Biography
Son of Frederick III and Luise Dorothea of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, and brother of Ernst II Ludwig.
He first embarked on a military career, joining the Teutonic Knights in 1764 before going into the service of a Dutch regiment of infantry, but left military service in 1772 to live the rest of his life as a patron of arts of literature. Among his correspondents were Herder, Göthe and Wieland. Described as witty and given to sarcasm.1
- 1 See The Journal of his German and Swiss Travels, p. 168
Life with Boswell
During his visit to the court of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg on October 17, 1764, Boswell described August as "very brisk".