at his death in 1702. Schleswig (1689–1702) At the end of the 17th century, the Duchy of Holstein-Gottorp was in an extremely unstable political situation. Several times, the dukes had been forced out of their residence in Schleswig into exile in Hamburg. These exiles generally led to a large reduction, if not the dissolution of the court's musical ensemble. In 1689, Duke Christian Albrecht had been in exile in Hamburg for years when King Christian V of Denmark and Norway was forced by Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor to sign the so-called "Altonaer Vergleich" (Altona Compromise) which permitted Christian Albrecht to return to Schleswig. Johann Philipp Förtsch had officially been the Duke's Kapellmeister (music director) since 1680 but had probably only sporadically performed any duties related to this office because of the exile. In the meantime, he had begun pursuing a medical career and was already serving as a court physician for his employer and did not intend to resume his activity as Kapellmeister. With the return of the court to Schleswig, however, it became necessary to find a capable person to fill the position. Förtsch, who had worked with Theile and Österreich for a time at the Hamburger Oper, suggested Österreich for this post. Österreich led his first performance as the Gottorfer Hofkapellmeister not later than the Advent season of 1689. During his tenure, the Gottorfer court ensemble became one of the most important in the German-speaking world. Interval in Coburg The surviving works of the Gottorfer Court Ensemble testify to a high level of musical performance. However, the period of flourishing was cut short when Christian Albrecht died on 27 December 1694. His son, Frederick IV, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp, then 23 years old, soon began dismissing members of the ensemble in order to increase his military expenditures. As a result, the courtly music was disrupted and Österreich assumed a position as Kapellmeister in Coburg from 1695 to 1697. The exact details of this position are not entirely known. It is possible it was merely a "loan" of his services for the time that the Gottorfer Court Ensemble was dormant since the Gottorfer accounts reflect salary payments of 80 reichsthaler during that period - a fraction of his full salary which had been 350 reichsthaler in 1694. Musical historian Johann Gottfried Walther described it somewhat differently in 1732; according to Walther, Albert V, Duke of Saxe-Coburg had invited Österreich