Principality of Anhalt

The Principality of Anhalt (German: Fürstentum Anhalt) was a State of the Holy Roman Empire, located in Central Germany, in what is today part of the federal state of Saxony-Anhalt.

County (Principality) of Anhalt Grafschaft (Fürstentum) Anhalt
1218–1806
Coat of arms of Anhalt (13th century)
Map of Anhalt (Zerbst, Dessau, Köthen, Bernburg) in 1793
Status	Principality
Capital	Dessau (when united)
Government	Principality
Prince of Anhalt
• 1218–1252	Henry I
Historical era	Middle Ages
• Partitioned from Saxony	1212
• Elevated to principality	1218
• Partitioned¹	1252–1570
• Joined Council of Princes	1582
• Partitioned²	1603–1863
• Principalities³ raised to duchies	1806
Preceded by Succeeded by Duchy of Saxony Duchy of Anhalt
Today part of	Germany
1: 13th-century partition into Anhalt-Aschersleben, Anhalt-Bernburg and Anhalt-Zerbst. 2: 17th-century partition into Anhalt-Bernburg, Anhalt-Dessau, Anhalt-Köthen, Anhalt-Plötzkau and Anhalt-Zerbst. 3: Anhalt-Bernburg, Anhalt-Dessau and Anhalt-Köthen.

Under the rule of the House of Ascania, the Anhalt territory was split off the German stem duchy of Saxony in 1212 and granted to Count Henry I, who was raised to the rank of a Prince of the Holy Roman Empire in 1218. Ruled by Ascanian princes from the High Middle Ages to the Early modern period, Anhalt was divided several times amongst various lines of the dynasty until the dissolution of the Empire in 1806, when Napoleon elevated the remaining states of Anhalt-Bernburg, Anhalt-Dessau and Anhalt-Köthen to duchies.

Geography

The Anhalt territory stretched from the Harz mountain range in the west to the Elbe River and beyond to the Fläming Heath in the east. Upon the 1315 loss of Anhalt-Aschersleben, the lands around Ballenstedt formed a western exclave. The area of the later duchy was 906 sq mi (2,300 km²).

In the west, the land is undulating and in the extreme northwest, where it forms part of the Harz mountains, hilly, with the Ramberg (Harz) peak as the tallest point at 1,900 ft (579 m). From the Harz the country gently shelves down to the Saale; the land between this river and the Elbe is particularly fertile. East of the Elbe, the land is mostly a flat sandy plain, with extensive pine forests, interspersed with bog-land and rich pastures. The Elbe is the chief river, intersecting the eastern portion of the former duchy, from east to west, and at Rosslau is met by the Mulde. The navigable Saale takes a northerly direction through the central portion of the territory and receives, on the right, the Fuhne and, on the left, the Wipper and the Bode.

The climate is generally mild, less so in the higher Harz regions to the south-west.

History

From the 9th century onward, the western parts of the later Anhalt territory up to the Elbe and Saale rivers were included in the Schwabengau region of Eastphalia, the eastern part of the medieval Duchy of Saxony. In the 11th century, it came under the rule of Count Esico of Ballenstedt (died 1059 or 1060), mentioned in a 1036 deed issued by Emperor Conrad II at Tilleda. Possibly a descendant of the Saxon margrave Odo, he owned large allodial lands around Ballenstedt in the Schwabengau as well as in the adjacent Gau Serimunt in the former Saxon Eastern March.

Ballenstedt Castle

Count Esico was succeeded by his son Adalbert II of Ballenstedt, who also appeared as a count in the Saxon Nordthüringgau and further territories in the Eastern March. Adalbert joined the Saxon Rebellion against King Henry IV and was slain in a feud with Egeno II of Konradsburg in 1180. His son Count Otto the Rich appeared as a "Count of Ballenstedt" from 1106. When Emperor Henry V temporarily deprived Lothair of Supplinburg of the Saxon ducal title in 1112, Otto was enfeoffed with the Duchy of Saxony, which, however, he had to renounce shortly afterwards, as Lothair and Henry had reconciled. On the eve of the 1115 Battle of Welfesholz, Otto campaigned the lands of the Polabian Slavs, gaining large estates around Zerbst up to the Hevelli lands ruled by the Hevelli princes.

County of Anhalt

Until his death in 1123, Count Otto had Anhalt Castle built in the Harz mountains near Harzgerode and appears to have been among the first to assume the title of a "Count of Anhalt". He was the father of Albert the Bear, who temporarily was appointed Margrave of the Saxon Eastern March (or March of Lusatia) by the Saxon duke Lothair of Supplinburg and struggled for the ducal title himself. Albert could not prevail against the Welf duke Henry the Lion, nevertheless he conquered the eastern territories of the former Northern March, which had been lost in the 983 Great Slav Rising, where he established the Margraviate of Brandenburg in 1157. When he died in 1170, his younger son Count Bernhard inherited the Ascanian home territories around Anhalt Castle and after the deposition of Henry the Lion by Emperor Frederick Barbarossa finally became Duke of Saxony in 1180. However, he effectively only ruled over the Eastphalian territories, while the Westphalian and Engern parts of Saxony fell under the control of the Prince-Archbishops of Cologne.

The County of Anhalt finally arose upon the death of Duke Bernhard in 1212, when his sons divided their heritage. The younger Albert I became Duke of Saxony, while the elder Henry I went on to rule the Ascanian lands, now definitely separated from Saxony, as Count of Anhalt. In 1218, Henry I assumed the title of a prince and thereby was the real founder of the princely House of Anhalt.

Princes of Anhalt

Der Herzoge von Anhalte., Codex Manesse, c. 1305/15

On Henry's death in 1252, his three sons partitioned the principality and founded, respectively, the lines of Aschersleben, Bernburg and Zerbst. The family ruling in Aschersleben became extinct in 1315, and this district was subsequently incorporated in the neighboring Bishopric of Halberstadt, thus dividing the territory of Anhalt-Bernburg in two separate pieces. The last prince of the original line of Anhalt-Bernburg died in 1468 and his lands were inherited by the princes of the sole remaining line, that of Anhalt-Zerbst. The territory belonging to this branch of the family had been divided in 1396, and after the acquisition of Bernburg Prince George I made a further partition of Zerbst (Zerbst and Dessau). Early in the 16th century, however, owing to the death or abdication of several princes, the family had become narrowed down to the two branches of Anhalt-Köthen and Anhalt-Dessau (issued both from Anhalt-Dessau in 1471).

Wolfgang of Anhalt, called the Confessor, who became prince of Anhalt-Köthen in 1508, was the second ruler in the world to introduce the Reformation to his country. He was a co-signer of the Augsburg Confession in 1530, and after the Battle of Mühlberg in 1547 was placed under Imperial ban and deprived of his lands by Emperor Charles V. After the peace of Passau in 1552 he bought back his principality, but as he was childless he surrendered it in 1562 to his kinsmen the princes of Anhalt-Dessau. Ernest I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (d. 1516) left three sons, John V, George III, and Joachim, who ruled their lands together for many years, and who favoured the Lutheran doctrine, which thus became dominant in Anhalt. About 1546 the three brothers divided their principality and founded the lines of Zerbst, Plötzkau and Dessau. This division, however, was only temporary, as the acquisition of Köthen, and a series of deaths among the ruling princes, enabled Joachim Ernest, a son of John V, to unite the whole of Anhalt under his rule in 1570.

The first united principality of Anhalt was short-lived, and in 1603 it was split up into the mini states of Anhalt-Dessau, Anhalt-Bernburg, Anhalt-Köthen, Anhalt-Zerbst and Anhalt-Plötzkau.

Joachim Ernest died in 1586, and his five sons ruled the land in common until 1603, when owing to the lack of primogeniture, Anhalt was again divided, and the lines of Dessau, Bernburg, Plötzkau, Zerbst and Köthen were re-founded. The principality was ravaged during the Thirty Years' War, and in the earlier part of this struggle Christian I of Anhalt-Bernburg took an important part. In 1635 an arrangement was made by the various princes of Anhalt, which gave a certain authority to the eldest member of the family, who was thus able to represent the principality as a whole. This proceeding was probably due to the necessity of maintaining an appearance of unity in view of the disturbed state of European politics.

Anhalt partitions 1747-1793

In 1665, the branch of Anhalt-Köthen became extinct, and according to a family compact this district was inherited by Lebrecht, Prince of Anhalt-Plötzkau, who surrendered Plötzkau to Bernburg, and took the title of prince of Anhalt-Köthen. In the same year the princes of Anhalt decided that if any branch of the family became extinct its lands should be equally divided between the remaining branches. This arrangement was carried out after the death of Frederick Augustus, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst in 1793, and Zerbst was divided between the three remaining princes. During these years the policy of the different princes was marked, perhaps intentionally, by considerable uniformity. Once or twice Calvinism was favoured by a prince, but in general the house was loyal to the doctrines of Martin Luther. The growth of Prussia provided Anhalt with a formidable neighbour, and the long-delayed establishment of primogeniture by all branches of the family prevented further divisions of the principality.

Dukes of Anhalt

Main article: Duchy of Anhalt

Coat of arms of the 19th-century Duchy of Anhalt.

In 1806, Napoleon elevated the remaining states of Anhalt-Bernburg, Anhalt-Dessau and Anhalt-Köthen to duchies; in the meantime, Anhalt-Plötzkau and Anhalt-Zerbst had ceased to exist. These duchies were united again in 1863, due to the extinction of the Köthen and Bernburg lines. The new duchy consisted of two large portions, Eastern and Western Anhalt, separated by the interposition of a part of the Prussian Province of Saxony and of five exclaves surrounded by Prussian territory: Alsleben, Mühlingen, Dornburg, Gödnitz and Tilkerode-Abberode. The eastern and larger portion of the duchy was enclosed by the Prussian government district of Potsdam (in the Prussian province of Brandenburg) and by Magdeburg and Merseburg, belonging to the Prussian province of Saxony. The western or smaller portion, the so-called Upper Duchy or Ballenstedt, was also enclosed by the two latter districts as well as by the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg.

When a united state, the capital of Anhalt was Dessau.

Along with the fall of all German monarchies, the Duchy of Anhalt came to an end in 1918–19 during the revolution that followed the end of World War I. It was replaced by the Free State of Anhalt within the Weimar Republic. After World War II, the Free State was united with the Prussian parts of Saxony to form Saxony-Anhalt. Subsequently, Saxony-Anhalt was dissolved in 1952, but re-established prior to the German reunification in 1990, since when it has been one of the sixteen (Bundes)länder (states) of Germany.

Constitution

The duchy, by virtue of a fundamental law, proclaimed on September 17, 1859 and subsequently modified by various decrees, was a constitutional monarchy. The duke, who bore the title of "Highness", wielded the executive power while sharing the legislation with the estates. The diet (Landtag) was composed of thirty-six members, of whom two were appointed by the duke, eight were representatives of landowners paying the highest taxes, two of the highest assessed members of the commercial and manufacturing classes, fourteen of the other electors of the towns and ten of the rural districts. The representatives were chosen for six years by indirect vote and must have completed their twenty-fifth year. The duke governed through a minister of state, who was the praeses of all the departments — finance, home affairs, education, public worship and statistics.

Population

In 1905 the population of the Duchy of Anhalt was 328,007, a ratio of about 351 to the square mile (909 km²). The country was divided into the districts of Dessau, Köthen, Zerbst, Bernburg and Ballenstedt, of which that of Bernburg was the most, and that of Ballenstedt the least, populated. Of the towns, four, viz. Dessau, Bernburg, Köthen and Zerbst, had populations exceeding 20,000.

The inhabitants of the duchy, with the exception of about 12,000 Roman Catholics and 1700 Jews, were members of the Evangelical State Church of Anhalt. The supreme ecclesiastical authority was the consistory in Dessau; while a synod of 39 members, elected for six years, assembled at periods to deliberate on internal matters touching the organization of the church. The Roman Catholics were under the bishop of Paderborn.

Rulers of Anhalt

House of Ascania

Partitions of Anhalt under Ascanian rule

County of Anhalt (1030-1212)
Principality of Anhalt (1212-1252)
Anhalt-Zerbst (1st creation) (1252-1396)				Anhalt-Bernburg (1st creation) (1252-1468)					Anhalt-Aschersleben (1252-1315)
									Annexed to Bishopric of Halberstadt
Anhalt-Köthen (1st creation) (1396-1562)		Anhalt-Dessau (1st creation) (1396-1561)
							Anhalt-Zerbst (2nd creation) (1544-1562)	Anhalt-Plotzkau (1st creation) (1544-1553)
Principality of Anhalt (from Anhalt-Zerbst line) (1562-1603)
Anhalt-Köthen (2nd creation) (1603-1847)		Anhalt-Plotzkau (2nd creation) (1603-1665)	Anhalt-Dessau (2nd creation) (1603-1863)		Anhalt-Zerbst (3rd creation) (1603-1793)		Anhalt-Bernburg (2nd creation) (1603-1863)
Duchy of Anhalt (from Anhalt-Dessau line) (1863-1918)

Table of rulers

Ruler		Born	Reign	Death	Ruling part	Consort	Notes
Esico		?	c.1030-1060	1060	Anhalt	Matilda of Swabia before 1060 one child	First known ruler of the lands of Anhalt. Also Count of Ballenstedt.
Adalbert		c.1030	1060-1076/83	1076/83	Anhalt	Adelaide of Weimar-Orlamünde 1038 two children	Also Count of Ballenstedt.
Otto I the Rich		c.1070	1076/83-1123	9 February 1123	Anhalt	Eilika of Saxony before 1095 two children	Also Count of Ballenstedt.
Albert I the Bear		c.1100	1123-1170	18 November 1170	Anhalt	Sophie of Winzenburg 1125 thirteen children	Also Count of Ballenstedt, Duke of Saxony and Margrave of Brandenburg.
Bernard I		c.1134	1170-1212	2 February 1212	Anhalt	Brigitte of Denmark six children Sophia of Thuringia one child Judith of Poland c.1173 no children	Also Count of Ballenstedt and Duke of Saxony
Henry I		1170	1212-1252	1252	Anhalt	Irmgard of Thuringia 1211 eleven children	First independent ruler of Anhalt. In 1218 becomes Prince of Anhalt. After his death his sons divided the Principality.
Henry II the Fat		1215	1252-1266	12 June 1266	Anhalt-Aschersleben	Matilda of Brunswick-Lüneburg 1245 two children	Eldest son of Henry I, received Aschersleben.
Bernard I		1218	1252-1287	1287	Anhalt-Bernburg	Sophia of Denmark 3 February 1258 Hamburg six children	Second son of Henry I, received Bernburg.
Siegfried I		1230	1252-1298	25 March 1298	Anhalt-Zerbst	Catherine of Sweden 17 October 1259 ten children	Third son of Henry I, received Zerbst.
Matilda of Brunswick-Lüneburg (regent)		After 1228	1266-1270	1295/7	Anhalt-Aschersleben	Henry II 1245 two children	Regent on behalf of her sons. From 1275 was elected Abbess of Gernrode.
Otto I		c.1245	1270-1304	25 June 1304	Anhalt-Aschersleben	Hedwig of Wrocław 1283 three children	Sons of Henry II, ruled jointly. In 1283 Henry renounced his rights in Otto's favor.
Henry III		c.1245	1270-1283	12 June 1266	Anhalt-Aschersleben	Unmarried
Bernard II		1260	1287-1323	After 26 December 1323	Anhalt-Bernburg	Helena of Rügen 27 December 1302 three children	Ruled jointly. After the death of John, Bernard ruled alone.
John I		1258/60	1287-1291	5 June 1291	Anhalt-Bernburg	Unmarried
Albert I		c.1260	1298-1316	17 August 1316	Anhalt-Zerbst	Liutgard of Holstein-Itzehoe after 1277 two children Agnes of Brandenburg-Stendal 1300 five children
Otto II		c.1260	1304-1315	24 July 1315	Anhalt-Aschersleben	Elisabeth of Meissen 24 August 1309 two children	After his death in 1315 without male heirs, the Principality was annexed by the Bishopric of Halberstadt.
Definitively annexed by the Bishopric of Halberstadt
Albert II		after 1277	1316-1362	17 July 1362	Anhalt-Zerbst	Agnes of Rügen 2 September 1324 no children Beatrix of Saxe-Wittenberg c.1337 five children	Albert III and Valdemar I ruled jointly, as sons of Albert II. In 1359 Albert III associated his eldest son, Albert IV, but he predeceased him. In 1362, after Albert III's death, is brother Valdemar continued the co-ruling with his nephew John II. Valdemar II, Valdemar I's son, joined John II after his father's death.
Valdemar I		after 1277	1316-1368	7 January 1368	Anhalt-Zerbst	Elisabeth of Saxe-Wittenberg 22 June 1344 six children Beatrice d'Este 1365 no children
Albert III		c.1337	1359	1 August 1359	Anhalt-Zerbst	Unmarried
John II		after 1337	1362-1382	11 April 1382	Anhalt-Zerbst	Elisabeth of Henneberg-Schleusingen 1366 four children
Valdemar II		c.1337	1368-1371	before 24 August 1371	Anhalt-Zerbst	Unmarried
Bernard III		1300	1323-1348	20 August 1348	Anhalt-Bernburg	Agnes of Saxe-Wittenberg 1328 five children Matilda of Anhalt-Zerbst 1339 no children Matilda of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel 1343 two children
Bernard IV		Before 1339	1348-1354	28 June 1354	Anhalt-Bernburg	Unmarried
Henry IV		Before 1339	1354-1374	7 July 1374	Anhalt-Bernburg	Sophia of Stolberg before 1348 three children	Bypassed by his older brother Bernard IV as ruler of Anhalt-Bernburg, he only assumed rule of the principality when Bernhard died in 1354.
Otto III		Before 1348	1374-1404	27 February 1404	Anhalt-Bernburg	Unknown two children Lutrudis before 1391 one child	Bypassed his nephew Bernard.
Sigismund I		After 1366	1382-1396	19 January 1405	Anhalt-Zerbst	Judith of Querfurt 1386 eleven children	Sons of John II. Ruled jointly. In 1396 divided the land. Sigismund received Anhalt-Dessau and Albert Anhalt-Köthen.
			1396-1405		Anhalt-Zerbst-Dessau (Anhalt-Dessau)
Albert IV		After 1366	1382-1396	24 November 1423	Anhalt-Zerbst	Elisabeth of Mansfeld I before 1398 six children Elisabeth of Querfurt before 4 January 1419 three children
			1396-1423		Anhalt-Zerbst-Köthen (Anhalt-Köthen)
Valdemar III		After 1366	1382-1391	1391	Anhalt-Zerbst	Unmarried
Bernard V		Before 1374	1404-1420	24 June 1420	Anhalt-Bernburg	Elisabeth of Hohnstein-Kelbra 8 September 1396 one child	Succeeded in reaching the pwer jointly with his eldest cousin, Otto. As he left no male heirs, the land was inherited by his other cousin, Bernard.
Otto IV		Before 1391	1404-1415	7 July 1374	Anhalt-Bernburg	Unmarried	Ruled jointly with his cousin. Left no descendants.
Bernard VI		Before 1391	1420-1468	2 February 1468	Anhalt-Bernburg	Matilda of Querfurt-Burgscheidungen 21 October 1419 two children Hedwig of Żagań 11 March 1434 no children	His children predeceased him, which left him no heirs at his death in 1468. Bernburg was inherited by Anhalt-Dessau line.
Anhalt-Bernburg was annexed to Anhalt-Dessau
George I the Elder		1390	1405-1474	21 September 1474	Anhalt-Dessau	Matilda of Anhalt-Bernburg I after 1413 no children Euphemia of Oleśnica 1432 six children Sophia of Hohnstein after 1442 three children Anna of Lindow-Ruppin 7 September 1453 nine children	Sons of Sigismund I, ruled jointly. In 1468 inherited Anhalt-Bernburg.
Albert V		After 1390	1405-1469	1469	Anhalt-Dessau	Sophie of Hadmersleben no children
Valdemar IV		c.1386	1405-1417	After 22 July 1417	Anhalt-Dessau	Unmarried
Sigismund II		After 1390	1405-1452	After 22 May 1452	Anhalt-Dessau	Matilda of Anhalt-Bernburg II no children
Adolph I		After 1398?	1423-1473	28 August 1473	Anhalt-Köthen	Cordula of Lindow-Ruppin 2 November 1442 Ruppin seven children	Ruled jointly. Adolph ruled with his brother Valdemar V until 1436 and then with Valdemar's son John. In 1471, Adolph concluded a succession contract with George I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau, which put his youngest son in Köthen's throne, as Valdemar VI, next to Adolph. After the death of Adolph in 1473, his youngest son Albert VI managed to succeed him, always side-by-side with Valdemar VI. With Albert's death two years later, Valdemar VI (from Dessau) ruled Köthen with Albert VI's son (Philip) and nephews (Magnus and Adolph II, sons of Adolph I) until his own death in 1508. In that year, all his co-rulers abdicated to Valdemar VI's son, Wolfgang.
Valdemar V		After 1398?	1423-1436	28 August 1473	Anhalt-Köthen	Sophie of Hadmersleben 1420 no children
John III			1436-1463	1463	Anhalt-Köthen	Unmarried
Valdemar VI (from Anhalt-Dessau line)		1450	1471-1508	1 November 1508	Anhalt-Köthen	Margaret of Schwarzburg 24 January 1485 Köthen four children
Albert VI		After 1419?	1473-1475	9 January 1475	Anhalt-Köthen	Elisabeth of Mansfeld II 27 March 1454 Alsleben seven children
Philip		31 May 1468	1475-1500	13 November 1500	Anhalt-Köthen	Unmarried
Magnus		1455	1475-1508	29 October 1524	Anhalt-Köthen	Unmarried
Adolph II		16 October 1458		24 March 1526	Anhalt-Köthen	Unmarried
Ernest I		1454	1474-1516	12 June 1516	Anhalt-Dessau	Margaret of Münsterberg 20 January 1494 Cottbus four children	Sons of George I, ruled jointly.
George II the Strong		1454	1474-1509	25 April 1509	Anhalt-Dessau	Agnes of Pomerania-Barth 1478 no children
Sigismund III		1456	1474-1487	27 November 1487	Anhalt-Dessau	Unmarried
Rudolph I the Valiant		1466	1474-1510	7 September 1510	Anhalt-Dessau	Unmarried
Wolfgang the Confessor		1 August 1492	1508-1562	23 March 1566	Anhalt-Köthen	Unmarried	Sole ruler of Köthen. After his abdication without descendants, the Principality was incorporated in the recreated Anhalt-Zerbst.
Margaret of Münsterberg (regent)		25 August 1473	1516-1524	28 June 1530	Anhalt-Dessau	Ernest I 20 January 1494 Cottbus four children	Regent on behalf of her sons.
Joachim I		7 August 1509	1524-1561	6 December 1561	Anhalt-Dessau	Unmarried	Sons of Ernest I, ruled jointly. In 1544, the brothers divided the land. Joachim mainteined Dessau to himself; John took Zerbst and refounded Anhalt-Zerbst; George took Plotzkau. After George and Joachim's deaths without descendants, their lands were inherited by their nephews, sons of John III.
John IV		4 September 1504	1524-1544	4 February 1551	Anhalt-Dessau	Margaret of Brandenburg 15 February 1534 Dessau six children
			1544-1551		Anhalt-Dessau-Zerbst (Anhalt-Zerbst)
George III the God-Blessed		15 August 1507	1524-1544	17 October 1553	Anhalt-Dessau	Unmarried
			1544-1553		Anhalt-Dessau-Plotzkau (Anhalt-Plotzkau)
Charles I		17 November 1534	1551-1561	4 May 1561	Anhalt-Zerbst	Anna of Pomerania 16 May 1557 Zerbst no children	Sons of John III. In 1553 inherited Plotzkau from their uncle George III. In 1561 inherited Dessau and Bernburg from their uncle Joachim. In the next year inherited Kothen. From 1570 Joachim Ernest was the sole owner of all Anhalt.
Joachim Ernest		21 October 1536	1551-1562	6 December 1586	Anhalt-Zerbst	Agnes of Barby-Mühlingen 3 March 1560 Barby six children Eleonore of Württemberg 9 January 1571 Stuttgart ten children
			1562-1586		Anhalt
Bernard VII		17 March 1540	1551-1562	1 March 1570	Anhalt-Zerbst	Clara of Brunswick-Lüneburg-Gifhorn 28 May 1565 Dessau one child
			1562-1570		Anhalt
John George I		9 May 1567	1586-1603	24 May 1618	Anhalt	Dorothea of Mansfeld-Arnstein 22 February 1588 Hedersleben five children Dorothea of Palatinate-Simmern 21 February 1595 Heidelberg eleven children	Sons of Joachim Ernest, ruled jointly. In 1603 divided the land again: John George received Dessau; Christian received Bernburg; Augustus received Plötzkau; Rudolph received Zerbst; Louis received Köthen. Augustus served also as regent for his minor nephews in Anhalt-Kothen and Anhalt-Zerbst.
			1603-1618		Anhalt-Dessau
Christian I		11 May 1568	1586-1603	17 April 1630	Anhalt	Anna of Bentheim-Steinfurt-Tecklenburg-Limburg 2 July 1595 Lorbach sixteen children
			1603-1630		Anhalt-Bernburg
Rudolph II		28 October 1576	1586-1603	30 July 1621	Anhalt	Dorothea Hedwig of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel 29 December 1605 Wolfenbüttel four children
			1603-1621		Anhalt-Zerbst
Louis I		17 June 1579	1586-1603	7 January 1650	Anhalt	Amöena Amalie of Bentheim-Steinfurt-Tecklenburg-Limburg 31 October 1606 Rheda two children Sophia of Lippe 12 September 1626 Detmold two children
			1603-1650		Anhalt-Köthen
Augustus		14 July 1575	1586-1603	22 August 1653	Anhalt	Sibylle of Solms-Laubach 25 January 1618 Ansbach eight children
			1603-1653		Anhalt-Plötzkau
			1621-1642 as regent		Anhalt-Zerbst
			1650-1653 as regent		Anhalt-Köthen
John Casimir		17 December 1596	1618-1660	15 September 1660	Anhalt-Dessau	Agnes of Hesse-Kassel 18 May 1623 Dessau six children Sophie Margaret of Anhalt-Bernburg 14 July 1651 Dessau no children
John V		24 March 1621	1642-1667	4 July 1667	Anhalt-Zerbst	Sophie Augusta of Holstein-Gottorp 16 September 1649 Gottorp fourteen children
Christian II		11 August 1599	1630-1656	22 September 1656	Anhalt-Bernburg	Eleonore Sophie of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Plön 28 February 1625 Ahrensbök fifteen children
William Louis		3 August 1638	1659-1665	13 April 1665	Anhalt-Köthen	Elisabeth Charlotte of Anhalt-Harzgerode 25 August 1663 Köthen no children	After his death without descendants, his previous regents took over the principality for themselves.
Lebrecht I		8 April 1622	1653-1665	7 November 1669	Anhalt-Plötzkau	Sophie Ursula Eleonore of Stolberg-Wernigerode 18 January 1655 Plötzkau no children	Cousins of William Louis, and princes of Anhalt-Plötzkau, they served as regents for their cousin alongside their uncle, Augustus. After William Louis' death in 1665, they took the principality of Köthen for themselves, giving away their inheritance in Plötzkau to Anhalt-Bernburg.
			1650-1653 as regent 1665-1669 as de facto ruler		Anhalt-Köthen
Emmanuel I		6 October 1631	1653-1665	8 November 1670	Anhalt-Plötzkau	Anna Eleonore of Stolberg-Wernigerode 23 March 1670 Ilsenburg one child
			1650-1653 as regent 1665-1670 as de facto ruler		Anhalt-Köthen
Definitively annexed to the Principality of Anhalt-Bernburg
Victor Amadeus		6 October 1634	1656-1718	14 February 1718	Anhalt-Bernburg	Elisabeth of Palatinate-Zweibrücken 16 October 1667 Meisenheim six children	Annexed Anhalt-Plötzkau in 1665.
John George II		17 November 1627	1660-1693	7 August 1693	Anhalt-Dessau	Henriette Catherine of Nassau 9 September 1659 Groningen five children	Prince of Anhalt-Dessau, he also served as regent for his cousin, Emmanuel Lebrecht of Anhalt-Kothen, together with the prince's mother, Anna Eleonore of Stolberg-Wernigerode.
			1690-1692 as regent		Anhalt-Köthen
Sophie Augusta of Holstein-Gottorp (regent)		5 December 1630	1667-1674	12 December 1680	Anhalt-Zerbst	John IV 16 September 1649 Gottorp fourteen children
Charles William		16 October 1652	1674-1718	3 November 1718	Anhalt-Zerbst	Sophia of Saxe-Weissenfels 18 June 1676 Halle three children
Anna Eleonore of Stolberg-Wernigerode (regent)		26 March 1651	1670-1690	27 January 1690	Anhalt-Köthen	Emmanuel I 23 March 1670 Ilsenburg one child	Regent on behalf of her son, together with her husband's cousin, John George II of Anhalt-Dessau.
Emmanuel Lebrecht		20 May 1671	1692-1704	30 May 1704	Anhalt-Köthen	Gisela Agnes of Rath 30 September 1692 Nienburg (morganatic) ten children
Henriette Catherine of Nassau (regent)		10 February 1637	1693-1698	3 November 1708	Anhalt-Dessau	John George II 9 September 1659 Groningen five children	Regent on behalf of her son.
Leopold I		3 July 1676	1698-1747	7 April 1747	Anhalt-Dessau	Anna Louise Föhse 8 September 1698 Dessau (morganatic) ten children
Gisela Agnes of Rath (regent)		9 October 1669	1704-1715	12 March 1740	Anhalt-Köthen	Emmanuel Lebrecht 30 September 1692 Nienburg (morganatic) ten children	Regent on behalf of her son.
Leopold		29 November 1694	1715-1728	19 November 1728	Anhalt-Köthen	Frederica Henriette of Anhalt-Bernburg 11 December 1721 Bernburg one child Charlotte Frederike of Nassau-Siegen 27 June 1725 Weimar two children	With no male heirs, he was succeeded by his brother.
Charles Frederick		13 July 1668	1718-1721	22 April 1721	Anhalt-Bernburg	Sophie Albertine of Solms-Sonnenwalde 25 June 1692 Bernburg six children Wilhelmine Charlotte Nüssler 1 May 1715 Bernburg
John Augustus		29 July 1677	1674-1718	7 November 1742	Anhalt-Zerbst	Fredericka of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg 25 May 1702 Zerbst no children	Died without issue. Zerbst was inherited by his cousins from Dornburg.
Victor Frederick		20 September 1700	1721-1765	18 May 1765	Anhalt-Bernburg	Louise of Anhalt-Dessau 25 November 1724 Dessau one child Sophie Albertine Fredericka of Brandenburg-Schwedt 22 May 1733 Potsdam five children Konstanze Fredericka Schmidt 13 November 1750 Bernburg (morganatic) one child
Augustus Louis		9 June 1697	1728-1755	6 August 1755	Anhalt-Köthen	Agnes Wilhelmine von Wuthenau 23 January 1722 Dresden (morganatic) two children Christine Johanna Emilie of Promnitz-Pless 14 January 1726 Sorau five children Anna Fredericka of Promnitz-Pless 21 November 1732 Sorau two children
John Louis		23 June 1688	1742-1746	5 November 1746	Anhalt-Zerbst	Unmarried	First cousins of their predecessor, they were Princes of Dornburg, until its ending by joining it with the inherited Principality of Zerbst. Ruled jointly. after John Louis' death, Christian tuled alone.
Christian August		29 November 1690	1742-1747	16 March 1747	Anhalt-Zerbst	Joanna Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp 8 November 1727 Vechelde five children
Leopold II Maximilian		25 December 1700	1747-1751	16 December 1751	Anhalt-Dessau	Gisela Agnes of Anhalt-Köthen 25 May 1737 Bernburg seven children
Joanna Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp (regent)		24 October 1712	1747-1752	30 May 1760	Anhalt-Zerbst	Christian August 8 November 1727 Vechelde five children	Regent on behalf of her son.
Frederick August		8 August 1734	1752-1793	3 March 1793	Anhalt-Zerbst	Caroline Wilhelmina Sophia of Hesse-Kassel 17 November 1753 Zerbst no children Friederike Auguste Sophie of Anhalt-Bernburg 22 May 1764 Ballenstedt no children
Definitively annexed by the Principality of Anhalt-Dessau
Dietrich of Anhalt-Dessau (regent)		2 August 1702	1751-1758	2 December 1769	Anhalt-Dessau	Unmarried	Regent on behalf of his nephew.
Leopold III Frederick Franz		10 August 1740	1758-1817	9 August 1817	Anhalt-Dessau	Louise Henriette Wilhelmine of Brandenburg-Schwedt 25 July 1767 Charlottenburg two children	Prince of Anhalt-Dessau, also served as regent for his cousin, Louis Augustus Karl Frederick Emil of Anhalt-Kothen. After his death the regency in Anhalt-Kothen passed together with the principality of Anhalt-Dessau to his son.
			1758-1817 as regent		Anhalt-Köthen
Charles George Lebrecht		15 August 1730	1755-1789	17 October 1789	Anhalt-Köthen	Louise Charlotte of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg 26 July 1763 Glücksburg six children
Frederick Albert		15 August 1735	1765-1796	9 April 1796	Anhalt-Bernburg	Louise Albertine of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Plön 25 November 1724 Augustenburg two children
Augustus Christian Frederick		18 November 1769	1789-1812	5 May 1812	Anhalt-Köthen	Fredericka of Nassau-Usingen 9 February 1792 Frankfurt-am-Main no children	In 1806 became Duke of Anhalt-Köthen. Left no descendants, and was succeeded by his nephew.
Alexius Frederick Christian		15 August 1735	1796-1834	9 April 1796	Anhalt-Bernburg	Marie Friederike of Hesse-Kassel 29 November 1794 Kassel (annulled 1817) four children Dorothea Fredericka of Sonnenberg 11 January 1818 Ballenstedt (morganatic) no children Ernestine Charlotte of Sonnenberg 2 May 1819 Bernburg (morganatic) no children	In 1803 became Duke of Anhalt-Bernburg.
Louis Augustus Karl Frederick Emil		20 September 1802	1812-1818	18 December 1818	Anhalt-Köthen	Louise Charlotte of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg 26 July 1763 Glücksburg six children	Died as a minor, never ruled by his own.
Frederick Ferdinand		25 June 1769	1818-1830	23 August 1830	Anhalt-Köthen	Maria Dorothea Henriette Louise of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck 26 July 1763 Lindenau bei Heiligenbeil no children Julie of Brandenburg 20 May 1816 Berlin no children	From the Anhalt-Pless line, cousin of his predecessor. Attempted, with no success, to reinstall Catholicism in his duchy.
Henry V		30 July 1778	1830-1847	23 November 1847	Anhalt-Köthen	Auguste Fredericka Espérance Reuss of Köstritz 18 May 1819 Trebschen no children	Left no descendants. His lands were inherited by Leopold of Anhalt-Dessau.
Definitively annexed to the Principality of Anhalt-Dessau
Alexander Charles		2 March 1805	1834-1863	19 August 1863	Anhalt-Bernburg	Friederike of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg 30 October 1834 Gottorp no children	Left no male descendants. Bernburg reverted to Anhalt-Dessau.
Definitively annexed to the Principality of Anhalt-Dessau
Leopold IV Frederick		1 October 1794	1817-1863	22 May 1871	Anhalt-Dessau	Frederica Wilhelmina of Prussia 18 April 1818 Berlin six children	Prince of Anhalt-Dessau, ended the regency in Kothen after his cousin's death (1818). In 1863 he reunites Anhalt under his rule, and becomes its first duke.
			1817-1818 as regent		Anhalt-Köthen
			1863-1871		Anhalt
Frederick I		29 April 1831	1871-1904	24 January 1904	Anhalt	Antoinette of Saxe-Altenburg 22 April 1854 Altenburg six children
Frederick II		19 August 1856	1904-1918	21 April 1918	Anhalt	Marie of Baden 2 July 1889 Karlsruhe no children	Left no descendants. He was succeeded by his brother.
Edward		18 April 1861	1918	13 September 1918	Anhalt	Louise Charlotte of Saxe-Altenburg 6 February 1895 Altenburg (annulled 26 January 1918) six children	Brother of his predecessor. Ruled 18 April to 13 September.
Joachim Ernest II		11 January 1901	1918	18 February 1947	Anhalt	Elisabeth Strickrodt 3 March 1927 Ballenstedt (morganatic, annulled 1929) no children Edda-Charlotte von Stephani-Marwitz 15 October 1929 Ballenstedt (morganatic) five children	Ruled 13 September to 12 November. Monarchy abolished in that year.

Coat of arms of the duchy 1703[1]

Heads of the House of Anhalt since 1918

• Duke Joachim Ernst 1918–1947
• Prince Friedrich 1947–1963
• Prince Eduard 1963–present

Notes

1. Siebmacher, Johann (1703). Erneuertes und vermehrtes Wappenbuch... Nürnberg: Adolph Johann Helmers. pp. Part I Table 8.

References

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Anhalt". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.