Answer the following question: Facts: - issue: ernest prince ludwig , hereditary prince of saxe-gotha-altenburg augustus frederick iv - death place: gotha - succession: duke of saxe-gotha-altenburg - reign: 1772 -- 1804 - successor: augustus - spouse: princess charlotte of saxe-meiningen - predecessor: frederick iii - mother: luise dorothea of saxe-meiningen - death date: 20 april 1804 - house: house of saxe-gotha-altenburg - titles: '' '' the hereditary prince of saxe-gotha-altenburg , duke in saxony hrh '' hsh '' prince of saxe-gotha-altenburg , duke in saxony '' the duke of saxe-gotha-altenburg '' hsh - father: frederick iii , duke of saxe-gotha-altenburg - birth date: 30 january 1745 - name: ernest ii - image size: 180px - image: ernst-ii 1775.jpg - birth place: gotha Based on these bullet points, write a short biography describing the life of ernest ii , duke of saxe-gotha-altenburg .
Answer:
ernest ii , duke of saxe-gotha-altenburg -lrb- gotha , 30 january 1745 -- gotha , 20 april 1804 -rrb- , he was the third but second surviving son of frederick iii , duke of saxe-gotha-altenburg and luise dorothea of saxe-meiningen .the death of his older brother frederick in 1756 made him the heir to the duchy of saxe-gotha-altenburg .