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Copyright © V. Rozn 1999-2009
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Last updated: Jan 21, 2009



Anhalt


The House of Anhalt descended from the ancient immediate Counts of Ballenstedt [10: Neue Folge; Band I.2; t. 182-194] [12: 1839; p.3-5] [13: tome II; p.24-27] [4: tome III; p.309-312].

In 1112, Emperor Henry V banned Lothar of Supplinburg, Duke of Saxony, and appointed Otto "the Rich"(+1123), Count of Ballenstedt, in his stead; but in the same year, Otto came into a dispute with the Emperor and was stripped of his title of Duke of Saxony. Otto conquered the areas around Zerbst and Salzwedel from the Slavs.

German King Conrad III deprived Heinrich "the Proud" of his Duchy of Saxony, and in 1138 awarded it to Otto's son Albrecht "the Bear" (+1170), Count of Ballenstedt. After some initial success in his efforts to take possession, Albrecht was driven from Saxony by Heinrich. In 1142, peace was made with Heinrich "the Proud,” and Albrecht "the Bear" renounced the Duchy of Saxony and received Weimar and Orlamünde.

In the wake of the Wendish Crusade of 1147, German King Lothar granted the Northern March to Albrecht "the Bear" who extended it and founded the Margraviate of Brandenburg in 1157

In 1156, Albrecht "the Bear" (+1170) acquired Aschersleben / Ascania.

Otto, Hermann and Bernhard, the sons of Albrecht "the Bear," founded, respectively, the branches of Brandenburg, Orlamünde, and Anhalt (N.1).

In 1180, Emperor Friedrich I outlawed Heinrich "the Lion,” and bestowed his title of Duke of Saxony to Bernhard (+1212), the founder of the House of Anhalt.
Heinrich I (+1252), a son of Duke Bernhard (+1212), inherited Anhalt and Aschersleben / Ascania, continued the branch of Anhalt; his brother Albrecht I (+1260) received the Duchy of Saxony (N.2).

Heinrich II, Bernhard I and Siegfried, the sons of Heinrich I, partitioned their patrimony and founded, respectively, the branches of Aschersleben, Bernburg, and Zerbst (N.3).

In 1396, the branch of Zerbst divided into several sub-branches.

In 1570, Prince Joachim-Ernst (+1586) united the whole of Anhalt under his rule.

After the death of Prince Joachim-Ernst, his sons ruled Anhalt in common until 1603, when they divided their patrimony, founding the branches of Dessau, Bernburg, Plötzkau, Zerbst and Köthen.
The branch of Köthen became extinct in 1665, and its possessions passed to the branch of Plötzkau, which became known as Anhalt-Köthen.

Notes:
1. The branch of Otto (+1184) ruled in Margraviate of Brandenburg until its extinction in 1320. The branch of Hermann (+1176) ruled in Orlamünde, Droyssig, Weimar, Rudolstadt, Lauenstein, etc. and became extinct in 1486.
2. Johann (+1285) and Albrecht II (+1298), the sons of Duke Albrecht I of Saxony, divided their father's possessions and founded, respectively, the branches of the Dukes of Saxony-Lauenburg and Saxony-Wittenberg.
The branch of Saxony-Wittenberg became extinct in 1422, and its possessions passed to the Landgrave of Thuringia from the House of Wettin.
The branch of Saxony-Lauenburg became extinct in 1689, and its possessions passed to the Dukes of Brunswick-Hanover.
3. The branch of Aschersleben became extinct in 1315, and its possessions passed to the Bishopric of Halberstadt. The branch of Bernburg became extinct in 1468, and its possessions passed to the Zerbst branch.




1. Dessau -1918];

Prince Johann-Georg (+1618), a son of Joachim-Ernst (+1586), founded the branch of Dessau.

In 1689, after the extinction of the Dukes of Saxony-Lauenburg, the Princes of Anhalt advanced claims to their possessions and assumed the title of Duke of Saxony, Angaria & Westphalia.

In Aug 1806, with the abolition of the Holy Roman Empire, the Prince of Anhalt-Dessau became a sovereign ruler.

In 1807, the Prince of Anhalt-Dessau joined the Confederation of the Rhine and received the title of Duke of Anhalt [13: tome II; p.80].

In 1815, the Duke of Anhalt-Dessau joined the German Confederation.

In 1863, the Duke of Anhalt-Dessau united the whole of Anhalt under his rule.

In 1867, the Duke of Anhalt joined the North German Confederation.

In 1871, the Duke of Anhalt joined the German Empire.

In the course of the November Revolution of 1918, the Duke of Anhalt was deposed.




List of the Rulers

Leopold III Friedrich-Franz (1740-1817) [1751-1817]
Leopold IV (1794-1871) [1817-1871]
Friedrich I (1831-1904) [1871-1904]
Friedrich II (1856-Apr 1918) [1904-1918]
Eduard (1861-Sep 1918) [April 1918-Sept 1918]
Joachim-Ernst (1901-1947) [Sept.1918-Nov.1918]




Titles [13: tome II; p.29].

>-1807

Prince of Anhalt;
Duke of Saxony, Angaria, Westphalia;
Count of Ascania;
Lord of Bernburg, Zerbst, Gröbzig;


1807-1918

Duke of Anhalt;
Duke of Saxony, Angaria, Westphalia;
Count of Ascania;
Lord of Bernburg, Zerbst, Gröbzig;




Voices in the Imperial Circle assemblies in 1789 [2: p.13]

The Upper Saxony:
- % Anhalt;




The Imperial Assembly in 1789 [2: p.4]

Individual in the Council of Princes:
- % Anhalt;




Territorial Possessions in 1789 [2: p.43] [11: Heft II; p.96-97]

The Imperial Circle of the Upper Saxony:
- % Anhalt;









2. Bernburg [12: 1839; p.7].

Prince Christian (+1630), a son of Joachim-Ernst (+1586), founded the branch of Bernburg.

In 1689, after the extinction of the Dukes of Saxony-Lauenburg, the Princes of Anhalt advanced claims to their possessions and assumed the title of Duke of Saxony, Angaria & Westphalia.

Karl-Friedrich (+1721) and Lebrecht (+1727), the sons of Prince Viktor-Amadeus of Anhalt-Bernburg (+1718), founded the branches of Bernburg and Schaumburg-Hoym.




2.1. Bernburg +1863

Prince Karl-Friedrich (+1721) continued the direct branch of Bernburg.

In Apr 1806, the Roman Emperor granted Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg the title of Duke of Anhalt [8: Band 1; p.24].

In Aug 1806, with the abolition of the Holy Roman Empire, the Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg became a sovereign ruler.

In 1807, the Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg joined the Confederation of the Rhine.

In 1815, the Duke of Anhalt-Bernburg joined the German Confederation.

In 1863, the Bernburg branch of the House of Anhalt became extinct in the male line.




List of the Rulers

Friedrich-Albrecht (1735-1796) [1765-1796]
Alexuis-Friedrich-Christian (1767-1834) [1796-1834]
Alexander-Karl (1805-1863) [1834-1863]




Titles [13: tome II; p.29].

>-1806

Prince of Anhalt;
Duke of Saxony, Angaria, Westphalia;
Count of Ascania;
Lord of Bernburg, Zerbst;


1806-1863

Duke of Anhalt;
Duke of Saxony, Angaria, Westphalia;
Count of Ascania;
Lord of Bernburg, Zerbst;




Voices in the Imperial Circle assemblies in 1789 [2: p.13]

The Upper Saxony:
- % Anhalt;
- Gernrode;




The Imperial Assembly in 1789 [2: p.4]

Individual voices in the Council of Princes:
- % Anhalt;

Curial voices in the Council of Princes:
= the Pretates of the Rhine =
- Gernrode;




Territorial Possessions in 1789 [2: p.43] [11: Heft II; p.96-97]

The Imperial Circle of the Upper Saxony:
- % Anhalt;
- Gernrode;








2.2. Schaumburg-Hoym -1806];+1812 [12: 1839; p.8-9].

Lebrecht (+1727), a son of Prince Viktor-Amadeus of Anhalt-Bernburg (+1718), and the founder of the branch of Schaumburg-Hoym, received Zeitz and Hoym as appanage under the Territorial Supremacy of Anhalt-Bernburg.
Lebrecht married Charlotte of Nassau-Dillenburg (+1700), the heir to the Imperial immediate County of Holzappel that was represented in the College of the Counts of Westphalia of the Imperial Diet.
Their son Viktor-Amadeus (+1772), inherited both Holzappel and his father's appanage possessions [13: tome II; p.65].

In July 1806, the Prince of Anhalt-Schaumburg-Hoym lost his status of Imperial immediate ruler when all of his possessions were mediatized by the Confederation of the Rhine Act.

In 1812, the Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym branch of the House of Anhalt became extinct in the male line.




List of the Rulers

Karl-Ludwig (1723-20 Aug 1806) [1772-1806]




Titles

>-1806

Prince of Anhalt;
Duke of Saxony, Angaria, Westphalia;
Count of Ascania, Holzappel;
Lord of Bernburg, Zerbst, Schaumburg, Laurenburg;




Voices in the Imperial Circle assemblies in 1789 [2: p.14]
The Lower Rhine-Westphalia:
- Holzappel;




The Imperial Assembly in 1789 [2: p.9]

Curial voices in the Council of Princes:
= the Counts of Westphalia =
- Holzappel;




Territorial Possessions in 1789 [2: p.43] [11: Heft II; p.98]

The Imperial Circle of the Lower Rhine-Westphalia:
- Holzappel / Holzapfel;

Outside Imperial Circles:
- Schaumburg an der Lahn;


Non-immediate:
The Imperial Circle of the Upper Saxony:
= under the Territorial Supremacy of Anhalt-Bernburg =
- Hoym;
- Zeitz;








3. Köthen +1847 [12: 1839; p.10].

Prince August (+1630), a son of Joachim-Ernst (+1586), founded the branch that ruled in Plötzkau, and then in Köthen.

In 1689, after the extinction of the Dukes of Saxony-Lauenburg, the Princes of Anhalt advanced claims to their possessions and assumed the title of Duke of Saxony, Angaria & Westphalia.

Karl-Georg-Lebrecht (+1789) and Friedrich-Erdmann (+1797), the sons of Prince August-Ludwig of Anhalt-Köthen (+1755), founded, respectively, the direct Köthen and Pless branches.




3.1. Köthen +1818

Karl-Georg-Lebrecht (+1789), a son of Prince August-Ludwig of Anhalt-Köthen (+1755), continued the direct Köthen branch.

In Aug 1806, with the abolition of the Holy Roman Empire, the Prince of Anhalt-Köthen became a sovereign ruler.

In 1807, the Prince of Anhalt-Köthen joined the Confederation of the Rhine and received the title of Duke of Anhalt [13: tome II; p.83].

In 1815, the Duke of Anhalt-Köthen joined the German Confederation.

In 1818, the direct Köthen branch became extinct in the male line, and the Duchy of Anhalt-Köthen passed to the Pless branch.




List of the Rulers

Karl-Georg-Lebrecht (1730- Oct 1789) [1755-1789]
August-Christian-Friedrich (1769-1812) [1789-1812]
Ludwig-August-Karl-Friedrich-Emil (1802-1818) [1812-1818]
// 1812-1817 minor.




Titles [13: tome II; p.29].

>-1806

Prince of Anhalt;
Duke of Saxony, Angaria, Westphalia;
Count of Ascania;
Lord of Bernburg, Zerbst;


1806-1818

Duke of Anhalt;
Duke of Saxony, Angaria, Westphalia;
Count of Ascania;
Lord of Bernburg, Zerbst;



Voices in the Imperial Circle assemblies in 1789 [2: p.13]

The Upper Saxony:
- % Anhalt;




The Imperial Assembly in 1789 [2: p.4]

Individual voices in the Council of Princes:
- % Anhalt;




Territorial Possessions in 1789 [2: p.43] [11: Heft II; p.96-97]

The Imperial Circle of the Upper Saxony:
- % Anhalt;








3.2. Pless +1847 [12: 1839; p.10].

Friedrich-Erdmann (+1797), the youngest son of Prince August-Ludwig of Anhalt-Köthen (+1755), founded the branch that possessed the non-immediate "State Lordship" / Standesherrschaf of Pszczyna / Pless in Silesia.

In 1818, Friedrich-Ferdinand (+1830), Lord of Pless, a son of Friedrich-Erdmann, succeeded in the Duchy of Anhalt-Köthen after the extinction of the direct Köthen branch

In 1847, the Köthen-Pless branch of the House of Anhalt became extinct in the male line with the death of Prince Heinrich; the Duchy of Anhalt-Köthen passed to the Dessau branch, Pless passed to the Counts of Hochberg.




List of the Rulers

Friedrich-Ferdinand (1769-1830) [1818-1830]
// in Pless 1797-1818
Heinrich (1778-1847) [1830-1847]
// in Pless 1818-1830; 1841-




Titles [13: tome II; p.29].

1818-1847

Duke of Anhalt;
Duke of Saxony, Angaria, Westphalia;
Count of Ascania;
Lord of Bernburg, Zerbst;




Territorial Possessions in 1789

Non-immediate:
Outside Imperial Circles:
= under the Territorial Supremacy of Silesia (Prussian) =
- Pszczyna / Pless;








4. Zerbst +1793 [12: 1839; p.12-13].

Prince Rudolf (+1621), a son of Joachim-Ernst (+1586), founded the branch of Bernburg.

In 1667, Prince Johann (+1667) inherited the Imperial immediate Lordship of Jever.

In 1689, after the extinction of the Dukes of Saxony-Lauenburg, the Princes of Anhalt advanced claims to their possessions and assumed the title of Duke of Saxony, Angaria & Westphalia.

In 1793, with the death of Prince Friedrich-August the Zerbst branch became extinct in the male line, and its possessions in Anhalt passed to the Princes of Anhalt-Bernburg, of Anhalt-Köthen and of Anhalt-Dessau, the Lordship of Jever passed to his sister Sophie-Auguste-Friederike (+1796) who in 1762 became Empress of Russia as Catherine II. In 1796, after the death of Empress Catherine II, Jever passed to her son Emperor Paul I of Russia.




List of the Rulers

Friedrich-August (1734-1793) [1747-1793]
// 1747-1793 in Anhalt & Jever;
~ Friederika-Augusta-Sophia of Anhalt-Bernburg (1744-1827), in 1793-1807 Administrator of Jever

Sophie-Charlotte-Dorothea (1729-1796) [1793-1796]
// 1793-1796 in Jever; 1762-1796 Empress of Russia as Catherine II
~ 1745 Peter (1728-1762), Emperor of Russia (Peter III), Duke of Holstein-Gottorp




Titles [13: tome II; p.29].

>-1793

Prince of Anhalt;
Duke of Saxony, Angaria, Westphalia;
Count of Ascania;
Lord of Bernburg, Zerbst, Jever, Knyphausen;




Voices in the Imperial Circle assemblies in 1789 [2: p.13]

The Upper Saxony:
- % Anhalt;




The Imperial Assembly in 1789 [2: p.4, 43]

Individual voices in the Council of Princes:
- % Anhalt;




Territorial Possessions in 1789 [2: p.43]

The Imperial Circle of the Upper Saxony:
- % Anhalt;

Outside Imperial Circles:
- Jever;




Bibliography.

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2. Lancizolle, Carl Wilhelm von Uebersicht der deutschen Reichsstandschafts- und Territorial-Verhältnisse : vor dem französischen Revolutionskriege, der seitdem eingetretenen Veränderungen und der gegenwärtigen Bestandtheile des deutschen Bundes und der Bundesstaaten (Berlin : Dümmler, 1830).
3. Berghaus, Heinrich. Deutschland seit hundert Jahren. Geschichte der Gebiets-Eintheilung und der politischen Verfassung des Vaterlandes (Leipzig : 1859-1862; 5 vols) < I.Abt. Bd. 1-2: Deutschland vor hundert Jahren 1859/1860. 2. Abt. Bd. 1-3: Deutschland vor fünfzig Jahren, 1861/1862 >.
4. Stokvis, Anthony Marinus Hendrik Johan. Manuel d'histoire, de généalogie et de chronologie de tous les états du globe, depuis les temps les plus reculés jusqu'à nos jours (Leiden : E.J. Brill, 1887-1893; 3 vols; Reprint. Amsterdam : B.M. Israël, 1966).
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6. Wallner, Emil. Die kreissässigen Reichsterritorien am Vorabend des Luneviller Friedens (Innsbruck : 1929) [Mitteilungen des Instituts für Österreichische Geschichtsforschung / MIÖG; Ergänzungsband 11].
7. Hölzle, Erwin. Der deutsche Südwesten am Ende des alten Reiches (Stuttgart : Württembergischen Statistischen Landesamt, 1938).
8. Frank, Karl Friedrich. Standeserhebungen und Gnadenakte für das Deutsche Reich und die österreichischen Erblande bis 1806 sowie kaiserlich österreichische bis 1823. (Senftenegg : 1967–1974; 5 vols).
9. Almanach de Gotha (Gotha : Justus Perthes, 1763-1944).
10. Isenburg, Wilhelm Karl Prinz von; Freytag von Loringhoven, Frank Baron; Schwennicke, Detlev. Europäische Stammtafeln (1935-).
11. Hassel, Georg. Statistischer Umriss der sämtlichen europäischen Staaten in Hinsicht ihrer Größe, Bevölkerung, Kulturverhältnisse, Handlung, Finanz- und Militärverfassung und ihrer aussereuropäischen Besitzungen (Braunschweig : Vieweg, 1805).
12. Genealogisches Staats-handbuch.
13. Huberty, Michel; Giraud, Alain; Magdelaine, F.; Magdeleine, B. L'Allemagne Dynastique (1976-).