Supriya Ghosh (Editor)

Anhalt Dessau

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Historical era
  
Middle Ages

Today part of
  
Germany

Founded
  
1396

Preceded by
  
Succeeded by

Capital
  
Dessau

Government
  
Monarchy

Anhalt-Dessau httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommonsee

19th century flag of Anhalt duchies
  
19th century arms of Anhalt duchies

Anhalt-Dessau was a principality of the Holy Roman Empire and later a duchy of the German Confederation. Ruled by the House of Ascania, it was created in 1396 following the partition of the Principality of Anhalt-Zerbst, and finally merged into the re-united Duchy of Anhalt in 1863. The capital of the state was Dessau in present-day Saxony-Anhalt.

Contents

History

The Principality of Anhalt arose in 1212 under its first ruler Henry I, son of the Saxon duke Bernhard III. Named after Anhalt Castle, the ancestral seat of the Ascanian dynasty near Harzgerode, the principality experienced a number of partitions throughout its centuries-long existence. Anhalt-Dessau emerged when the two surviving sons of late Prince John II of Anhalt-Zerbst divided their heritage and the elder, Prince Sigismund I, took his residence at Dessau.

Upon the death of Sigismund's son Prince George I of Anhalt-Dessau in 1474, the principality was again divided with Anhalt-Köthen. Anhalt-Dessau was partitioned for a second time in 1544 with Anhalt-Zerbst and Anhalt-Plötzkau being created. From 1561 until 1603 Anhalt-Dessau was under the rule of the Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst, and in 1603 Anhalt-Dessau was recreated, being raised to a duchy in 1807.

Anhalt-Köthen became extinct on the death of the Duke of Anhalt-Köthen, 23 November 1847, and its territories were united to Anhalt-Dessau by Patent of 22 May 1853. Following the death of the last Duke of Anhalt-Bernburg on 19 August 1863, all of the Anhalt lands came under the rule of the Duke of Anhalt-Dessau who then took the new title of Duke of Anhalt for the newly created Duchy of Anhalt.

Princes (1396–1561)

  • Sigismund I 1396–1405
  • George I 1405–1474
  • Waldemar IV 1405–1417 (co-regent)
  • Sigismund II 1405–1452 (co-regent)
  • Albert V 1405–1469 (co-regent)
  • Ernest I 1474–1516
  • George II 1474–1509 (co-regent)
  • Sigismund III 1474–1487 (co-regent)
  • Rudolph IV 1474–1510 (co-regent)
  • Joachim I 1516–1561
  • John V 1516–1544 (co-regent)
  • George III 1516–1544 (co-regent)

    • To Anhalt-Zerbst 1561.

    Princes (1603–1807)

  • John George I 1603–1618
  • John Casimir 1618–1660
  • John George II 1660–1693
  • Leopold I 1693–1747
  • Countess Henriette Catherine of Nassau regent 1693–1697
  • Leopold II 1747–1751
  • Leopold III 1751–1807
  • Prince Dietrich regent 1751–1758

    • Raised to Duchy 1807.

    Dukes (1807–1863)

  • Leopold III 1807–1817
  • Leopold IV 1817–1863

    • Renamed Duchy of Anhalt 1863.

    References

    Anhalt-Dessau Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA