disposition and he took little active part in running the country. After a reign that lasted 55 years, he died without a living direct male heir; because of this, he was succeeded by his nephew, Ernst.

Marriage

He was married in Dessau on 28 April 1853 to Agnes of Anhalt-Dessau (1824–1897). Agnes was a sister of Friedrich I, Duke of Anhalt.

They had two children:

• Marie (b. Eisenberg, 2 August 1854 – d. Camenz, 8 October 1898), married on 19 April 1873 to Albrecht of Prussia.
• Georg (b. Altenburg, 1 February 1856 – d. Altenburg, 29 February 1856) died in infancy.

Honours and decorations

• : Grand Cross of St. Stephen, 1859
• : Grand Cordon of the Royal Order of Leopold
• : Knight of the Elephant, 28 October 1882
• : Grand Cross of the Netherlands Lion
• : Order of Osmanieh, 1st Class in Diamonds
• : Grand Cross of the Star of Romania
• :
• Knight of St. Andrew
• Knight of St. George, 4th Class
• : Grand Cross of the Cross of Takovo
• Sweden-Norway: Knight of the Seraphim, 24 February 1864
• Grand Duchy of Tuscany: Grand Cross of the Military Order of St. Stephen

Ancestry

References