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ANHALT
Anhalt was an ancient principality m the north of Germany. The house of Anhalt traced their origin to Ascanius, grandson of Japhet the son of Noah ! whose descendants were reputed to have migrated from the marshes of Ascania in Bithynia, and at last to have settled among the forests of Germany. Whether this somewhat lengthy pedigree be correct or not, it is certain that no family in Germany has produced a greater number of brave and skillful warriors than the house of Anhalt; beginning with Bernhard, who declined the imperial sceptre in 1198, because he deemed himself 'too corpulent' for such a dignity; or from Wolfgang, one of the staunchest soldiers of the Reformation, who on being reinstated in his possessions exclaimed, 'Old and poor as I am, I would give a thousand florins could I gibbet a pope;' down to Leopold, at the beginning of the last century, who led the Brandenburg troops to victory in the Low Countries and Italy, created the Prussian infantry, and invented the iron ramrod. The principality is now divided into three duchies, the former two of which are under the same monarch: Anhalt-Dessau, area 300 square miles, Anhalt-Kothen, area 318 square miles, population, of the united duchies in 1855, 114,850; Anhalt-Bernburg, area 339 square miles, population in 1855, 63,475." (Pierce, p. 55)
Territorial Development & Dynastic History
1173: Split off from D. of Saxony
1212: County
1218: HRE Prince
1250: Principality
1252: Partitioned into Principalities of Anhalt-Aschersleben, Anhalt-Bernburg, and Anhalt-Zerbst;
1570: Reunified
1582: HRE Council of Princes
1603: Partitioned into Principalities of Anhalt-Bernburg, Anhalt-Dessau, Anhalt-Köthen, Anhalt-Plötzkau, and Anhalt-Zerbst
1582: HRE Council of Princes
1863:Duchy of Anhalt
1918: Free State of Anhalt
Rulers of Anhalt
Anhalt
Otto of Ballenstadt(d.1123)
Otto the Rich
1st Count of Anhalt
Duke of Saxony, 1112
Albrecht I (1100-1170)
the Bear
Count of Anhalt, 1123-1170
Duke of Saxony, 1138-1142
Margrave of Brandenburg, 1157-1170
Bernhard (1140-1212)
Bernhard III of Saxony
Duke of Saxony (1180-1212)
Count of Anhalt, 1170-1212
Heinrich I (c1170-1252)
Count of Anhalt, 1212-1218
Prince of Anhalt, 1212-1252
"Heinrich I, prince of Anhalt, was the son of Bernhard, first duke of Saxony of the house of Anhalt. After the death of his father in 1211, he inherited the extensive allodial possessions of the family ; his brother, Albrecht, was invested with the duchy of Saxony. Heinrich, the first prince of his house, was involved in perpetual wars, in which he showed as much military skill as diplomatic prudence. In the contest between Philip, duke of Suabia, and Otho, duke of Brunswick, for the imperial crown, he took the side of Philip, with whom he besieged the town of Brunswick in 1199. In 1204 he defeated the Bohemians who assisted Duke Otho. After the murder of Philip by Otho of Wittelsbach in 1208, Heinrich made his peace with the Duke of Brunswick, who was crowned emperor by Pope Innocent III. in 1209. Otho IV., however, showed no dispositions to acknowledge himself a vassal of Innocent, who from the year 1212, opposed to him Frederic II. of Hohenstaufen, with whom Otho disputed the crown till his death in 1218. In this new contest he was vigorously assisted by his former enemy, the Prince of Anhalt. But no sooner was Frederic II. master of the empire, than Heinrich desisted from hostilities and made his peace with the emperor on very favourable conditions. There was neither fickleness nor faithlessness in the conduct of Heinrich. His object was to maintain the constitution and the independence of the empire against the ambition of Pope Innocent III., and his successors, Honorius III. and Gregory IX. To Frederic II. he was a faithful and useful friend; he assisted him with his sword as well as with his advice in the memorable contest between this emperor and Rome. As early as 1219 Heinrich was obliged to take up arms against one Gernod or Gerund, abbot of Nienburg, a man of bad reputation. The abbot was taken prisoner, and Heinrich had his eyes put out, his tongue cut off, and it is said that he inflicted upon him that punishment which Abailard suffered from the revenge of Fulbert. For this outrage Heinrich was excommunicated by Albrecht, archbishop of Magdeburg, and was compelled to go to Rome, where he was absolved by Pope Honorius III. in 1235. Notwithstanding this favour, he continued to aid Frederic II., with whom he stayed in Italy till 1238. Heinrich was not unacquainted with literature. De Marees thinks that he is the duke of Anhalt who made himself known as a "Minnesinger," and of whose poetry some fragments are extant in the first volume of the work entitled " Sammlung von Minnesingern des Ruidger Manasse." The intimate friendship between Heinrich and Frederic II. is in favour of this opinion...."
Principality of Anhalt-Aschersleben
Heinrich II (1215-1266)
Prince of Anhalt-Aschersleben, 1252-1267
Otto I (d.1304)
Prince of Anhalt-Aschersleben, 1267-1304
Heinrich III (d.1307)
Prince of Anhalt-Aschersleben, 1266-1283
Archbishop of Magdeburg, 1305-1307
Otto II (d.1315)
Prince of Anhalt-Aschersleben, 1304-1315
Principality of Anhalt-Bernburg
Bernard I
1252-1286
Johann I
1286-1291
Bernhard II
1286-1318
Bernhard III
1318-1348
Bernhard IV
1348-1354
Heinrich IV
1384-1374
Otto III
(in Aschersleben)
1354-1404
Bernhard V
1374-1420
Otto IV
1404-1415
Bernhard VI
1404-1468
Christian II (1599-1656)
the Younger
Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg, 1630-1656
Viktor I Amadeus (1634-1718)
Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg, 1656-1718
Karl Friedrich (1668-1721)
Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg, 1718-1721
Viktor II Friedrich(1700-1765)
Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg, 1721-1765
Friedrich Albrecht (1735-1796)
Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg, 1765-1796
Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg, 1796
Duke of Anhalt-Bernburg, 1807-1834
Duke of Anhalt-Bernburg, 1834-1863
Regent 1855-1863
Principality of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym
Lebrecht
1727
Principality of Anhalt-Dessau
Waldemar V
1405-?
1405-1448:
Sigismund II
1405-1448:
Albrecht VI
Georg I (1390-1474)
Prince of Anhalt-Dessau, 1405-1474
Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg, 1468-1474
"George I, prince of Anhalt-Zerbst, the second son of Siegmund I., was born shortly before 1374. Siegmund died in 1405, and his sons divided his possessions among them. George acquired that part of which Zerbst was the capital; but his brothers having all died without issue, he became successively master of all the dominions of his house. Albrecht IV., the last duke and elector of Saxony of the house of Anhalt, having died in 1422, George hoped to be invested with this duchy, but the emperor Siegmund conferred it upon Frederic the Warlike, margrave of Meissen, of the house of Wettin, from whom are descended the present kings and dukes of Saxony. Thus the dynasty of Anhalt, extinct in Brandenburg since 1320, lost likewise the duchy of Saxony, except that part of it which is still known as the duchy of Saxe-Lauenburg,and which since 1260had been possessed by a junior branch of the ducal family of Anhalt. In 1429 George fought with success against the Hussites. In 1470 or 1471, he abdicated in favour of his five sons, each of whom acquired part of the paternal possessions. George died at Dessau in 1474, more than a hundred years old. In 1467 his castle at Dessau was destroyed by a fire, and a rich collection of antiquities, manuscripts, and books, as well as part of the archives were lost. George I. was five times married...."
1471-1509:
Georg II the Strong
1471-1487:
Sigismund III
Rudolf IV (d.1510)
Prince of Anhalt-Dessau, 1474-1487
"Rudolph, prince of Anhalt-Zerbst, the youngest son of George I., was one of the most celebrated generals of the Emperor Maximilian 1. He was born about 1460, and was brought up at the court of the elector-archbishop of Mainz, where he received a good education. In 1486 he went to the court of the Emperor Frederic III. at Vienna, and some time afterwards accompanied Maximilian, son of the emperor and king of the Romans, to the Netherlands, of which this prince had become master by his marriage with the Princess Maria of Burgundy. Maximilian having been arrested in 1488 by the citizens of Bruges, who would not restore him to liberty unless he gave securities not to infringe their liberties, Rudolph of Anhalt offered himself as a hostage for the king of the Romans. The citizens accepted the proposal; Maximilian was released ; and Rudolph remained in captivity, from which he was soon delivered by the emperor, who approached with the army of the empire and compelled Bruges to surrender. From this time Rudolph enjoyed the uninterrupted favour of the emperor, as well as of Maximilian. In 1490 Rudolph distinguished himself in the war in Hungary, and in 1495 Maximilian, who had become emperor in 1493, appointed him his privy counsellor and grand equerry. After having quelled a rebellion in Hungary in 1506, Rudolph commanded the Austrian troops against Charles, duke of Gelderland, the son of Adolphus, who however succeeded in maintaining himself in his duchy (1507). In the following year he accompanied Maximilian in his war against Venice. He took Vicenza, but was obliged to evacuate it by the Venetians, who were assisted by a revolt of the inhabitants, and who immediately laid siege to Verona, then occupied by the imperial troops. Rudolph quickly concentrating his troops, compelled the Venetians to abandon the siege of Verona, and recovered Vicenza by showing himself under its walls. The inhabitants came out of their town and implored his clemency, and the prince of Anhalt, forgetting that he had sworn to take a bloody vengeance, pardoned them all (1510). Being again attacked by Liviano, the commander of the Venetian army, he defeated him on the Adda, and afterwards routed the Venetians with great slaughter on the Bacchiglione. Liviauo however, a skilful general, succeeded some time afterwards in putting his enemy into such a position as to leave him hardly any other choice than that of surrendering or dying in a fruitless attempt to fight his way through the Venetian army. From this dangerous position however, the Prince of Anhalt not only escaped unhurt, but on his retreat he defeated Liviano. Rudolph died in the midst of his success in 1513 by poison administered by some Italian commanders who were jealous of his triumphs, but not by the Venetians as it has been pretended. His body was first deposited at Verona, afterwards in the castle of Stams in the Tyrol,•and finally buried in the cathedral of Innsbruck, near the tombs of the archdukes of Austria. During his stay in Italy he had collected a great number of antiquities, manuscripts, and rare books, as well as paintings and other objects of art ; but on his sudden death all was scattered and lost. Rudolph's device was " Allzeit in Sorgen " (" Always in Trouble"); and Maximilian, who was deeply affected by his death, used to call him " Anhalt, das redliche Blut" (Anhalt, the honest Blood)...." (SDUK, pp.)
1516-1544:
Johann V
1516-1544:
Georg III
Joachim I (1509-1561)
Prince of Anhalt-Dessau, 1516-1561
"Joachim I, duke of Anhalt-Zerbst-Dessau, the son of Duke Ernst, and the nephew of Wolf the Pious, was born in 1509, and, after the death of his father, in 1516, was educated by his uncle Adolphus. He studied history and mathematics at Leipzig, and during the whole course of his life he always preferred literary pursuits to the warlike occupations of the princes of the sixteenth century. In 1527 he went to the court of George, duke of Saxony, a zealous adherent of the Roman Catholic religion, who afterwards endeavoured, but in vain, to prevent Joachim from adopting the Protestant confession, of which this prince became one of the most zealous and able propagators. In 1530 he was at the diet of Augsburg, and he was present at that of 1541 together with his uncle, Wolf the Pious. He inherited the duchy of Dessau in 1534. Joachim was much esteemed by Luther, Camerarius, and Melanchthon, who, in 1557, presented him with a copy of his " Historia Colloquii Wormaciensis," requesting him to give his opinion about this important work. Joachim, who was never married, died in 1561...."
Johann Georg I
Prince of Anhalt-Dessau, 1603-1618
Duke of Anhalt-Dessau, 1817-1853
Duke of Anhalt-Kothen, 1847-1853
Duke of Anhalt-Dessau-Kothen, 1853-1863
Duke of Anhalt-Bernburg, 1863
Duke of Anhalt, 1863-1871
Dietrich
Regent 1751-1758
1817-1871:
Leopold Friedrich
Principality of Anhalt-Dornburg
Johann Ludwig I (1656-1704)
Prince of Anhalt-Dornburg, 1667-1704
Johann Ludwig II (1688-1746)
Prince of Anhalt-Dornburg, 1704-1747
Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst, 1742-1747
Principality of Anhalt-Harzgerode
Friedrich
1653-1670
Wilhelm
1670-1709
Principality of Anhalt-Kothen
Albrecht IV (d.1423)
Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst, 1396-1423
Prince of Anhalt-Kothen, 1396-1423
Waldemar V (d.1436)
Prince of Anhalt-Kothen, 1423-1436
Adolf I (d.1473)
Prince of Anhalt-Kothen, 1423-1473
Waldemar VI (1450-1508)
Prince of Anhalt-Kothen, 1471-1508
Albrecht VI (d.1475)
Prince of Anhalt-Kothen, 1473-1475
Wolfgang VI (1492-1566)
the Pious
Prince of Anhalt-Kothen, 1508-1552
Ludwig (1579-1650)
Prince of Anhalt-Kothen, 1603-1650
Prince of Anhalt, 1586-1603
Wilhelm Ludwig (1638-1665)
Prince of Anhalt-Kothen, 1649-1665
Lebrecht (1622-1669)
Prince of Anhalt-Plotzkau, 1653-1665
Prince of Anhalt-Kothen, 1665-1669
Emmanuel(1631-1670)
Prince of Anhlat-Plotzkau, 1653-1665
Prince of Anhalt-Kothen, 1665-1670
Emmanuel Lebrecht (1671-1704)
Posthumous
Prince of Anhalt-Kothen, 1671-1704
Leopold (1694-1728)
Prince of Anhalt-Kothen, 1704-1728
August Ludwig (1697-1755)
Prince of Anhalt-Kothen, 1728-1755
Karl Georg Lebrecht (1730-1789)
Prince of Anhalt-Kothen, 1755-1789
August Christian (1769-1812)
Prince of Anhalt-Kothen, 1789
Duke of Anhalt-Kothen, 1807-1812
Ludwig August (1802-1818)
Duke of Anhalt-Kothen, 1812-1818
Friedrich Ferdinand (1769-1830)
Prince of Anhalt-Pless, 1797-1818
Duke of Anhalt-Kothen, 1818
"... He served with great distinction in the Prussian army from 1786 to 1818, when he succeeded to the sovereignty of Anhalt-Coethen. In 1796 he became, on the death of his father, sovereign of Anhalt-Pless. He was at the battle of Hochheim, in the campaign of 1793-4, and in the campaign of 1806 at Jena. In 1824 he was converted to popery at Paris, and announced his change in a proclamation 13th Jan. 1826...."
Heinrich
1830-1847
Principality of Anhalt-Muhlingen
Anton Günther
1667-1714
Principality of Anhalt-Pless
Friedrich Erdmann (1731-1797)
1st Prince of Anhalt-Pless, 1765-1797
Ferdinand (-1830)
(in Köthen 1818)
1797-1818
Heinrich
(restored)
1840-1847
Purely Anhalt possessions to Anhalt-Köthen; Pless inherited by von Hochberg family.
HOCHBERG
Johann Heinrich I
Duke of Pless, 1846-1850
Prince of Pless, 1850-1855
Johann Heinrich II
Duke of Pless, 1855–1907
Johann Heinrich III
Prince of Pless, 1907–1938
Johann Heinrich IV
Prince of Pless, 1938–1984
Alexander Friedrich Wilhelm
Prince of Pless, 1984
Bolko Constantine Stanislaus
Prince of Pless, 1984-Present
Prince of Anhalt-Dessau, 1516-1544
Prince of Anhalt-Plotzkau, 1544-1553
"George IV., prince of Anhalt-Zerbst, was one of the most celebrated Protestant divines during the period of the Reformation. He was the son of Prince John and the brother of Joachim I.; he was born in 1507. In 1518 he went to the university of Leipzig, where he first studied under Simon Eisemann, a distinguished scholar; and in the same year he was chosen canon of the chapter of Merseburg and provost of the chapter of Magdeburg, in which dignities he was confirmed by Pope Leo X. He nevertheless continued his studies, which for several years were directed by Joachim Camerarius, who from this time enjoyed the uninterrupted favour of all the princes of Anhalt. After having acquired a thorough knowledge of the Latin language, George studied the Roman and the canon law, and he attended the private lectures of three distinguished physicians on anatomy, pathology, materia medica, and therapeutics. He was ordained a priest in 1524, and in the same year, notwithstanding his youth, he was appointed privy counsellor of Albrecht of Brandenburg, cardinal, archbishop of Magdeburg, and elector of Mainz. The reformation of the church was then in its full developement, and George, though still a sincere Romau Catholic, began to examine the principles laid down by Luther, with whom he entered into a lasting correspondence... Being gifted with uncommon talents he made rapid progress, and soon became one of the best scholars of his time. He also made the acquaintance of Luther and Melanchthon, and openly adopted the principles of the Reformation.... He was mild and moderate in all his actions, taking Melanchthon for his model, and he often succeeded in preventing Luther from following too rashly the bold course of his genius... Augustus, duke of Saxony, having been chosen administrator of the see of Merseburg in 1544, appointed Prince George his coadjutor, who was inaugurated by Luther himself. George possessed a remarkable eloquence, and his sermons attracted great numbers of learned men as well as the common people. He used to preach in all the churches of his see and of the adjacent countries, and the people were so edified that they used to follow him from one place to another. He was generally considered one of the first preachers of his time; he preached both in German and in Latin... In 1545 he assembled the Protestant divines of Anhalt and Upper Saxony to deliberate on the state of the reformed church, and he tried, though in vain, to prevent an outbreak between the Emperor Charles V. and the Union of Schmalkalden... George of Anhalt died in 1553, with the reputation of the most pious and learned prince in Germany. He had many enemies, but they were not able to ruin his noble name. His body was buried at Dessau four princes of Anhalt, Philip Melanchthon, and Georgius Major, marched at the head of the funeral procession ; and Georgius Major preached the funeral sermon...."
August
1603-1653
Ernst Gottlieb
1653-1654
Lebrecht(-1669)
1654-1665
Principality of Anhalt-Zeitz-Hoym
Lebrecht (1669-1727)
Prince of Anhalt-Zeitz-Hoym, 1718-1727
Principality of Anhalt-Zerbst
Waldemar II
1310-1367
Waldemar II
1367-1370
Sigismund I (-1405)
1382-1396
Albrecht III (-1423)
1382-1396
Waldemar III
1382-1392
Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst, 1551-1570
Prince of Anhalt-Plotzkau, 1553-1570
Prince of Anhalt-Dessau, 1561-1570
Prince of Anhalt-Kothen, 1562-1570
Prince of Anhalt, 1570-1586
"Joachim II Ernst, duke of Anhalt-Dessau, the son of John IV., was born at Dessau in 1536. M. Lamprecht, a distinguished scholar, directed his education, which was completed at the university of Wittenberg. At an early age he served in the Spanish army, aud he distinguished himself in the battle of St. Quentin in 1557, where the French were defeated by the Spaniards. He afterwards returned to Germany, and took effective measures to deliver his duchy from the heavy debts which had been contracted by the extravagance of his predecessors. For this purpose he assembled the states in 1565, who promised to pay these debts on condition that the duke should grant them several important privileges, which he did. By the death of his brother Charles in 1561, by the abdication of Wolf the Pious in 1562, and by the death of his brother Bernhard in 1570, he became master of all the possessions of the house of Anhalt, except Lauenburg. In 1572 he issued an edict, by which the Roman law was introduced into his duchies. He protected and established the Protestant religion in his dominions, and took an active though moderate part in those religious disputes in which the princes were as busy as the divines. In 1569 he assembled a synod at Kothen, in which the principles laid down by Melanchthon were acknowledged as the groundwork of the religious constitution of the duchy. He attended almost all the diets, and he vigorously opposed those Protestant princes who proposed to protect the new religion by means of an alliance with France. He built the castle of Dessau, a large wooden bridge over the Elbe, aud another over the river Mulde. Joachim Ernst was a lover and protector of knowledge and the fine arts. He received at his court the celebrated physician Casparus Peucerus, who was persecuted for his religious opinions ; and he gave a kingly remuneration to his former instructor, M. Lamprecht. The Emperor Maximilian II., himself a moderate man, held Joachim Ernst in great esteem, and so did Henry IV., king of Navarre, and afterwards of France, with whom the Duke of Anhalt carried on a correspondence for many years. After his death in 1586, his possessions were divided among his sons, of whom John George became the founder of the present branch of Anhalt-Dessau; Christian, of Anhalt-Bernburg ; Louis, of the first branch of Anhalt-Kothen; August, of the second branch of Anhalt-Kothen; and Rudolph, of Anhalt-Zerbst, which is now extinct...." (SDUK, p. )
Prince of Anhalt, 1586-1603
Prince of Anhalt-Dessau, 1603-1618
Christian I (-1630)
1586-1603
(1576-1621)
Prince of Anhalt, 1586-1603
Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst, 1603-1621
Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst, 1621-1667
Charles Wilhelm
1667-1718
Johann August
1718-1742
Johann Ludwig II of Dornburg
1742-1746
Christian August of Dornburg
1742-1747
Friedrich August
1747-1793
Friedrica Augusta Sophia
(-1827)
Regent, 1793-1796
Maps 
References
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