Augustus, Prince of Anhalt-Plötzkau

Augustus of Anhalt-Plötzkau (Dessau, 14 July 1575 – Plötzkau, 22 August 1653), was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the unified principality of Anhalt. From 1603, he was ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Plötzkau.

Augustus was the fourth son of Joachim Ernest, Prince of Anhalt, but second-born son of his second wife Eleonore, daughter of Christoph, Duke of Württemberg.

Life

In 1586, after the death of his father, Augustus inherited Anhalt jointly with his half- and full brothers under the regency of the eldest, John George I.

After seventeen years of joint rule, the surviving brothers agreed to a formal division of their lands in 1603. Augustus received Plötzkau, which was created from parts of the old principality of Anhalt-Bernburg.

In 1611 he proposed publishing the two Rosicrucian manifestos together, but was unable to locate a copy of Confessio.[1]

From 1621 until 1642, Augustus acted as regent in Anhalt-Zerbst for his infant nephew John VI, and from 1650 until 1653 in Anhalt-Köthen for another infant nephew, William Louis.

Marriage and issue

In Ansbach on 25 January 1618 Augustus married Sibylle (b. Laubach, 19 October 1590 - d. Plötzkau, 23 March 1659), daughter of John George I, Count of Solms-Laubach. They had eight children:

1. Johanna (b. Plötzkau, 24 November 1618 - d. Quedlinburg, 3 May 1676).
2. Ernest Gottlieb, Prince of Anhalt-Plötzkau (b. Plötzkau, 4 September 1620 - d. Plötzkau, 7 March 1654).
3. Lebrecht, Prince of Anhalt-Plötzkau, later Anhalt-Köthen (b. Plötzkau, 8 April 1622 - d. Köthen, 7 November 1669).
4. Dorothea (b. Zerbst, 20 June 1623 - d. Plötzkau, 6 December 1637).
5. Ehrenpreis (b. Zerbst, 21 July 1625 - d. Bernburg, 21 July 1626).
6. Sophie (b. Plötzkau, 11 July 1627 - d. Köthen, 24 November 1679).
7. Elisabeth (b. Plötzkau, 21 March 1630 - d. Köthen, 17 April 1692).
8. Emmanuel, Prince of Anhalt-Plötzkau, later Anhalt-Köthen (b. Plötzkau, 6 October 1631 - d. Köthen, 8 November 1670).

References

1. 'Johann Valentin Andreae's Utopian Brotherhoods' by Donald R. Dickson, Renaissance Quarterly Vol. 49, No. 4 (Winter, 1996), pp. 760-802

Preceded by Joachim Ernest	Prince of Anhalt with John George I, Christian I, Bernhard (until 1596), Rudolph, John Ernest (until 1601) and Louis 1586–1603	Succeeded by Principality partitioned into Anhalt-Dessau, Anhalt-Bernburg, Anhalt-Plötzkau, Anhalt-Zerbst and Anhalt-Köthen
Preceded by Principality (re-)created	Prince of Anhalt-Plötzkau 1603–1653	Succeeded by Ernest Gottlieb Lebrecht Emmanuel