Prince Eugene of Saxe-Hildburghausen

Frederick William Eugene of Saxe-Hildburghausen (German: Friedrich Wilhelm Eugen von Sachsen-Hildburghausen; born: 8 October 1730 in Hildburghausen; died: 4 December 1795 in Öhringen) was a Prince of Saxe-Hildburghausen.

Eugene of Saxe-Hildburghausen
Prince Eugene of Saxe-Hildburghausen, detail from a painting by Johann Valentin Tischbein
Born(1730-10-08)8 October 1730
Hildburghausen
Died4 December 1795(1795-12-04) (aged 65)
Öhringen
Spouse(s)Christiane of Saxe-Hildburghausen
FatherErnest Frederick II, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen
MotherCaroline of Erbach-Fürstenau

Life

Eugene was the younger son of the Duke Ernest Frederick II of Saxe-Hildburghausen and his wife Countess Caroline of Erbach-Fürstenau (1700–1758). His godfather was, in addition to other princes, Prince Eugene of Savoy. At the wedding of his brother Ernest Frederick III Charles with the only daughter of the Danish royal couple, Eugene was awarded the Ordre de l'Union Parfaite. In Danish royal service he attained the rank of lieutenant-general of the infantry and in Hildburghausen, he was commander of the Artillery Corps.

In 1765, Prince Eugene founded the porcelain factory at Kloster Veilsdorf. Eugene's brother, the Duke, gave the factory many privileges. Economic success, however, remained low.

He was the owner of the manor Weitersroda where he founded a new parish and built a new church and a royal villa. In Hildburghausen, he was the tenant of the mint and builder of the so-called Hoheitshaus, one of the most beautiful buildings in the city. Eugene was a skilled mechanic and gunner.

In 1769 he and his great-uncle Joseph and Duchess Charlotte Amalie of Saxe-Meiningen were appointed Commissioner for the completely indebted Principality of Saxe-Hildburghausen by Emperor Joseph II. He misappropriated assets, leading to the dispute with Prince Joseph.[1]

Following his disgrace for misappropriation of money, Eugene needed a place to stay. His sister Amalie and her husband Prince Louis of Hohenlohe-Neuenstein-Oehringen (23 May 1723 – 27 July 1805) invited him to live with them at Castle Öhringen. He accepted their offer and moved in 1770 to Öhringen. A few years later, on 13 March 1778, Eugene married his niece, the Princess Chrstiane (1761–1790), daughter of his brother Ernest Frederick III, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen. They had no children. Eugene and his wife resided at Öhringen, in the principality ruled by his brother-in-law Louis, and on a modest property belonging to him, until their respective deaths. Eugene's wife Christiane died in 1790 and Eugene died in 1795.

Ancestry

References
  • Heinrich Ferdinand Schoeppl: Die Herzoge von Sachsen-Altenburg, Bozen, 1917, reprinted Altenburg, 1992
  • Dr. Rudolf Armin Human: Chronik der Stadt Hildburghausen, Hildburghausen, 1886

Footnotes
  1. Schöppl: The Dukes of Saxe-Altenburg, Bolzano, 1917, reprint Altenburg, 1992, p. 89
  2. Genealogie ascendante jusqu'au quatrieme degre inclusivement de tous les Rois et Princes de maisons souveraines de l'Europe actuellement vivans [Genealogy up to the fourth degree inclusive of all the Kings and Princes of sovereign houses of Europe currently living] (in French). Bourdeaux: Frederic Guillaume Birnstiel. 1768. p. 105.
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