Karoline von Feuchtersleben

She was born as a daughter of an Adjutant General of the army of Ernest Frederick I, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen, Christoph von Feuchtersleben and his wife Rosalie Marie. They were of an old Saxon noble family.^[1][2]

From 1798 she held the position of Lady-in-waiting to Princess Charlotte von Hildburghausen and because of this developed a close romantic relationship with writer Jean Paul who was invited to the Ducal court of Hildburghausen by Princess Charlotte.^[2] In July 1799, Paul declared his love for Feuchtersleben in a letter and in October of the same year both became secretly engaged, this engagement didn't last long when von Feuchtersleben's mother wasn't happy with her marrying someone of a lower class and income.^[2]

In October 1817, Karoline von Feuchtersleben married Karl Christoph von Grundherr zu Altenthann (1777–1831), from one of the oldest patrician families, who was four years her junior. Karl was a Counselor of the Saxe-Hildburghausen Legation, a tutor to Princes George, Friedrich and Eduard of Saxe-Hildburghausen, and later a Higher Regional Court and Consistorial Counselor.^[3]

She died in 1842 in Hildburghausen.^[4]