Ernest Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld

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Ernest Frederick
Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
Reign	16 September 1764 – 8 September 1800
Predecessor	Francis Josias
Successor	Francis
Born	(1724-03-08)8 March 1724 Saalfeld, Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, Holy Roman Empire
Died	8 September 1800(1800-09-08) (aged 76) Coburg, Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, Holy Roman Empire
Spouse	Sophia Antonia of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel ​ ​ (m. 1749)​
Issue	Francis Prince Karl Wilhelm Princess Fredericka Princess Caroline Prince Ludwig Karl Prince Ferdinand August Prince Frederick
House	Wettin
Father	Francis Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
Mother	Anna Sophie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
Religion	Lutheranism

Ernest Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (in German, Ernst Friedrich, Herzog von Sachsen-Coburg-Saalfeld, 8 March 1724 – 8 September 1800), was a Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.

He was the eldest son of Francis Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld and Anna Sophie of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt.

Ernest Frederick succeeded his father in the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld when he died in 1764 and established his definitive residence shifted in Coburg. Because of the high indebtedness of the duchy he was compelled by Emperor Joseph II in 1773 to work with a Debit commission—an obligatory administration of debts assigned by the emperor—for over thirty years.

In Wolfenbüttel on 23 April 1749 Ernest Frederick married with Sophia Antonia of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. They had seven children:

1. Franz Frederick Anton, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (b. Coburg 15 July 1750 – d. Coburg, 9 December 1806), father of Leopold I of Belgium and grandfather of Leopold II, Empress Carlota of Mexico, Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, and her husband Prince Albert.
2. Karl Wilhelm Ferdinand (b. Coburg, 21 November 1751 – d. Coburg, 16 February 1757).
3. Fredericka Juliane (b. Coburg, 14 September 1752 – d. Coburg, 24 September 1752).
4. Caroline Ulrike Amalie (b. Coburg, 19 October 1753 – d. Coburg, 1 October 1829), a nun at Gandersheim.
5. Ludwig Karl Frederick (b. Coburg, 2 January 1755 – d. Coburg, 4 May 1806); he had an illegitimate son by Mademoiselle Brutel de la Rivière: Ludwig Frederick Emil von Coburg (b. Hildburghausen, 1779 - d. Coburg, 1827). In turn, the five children of Ludwig Frederick were created Freiherren von Coburg. His descendants are still alive.
6. Ferdinand August Heinrich (b. Coburg, 12 April 1756 – d. Coburg, 8 July 1758).
7. Frederick (b. Coburg, 4 March 1758 – d. Coburg, 26 June 1758).

• August Beck: Ernst Friedrich, Herzog zu Sachsen-Koburg-Saalfeld. In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Band 6, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1877, S. 317.
• Das herzogliche Haus Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha: Seine Geschichte und gegenwärtige Stellung in Europa, C. Macklot, 1842, S. 236 (Digitalisat)