Ernest Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, was a Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.
Background
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.
Career
He is a patrilineal ancestor of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. 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:
Karl Wilhelm Ferdinand (b Coburg, 21 November 1751 – d Coburg, 16 February 1757).
Fredericka Juliane (b Coburg, 14 September 1752 – d Coburg, 24 September 1752). Caroline Ulrike Amalie (b Coburg, 19 October 1753 – d Coburg, 1 October 1829), a nun at Gandersheim.
Ludwig Karl Frederick (b Coburg, 2 January 1755 – d Coburg, 4 May 1806). He had an illegitimate son by some Mademoiselle Brutel de la Riviére: Ludwig Frederick Emil of Coburg (b Hildburghausen, 1779 - d Coburg, 1827).
In turn, the five children of Ludwig Frederick were created Freiherren von Coburg.
His descendants still alive. Ferdinand August Heinrich (b Coburg, 12 April 1756 – d Coburg, 8 July 1758). Frederick (b Coburg, 4 March 1758 – d Coburg, 26 June 1758).