Countess Sophia Albertine of Erbach-Erbach

Sophia Albertine was born on 30 July 1683 in Erbach, Odenwald, Germany as the youngest daughter of General Count George Louis I of Erbach-Erbach (1643–1693) and his wife Countess Amalia Katharina of Waldeck-Eisenberg (1640–1697). Her father, along with his surviving younger brothers George IV and George Albert II inherited the Erbach lands after the death of their elder half-brother George Ernest, Count of Erbach-Wildenstein in 1669, and ruled until 1672, when was made the formal division of their possessions: Sophia's father received the districts of Erbach, Freienstein and Wildenstein. At the death of Sophia's uncle George IV in 1678, having no surviving issue forced another division in the Erbach patrimony; this time George Louis received the districts of Michelstadt and Breuberg until his own death in 1693.

Sophia had 15 siblings, three of whom reached adulthood. They were:

• Henriette (27 September 1665 – 28 September 1665).
• Henriette Juliane (15 October 1666 – 27 February 1684).
• Philipp Louis, Count of Erbach-Erbach (10 June 1669 – 17 June 1720).
• Charles Albert of Erbach-Erbach (16 June 1670 – k.a. Dapfing a.d.Donau, 18 August 1704).
• George Albert (born and died 1 July 1671).
• Amalie Katharina (13 May 1672 – 18 June 1676).
• Frederick Charles (19 April 1673 – 20 April 1673).
• An unnamed son (born and died 16 September 1674).
• Wilhelmine Sophie (16 February 1675 – 20 August 1675).
• Magdalena Charlotte (6 February 1676 – 3 December 1676).
• Wilhelm Louis (21 March 1677 – 19 February 1678).
• Amalie Katharina (born and died 18 February 1678).
• Fredericka Charlotte (19 April 1679 – 21 April 1679).
• Frederick Charles, Count of Erbach-Limpurg (21 May 1680 – 20 February 1731).
• Ernest (23 September 1681 – 2 March 1684).

She married on 4 February 1704 in Erbach to Ernest Frederick I, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen, the eldest son of Ernest, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen and Countess Sophie Henriette of Waldeck. The couple had 14 children, eleven of whom died before reaching adulthood. They were:

1. Ernest Louis Hollandinus (b. Hildburghausen, 24 November 1704 – d. Hildburghausen, 26 November 1704).
2. Sophie Amalie Elisabeth (b. Hildburghausen, 5 October 1705 – d. Hildburghausen, 28 February 1708).
3. Ernest Louis (b. Hildburghausen, 6 February 1707 – d. Hildburghausen, 17 April 1707).
4. Ernest Frederick II, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen (b. Hildburghausen, 17 December 1707 – d. Hildburghausen, 13 August 1745).
5. Frederick August (b. Hildburghausen, 8 May 1709 – d. Hildburghausen, 4 March 1710).
6. Louis Frederick (b. Hildburghausen, 11 September 1710 – d. Nimwegen, 10 June 1759), married on 4 May 1749 to Christine Luise von Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Plön. This marriage was childless.
7. Stillborn daughter (Hildburghausen, 2 August 1711).
8. Stillborn daughter (Hildburghausen, 24 August 1712).
9. Elisabeth Albertine (b. Hildburghausen, 3 August 1713 – d. Neustrelitz, 29 June 1761), married on 5 May 1735 to Duke Charles Louis Frederick of Mecklenburg, Herr of Mirow.
10. Emanuel Frederick Charles (b. Hildburghausen, 26 March 1715 – d. Hildburghausen, 29 June 1718).
11. Elisabeth Sophie (b. Hildburghausen, 13 September 1717 – d. Hildburghausen, 14 October 1717).
12. Stillborn daughter (Hildburghausen, 17 March 1719).
13. George Frederick William (b. Hildburghausen, 15 July 1720 – d. Hildburghausen, 10 April 1721).
14. Stillborn son (Hildburghausen, 15 December 1721).

Sophia Albertine was responsible for the education of their children because her husband was largely devoted to the life of a soldier outside the country.