Johann Adolf was the youngest son of
Frederick II, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg and
Magdalene Augusta of Anhalt-Zerbst. The prince was educated by Gottfried Christoph Sommer in Gotha and between 1735 and 1739 in
Geneva. He joined the Danish military service in 1739. On his
Grand Tour in 1741 he visited France als later his sister
Augusta in the
United Kingdom where he also obtained a Ph.D. from the
University of Oxford. In 1742 he started his service in the army of the Electorate of Saxony where he became holder of a regiment in 1744 that he commanded until 1746 on his own. He fought at the
Battle of Hohenfriedberg. He became
major general in 1746 and established his headquarter in
Naumburg. In 1748 he obtained the
Polish Order of the White Eagle and joined the
Masonic lodge »Zu den drei Hammern« as »Chevalier de la Truelle d'Or« Master Masons in Naumburg. Johann Adolf became Saxon lieutenant general in 1753. During
The Seven Years' War he was captured by the
Prussian Army near
Altenburg in 1756. He has been released once he has sworn not to fight the Prussians further. Later, the Prussian Army tried to absorb his regiment. Johann Adolf retired to
Eisenberg where he had the house Markt 25 built in 1750. In 1756 he had built Schloss Friedrichstanneck nearby. After
Prince Joseph of Saxe-Hildburghausen died in 1787 he became
Elder of the Ernestine line of the
House of Wettin, a position already hold by his older brother
Frederick III until his death in 1772. Because of this position he obtained
Oldisleben territory. Daniel Collenbusch became his personal physician in 1788. After Johann Adolf died in 1799
Prince Josias of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld became Elder of Ernestine Wettin and received the Oldisleben territory. Johann Adolf is buried at the chapel of Christiansburg Castle in Eisenberg. == Marriage and issue ==