Maurice Wilhelm, Duke of Saxe-Merseburg

He was born in Merseburg, the fifth (but second surviving) son of Christian II, Duke of Saxe-Merseburg, and Erdmuthe Dorothea of Saxe-Zeitz.

As he was only six years of age at the time, his mother, the dowager duchess Erdmuthe Dorothea, acted as regent until he reached his majority in 1712.

Until then, the administration of the duchy was supervised by the Elector Frederick Augustus I of Saxony.

In Idstein on 4 November 1711, Maurice Wilhelm married Henriette Charlotte of Nassau-Idstein.

They only had one daughter: After his death at Merseburg, without male issue, he was succeeded by his uncle Heinrich.