Princess Magdalena Augusta of Anhalt-Zerbst

In 1696, Magdalena Augusta married her first cousin, Frederick II, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, who had become duke in 1691. The duchess's letters to her husband, kept in the Gotha library, bear witness to a loving and happy marriage. Magdalena Augusta was constantly pregnant during much of her marriage, giving birth almost once a year, but a large number of her children went on to die in early childhood.

Her refusal to let her youngest daughter be taught English after she was promised to the presumptive heir to the British throne shows her rather modest sense. She claimed: "[...] this is completely unnecessary, because since the Hanover family has been on the English throne for over twenty years, the people in England and especially at court have to speak German as often and as well as English. "

Only nine of her nineteen children survived into adulthood:

1. Sophie (b. Gotha, 30 May 1697 – d. of smallpox, Gotha, 29 November 1703), died in early childhood.
2. Frederick III, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (b. Gotha, 14 April 1699 – d. Gotha, 10 March 1772).
3. Stillborn son (Gotha, 22 April 1700).
4. Wilhelm (b. Gotha, 12 March 1701 – d. Gräfentonna, 31 May 1771), married on 8 November 1742 to Anna of Holstein-Gottorp. Their marriage was childless.
5. Karl Frederick (b. Gotha, 20 September 1702 – d. [of smallpox?] Gotha, 21 November 1703), died in early childhood.
6. Stillborn daughter (b. and d. Gotha, 8 May 1703).
7. Johann August (b. Gotha, 17 February 1704 – d. Stadtroda, 8 May 1767).
8. Christian (b. Gotha, 27 February 1705 – d. of smallpox, Gotha, 5 March 1705), died in infancy.
9. Christian Wilhelm (b. Gotha, 28 May 1706 – d. Stadtroda, 19 July 1748), married on 27 May 1743 to Luise Reuss of Schleiz. Their marriage was childless.
10. Ludwig Ernst (b. Gotha, 28 December 1707 – d. Gotha, 13 August 1763)
11. Emanuel (b. Gotha, 5 April 1709 – d. Gotha, 10 October 1710), died in early childhood.
12. Moritz (b. Altenburg, 11 May 1711 – d. Altenburg, 3 September 1777).
13. Sophie (b. Altenburg, 23 August 1712 – d. Altenburg, 12 November 1712), died in infancy.
14. Karl (b. Gotha, 17 April 1714 – d. Gotha, 10 July 1715), died in early childhood.
15. Fredericka (b. Gotha, 17 July 1715 – d. Langensalza, 12 May 1775), married on 27 November 1734 to Johann Adolf II, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels.
16. Stillborn son (Gotha, 30 November 1716).
17. Magdalena Sibylle (b. Gotha, 15 August 1718 – d. Gotha, 9 November 1718), died in infancy.
18. Augusta (b. Gotha, 30 November 1719 – d. Carlton House, 8 February 1772), married on 8 May 1736 to Frederick, Prince of Wales. They had nine children; their second child later became King George III of Great Britain.^[1]
19. Johann Adolf (b. Gotha, 18 May 1721 – d. Friedrichstanneck, 29 April 1799).