Frederick Augustus was the first-born child of Duke Frederick of Neuenstadt who established the second branch line of the Duchy of Württemberg-Neuenstadt. His wife was Clara Augusta of Brunswick. The branch line of Württemberg-Neuenstadt held responsibility for the town of Neuenstadt am Kocher, Möckmühl and parts of Weinsberg. They bore the title of duke although they held no state sovereignty which remained within the main duchy of Württemberg. In 1674 the state became embroiled in the Franco-Dutch War. Frederick Augustus sided with Brunswick-Lüneburg, joining their regiment as a Rittmeister. He was involved in a number of key battles, including the Battle of Konzer Brucke outside Trier in which the horses he was riding were killed three times. Before the end of the war his father called for his return in order to name him successor to the duchy and remove him from subsequent danger. Frederick Augustus married Countess Albertine Sophie Esther on 9 February 1679, the last remaining member of the counts of Eberstein. This brought ownership of the Kraichgau towns such as Gochsheim, Waldangelloch and properties along the border to Lorraine. The newly weds had Gochsheim Castle renovated and used it as their residence from 1682 onwards. Frederick Augustus's father died in March of the same year, leaving his son to take on the business of running the duchy. In 1689 French troops crossed the riverRhine during a campaign of the War of the Grand Alliance. Frederick Augustus withdrew to the north east corner of his duchy, taking up residence in Neuenstadt. In his absence, the town and castle in Gochsheim were almost completely destroyed by the French enemy. It was not until the Treaty of Ryswick in 1697 that reconstruction work started again and Frederick Augustus brought in 220 Waldensians and Huguenots which he settled in a specially planned town coined “Augustistadt” to the north of Gochsheim. The project ran into one difficulty after another and enjoyed mediocre success such that most settlers soon moved on again. Despite this, the castle was ready for occupation again in 1700. Duke Frederick Augustus died of dysentery on 6 August 1716 in Gochsheim. His grave still stands in the Martinskirche church in Gochsheim, next to his wife who died in 1728. Gochsheim became an obsolete fiefdom. As the couple had no surviving male children, Frederick Augustus’s brother, Carl Rudolf, succeeded him as Duke of Württemberg-Neuenstadt.
Family
Frederick Augustus fathered 14 children of which four children died the day they were born and only three daughters surviving to their first birthday and all three living into adulthood. The duke had autopsies done on all children to ascertain the reason of death, without success. Historians now believe that premature death was often the result of poor hygiene, spoilt milk and mistakes made during childbirth. His wife was Albertine Sophie Esther of Eberstein. Children: 1. Friedrich Kasimir 2. Ludwig Frederick 3. Unnamed daughter 4. Frederick Samuel 5. Unnamed daughter 6. Augustus Frederick 7. Karl 8. Adam 9. Auguste Sofie 10. Eleonore Wilhelmine Charlotte 11. Unnamed daughter 12. Unnamed son 13. Friederike 14. Frederick
