Bernhard II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen

Full name
	Bernhard II Erich Freund

Bernhard II
Bernhard II
	Duke of Saxe-Meiningen
	Portrait of Bernhard II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen in the ceremonial robes of the Order of the Garter, painted by Samuel Friedrich Diez.
Duke of Saxe-Meiningen
Reign	24 December 1803–20 September 1866
Predecessor	Georg I
Successor	Georg II
Regent	The Dowager Duchess
Born	17 December 1800; Meiningen, Saxe-Meiningen, Holy Roman Empire
Died	3 December 1882 (aged 81); Meiningen, Saxe-Meiningen, German Empire
Spouse	Marie Fredericka of Hesse-Kassel
Issue	Georg II ; Augusta, Princess Moritz of Saxe-Altenburg
Full name
	Bernhard II Erich Freund
House	Saxe-Meiningen
Father	Georg I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen
Mother	Luise Eleonore of Hohenlohe-Langenburg
Religion	Lutheranism

Bernhard II Erich Freund, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen (17 December 1800, in Meiningen – 3 December 1882, in Meiningen) was a Duke of Saxe-Meiningen.

Family

He was the only son of Georg I Frederick Karl, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen and Luise Eleonore of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. Bernhard was a younger brother of Queen Adelaide of the United Kingdom and Ida, Princess Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach.[1]

Bernhard succeeded his father when he was only three years old (1803); because of this, his mother, the Dowager Duchess Luise Eleonore, acted as regent on behalf of her son until he reached adulthood, in 1821.[1]

Marriage

In Kassel on 23 March 1825, Bernhard II married Princess Marie Frederica of Hesse-Kassel (or Hesse-Cassel). They had two children:

Name	Birth	Death	Notes
Georg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen	2 April 1826	25 June 1914	married (1) Princess Charlotte of Prussia; had issue (2) Princess Feodora of Hohenlohe-Langenburg; had issue (3) Ellen Franz; no issue
Augusta Luise Adelaide Karoline Ida	6 August 1843	11 November 1919	married Prince Moritz of Saxe-Altenburg; had issue

On 12 November 1826, after the redistribution of all the family territories after the death of the last Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, Bernhard II received Hildburghausen and Saalfeld.

A very kind family man and proud of his House, Bernhard was a thoughtful husband and father, as long as they obeyed him. In the Austro-Prussian War, he made a decision to side with the Habsburgs. When the Habsburgs lost the War, it cost Bernhard the Duchy. On 20 September 1866, Bernhard was forced to abdicate all his territories to his only son, Georg. He spent the rest of his days as a private citizen.

Ancestry

Ancestors of Bernhard II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen

8. Bernhard I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen

4. Anton Ulrich, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen

9. Princess Elisabeth Eleonore of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel

2. Georg I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen

10. Charles I, Landgrave of Hesse-Philippsthal

5. Princess Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Philippsthal

11. Princess Caroline Christine of Saxe-Eisenach

1. Bernhard II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen

12. Louis, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg

6. Christian Albrecht, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg

13. Countess Eleonore of Nassau-Saarbrücken

3. Princess Louise Eleonore of Hohenlohe-Langenburg

14. Frederick Charles, Prince of Stolberg-Gedern

7. Princess Caroline of Stolberg-Gedern

15. Countess Louise of Nassau-Saarbrücken

References

"Biografie Georg I (German)". Meininger Museen. Archived from the original on 15 September 2011. Retrieved 8 September 2014.

External links

Bernhard II at ADB (German)

Regnal titles
Bernhard II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen House of Saxe-Meiningen Cadet branch of the House of Wettin Born: 17 December 1800 Died: 3 December 1882
Preceded by Georg I	Duke of Saxe-Meiningen 1803–1866	Succeeded by Georg II

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[Bio-1] "Biografie Georg I (German)". Meininger Museen. Archived from the original on 15 September 2011. Retrieved 8 September 2014.