Why did the duke leave her?
In the late 1720s, it became clear that the heir to the throne was not long for this world; he finally died in November 1731. Without an heir to the throne, Protestant Württemberg would fall to the Catholic branch line and denominational conflicts would be a given. Thus, Duke Eberhard Ludwig separated from his mistress in an attempt to reconcile with his wife, a reconciliation that did not, however, produce a legitimate heir. Their separation occurred without prior discussion. Subsequently, there were supposedly emotional letters, scenes and rumors, and the duke suffered from psychosomatic issues.