German Nobility. Born at the castle Friedenstein as the only child of Duke August von Sachsen-Gotha-Altenburg and his first wife Luise Charlotte von Mecklenburg-Schwerin. In 1817 she married the seventeen years older Ernst von Sachsen-Coburg-Saalfeld. Their marriage, which was obviously arranged for political reasons, began to run into crisis after the birth of their first son, Ernst. After the birth of the second child, they drifted apart. Ernst had several mistresses, and she had an affair with her personal servant Gottfried von Bülow and in 1824 she fell in love with her equerry Alexander von Hanstein. It finally came to the separation from her husband, which led to some unrest in the Coburg population. In the separation contract, she received a castle in Altenburg. In 1824 she had to leave Coburg without her sons. The village of Sankt Wendel, in the Principality of Lichtenberg, was assigned as her new residence. She lived there with her lover and participated in the social life of her residence town. She suffered from the separation from her sons, as she was denied even portraits and visitation rights. On March 30th, 1826 she was divorced against her will and continued to call herself Luise, Duchess of Saxony. Three months later, Alexander von Hanstein was created count of Pölzig and Beiersdorf by Friedrich von Sachsen-Altenburg. In October, Luise and Alexander got married and continued to live in St. Wendel. In February 1831 Luise traveled with her husband to Paris to see doctors because of a steady deterioration in her health. During the examinations, an incurable uterine cancer was found. She was first buried in the Church of Pfeffelbach and was transferred to the Morizkirche in Coburg in 1846. In 1860 she was transferred to the Ducal Mausoleum.
German Nobility. Born at the castle Friedenstein as the only child of Duke August von Sachsen-Gotha-Altenburg and his first wife Luise Charlotte von Mecklenburg-Schwerin. In 1817 she married the seventeen years older Ernst von Sachsen-Coburg-Saalfeld. Their marriage, which was obviously arranged for political reasons, began to run into crisis after the birth of their first son, Ernst. After the birth of the second child, they drifted apart. Ernst had several mistresses, and she had an affair with her personal servant Gottfried von Bülow and in 1824 she fell in love with her equerry Alexander von Hanstein. It finally came to the separation from her husband, which led to some unrest in the Coburg population. In the separation contract, she received a castle in Altenburg. In 1824 she had to leave Coburg without her sons. The village of Sankt Wendel, in the Principality of Lichtenberg, was assigned as her new residence. She lived there with her lover and participated in the social life of her residence town. She suffered from the separation from her sons, as she was denied even portraits and visitation rights. On March 30th, 1826 she was divorced against her will and continued to call herself Luise, Duchess of Saxony. Three months later, Alexander von Hanstein was created count of Pölzig and Beiersdorf by Friedrich von Sachsen-Altenburg. In October, Luise and Alexander got married and continued to live in St. Wendel. In February 1831 Luise traveled with her husband to Paris to see doctors because of a steady deterioration in her health. During the examinations, an incurable uterine cancer was found. She was first buried in the Church of Pfeffelbach and was transferred to the Morizkirche in Coburg in 1846. In 1860 she was transferred to the Ducal Mausoleum.
Bio by: Nikita Barlow
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