(sold for $39.0)

1903, Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach.  Silver 2 Mark "1st Marriage of the Grand Duke" Coin.

Mint Year: 1903 Reference: KM-217. Mint Place: Berlin (A) Denomination: 2 Mark - 1st Marriage of the Grand Duke Condition: Scattered contact-marks and light rub in obverse, otherwise a nice AU/AU+ Material: Silver (.900) Weight: 11.11gm Diameter: 28mm

Wilhelm Ernst Karl Alexander Friedrich Heinrich Bernhard Albert Georg Hermann (English: William Ernest Charles Alexander Frederick Henry Bernard Albert George Herman) (10 June 1876 – 24 April 1923) was the last Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach.

He was born in Weimar, the eldest son of Karl August of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, heir to the Grand Duke, and his wife Princess Pauline of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach.

He succeeded his grandfather Karl Alexander as Grand Duke on 5 January 1901, as his father had predeceased him.

His heir was a distant cousin, Prince Hermann of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach,   until his disinheritance in 1909. Hermann's younger brother   subsequently served as heir presumptive to the duchy of   Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach until the birth of William Ernest's eldest son.

Wilhelm Ernst created the new Weimar city center under the direction of Hans Olde, Henry van de Velde, and Adolf Brütt. Also, he also had the University of Jena rebuilt by Theodor Fischer,   and also reconstructed Weimar's famous theatres. The improvements to   the city included a marble statue of his predecessor Charles Alexander,   which was completed in 1911. It was placed in a setting designed by   Brütt. The placement of the setting was designed to distinguish the "Old   Town" from the newly built area. A preservation law for the "Old Town"   barred it to the "art nouveau" style which was used in the new area.

According to the Dutch constitution, Wilhelm Ernst was in the line for the throne of the Netherlands (as the grandson of Princess Sophie of the Netherlands) after Queen Wilhelmina.   At the beginning of the 20th century, the Dutch feared the possibility   of German influence or even annexation of the Netherlands. In order to   prevent this, some lawyers tried to change the constitution to exclude   Wilhelm Ernst from the succession. Another way, however, was this: he or   his offspring — if Wilhelmina would die childless — would have to   choose between the Dutch and the Weimar throne. The birth of   Wilhelmina's daughter Juliana in 1909 lessened the chance for any member of the house of Wettin   (Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach branch) to inherit the Dutch throne. With the   amendment to the constitution of 1922, which restricted the right of   succession to the offspring of Wilhelmina, the possibility disappeared   entirely.

On 9 November 1918 Wilhelm Ernst - along with the rest of the German monarchs following the defeat of Germany in World War I - was forced to abdicate. His throne and all his lands were relinquished and he fled with his family to the family estate in Silesia, where he died four years later.

Despite all his work for Weimar during his government, Wilhelm Ernst   was a hated ruler. This was for his private life, where he was known to   be a sadist; the day of his abdication, he was called the "most unpopular prince in all Germany".

He died in Heinrichau in Silesia.     

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