Prince Albert of Saxe-Altenburg

Prince Albert of Saxe-Altenburg was born on August 14, 1843, in Meiningen, Germany. He was the second son of Prince Eduard of Saxe-Altenburg and his wife, Princess Amalie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. Albert studied law and politics in Berlin and joined the German army in 1865. He fought in the Austro-Prussian War and the Franco-Prussian War. In 1872, Albert became the ruling prince of the small German principality of Reuss-Gera. He improved the economy and modernized the infrastructure of his principality. In 1892, Albert's elder brother, Ernst, died childless, and Albert inherited the throne of Saxe-Altenburg. He continued his modernization efforts in Saxe-Altenburg and made his principality a model of efficiency and progress. Albert married Princess Marie of Prussia in 1873, and they had six children. He was a devoted family man and spent much of his time with his wife and children. He also had a passion for music and was an accomplished pianist. Prince Albert died on January 22, 1902, in Altenburg, Germany, at the age of 58. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Ernst II, as the ruling prince of Saxe-Altenburg.