Anhalt-Köthen was a

principality A principality (or sometimes princedom) can either be a monarchical feudatory or a sovereign state, ruled or reigned over by a regnant-monarch with the title of prince and/or princess, or by a monarch with another title considered to fall un ...

of the

Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire was a political entity in Western, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its dissolution in 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars. From the accession of Otto I in 962 unt ...

ruled by the

House of Ascania The House of Ascania (german: Askanier) was a dynasty of German rulers. It is also known as the House of Anhalt, which refers to its longest-held possession, Anhalt. The Ascanians are named after Ascania (or Ascaria) Castle, known as ''Schlos ...

. It was created in 1396 when the Principality of Anhalt-Zerbst was partitioned between

Anhalt-Dessau 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 t ...

and Anhalt-Köthen. The first creation lasted until 1562, when it fell to Prince Joachim Ernest of Anhalt-Zerbst, who merged it into the reunited Principality of Anhalt. Anhalt-Köthen was created a second time in 1603, when Anhalt was again divided. In 1806, Anhalt-Köthen was raised to a duchy. With the death of Duke Henry on 23 November 1847, the Anhalt-Köthen line became extinct and its territories were united to Anhalt-Dessau by patent of 22 May 1853. Today, Anhalt-Köthen is mostly remembered as a long-time residence of

Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the '' Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard wo ...

, while he worked for

Leopold, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen Leopold of Anhalt-Köthen (29 November 1694 – 19 November 1728) was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Köthen. Today, he is best remembered for employing Johann Sebastian Bach as his Kapellmeister ...

History

The Principality of Anhalt arose in 1212 under its first ruler,

Henry I Henry I may refer to: 876–1366 * Henry I the Fowler, King of Germany (876–936) * Henry I, Duke of Bavaria (died 955) * Henry I of Austria, Margrave of Austria (died 1018) * Henry I of France (1008–1060) * Henry I the Long, Margrave of the N ...

, son of the Saxon duke Bernhard III. Named after

Anhalt Castle Anhalt Castle (german: Burg Anhalt) is a ruined medieval fortification near the town of Harzgerode in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Location The castle is located in the eastern, lower part of the Harz mountain range (''Unterharz''). The ruins stand on ...

, the ancestral seat of the Ascanian dynasty near Harzgerode, the principality experienced a number of partitions throughout its centuries-long existence. When Henry died in 1252, his sons divided their heritage, with the younger, Prince Siegfried I receiving the Anhalt-Zerbst territory including

Dessau Dessau is a town and former municipality in Germany at the confluence of the rivers Mulde and Elbe, in the '' Bundesland'' (Federal State) of Saxony-Anhalt. Since 1 July 2007, it has been part of the newly created municipality of Dessau-Roßl ...

and Köthen.

First creation

The Principality of Anhalt-Köthen emerged in 1396, when the two surviving sons of late Prince John II of Anhalt-Zerbst divided their heritage and the younger, Prince Albert IV, took his residence at Köthen. Upon the death of his elder brother Prince Sigismund I of Anhalt-Dessau in 1405, Albert also acted as a regent for Sigismund's minor sons. He himself died in 1423 and was succeeded by his sons Adolph I and Waldemar V. Waldemar died in 1436 and Adolph entered a long-time quarrel with their cousin Prince George I of Anhalt-Dessau, finally in 1471, both concluded a succession contract whereby George took over the government of half the principality and became co-ruler as ''Lord of Köthen''. When Adolph's younger brother, Prince Albert VI, succeeded in 1473, he had to share the rule over Anhalt-Köthen with George's sons, Prince Waldemar VI and George II. While George II soon after entered the service of Elector Albrecht Achilles of Brandenburg, Waldemar was able to regain the pawned territory of Hoym and also added Burgscheidungen to his possessions. Albert VI died in 1475 and was succeeded by his only son Philip, with his cousins Magnus and Adolph II, the sons of Adolph I, as co-rulers. Philip died in 1500 and his cousins formally abdicated in 1508 in favour of Waldemar's son and heir Wolfgang, then sole ruler of Anhalt-Köthen. Prince Wolfgang met with

Martin Luther Martin Luther (; ; 10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German priest, theologian, author, hymnwriter, and professor, and Augustinian friar. He is the seminal figure of the Protestant Reformation and the namesake of Lutherani ...

at the 1521

Diet of Augsburg The Diet of Augsburg were the meetings of the Imperial Diet of the Holy Roman Empire held in the German city of Augsburg. Both an Imperial City and the residence of the Augsburg prince-bishops, the town had hosted the Estates in many such sessi ...

and implemented the

Protestant Reformation The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and i ...

in his territories; the second Prince of the

to do so after the Saxon elector

Frederick the Wise Frederick III (17 January 1463 – 5 May 1525), also known as Frederick the Wise (German ''Friedrich der Weise''), was Elector of Saxony from 1486 to 1525, who is mostly remembered for the worldly protection of his subject Martin Luther. Fre ...

. He also became a leading member of the Protestant

League of Torgau The League of Torgau (german: Torgauer Bund) was an alliance of Lutheran princes, including Philip of Hesse and John of Saxony, which was formed 27 February 1526 to oppose the terms set forth in the Edict of Worms. Because it had no substantial ...

and the Schmalkaldic League against the policies of the

Habsburg The House of Habsburg (), alternatively spelled Hapsburg in Englishgerman: Haus Habsburg, ; es, Casa de Habsburgo; hu, Habsburg család, it, Casa di Asburgo, nl, Huis van Habsburg, pl, dom Habsburgów, pt, Casa de Habsburgo, la, Domus Hab ...

emperor Charles V. Temporarily

banned A ban is a formal or informal prohibition of something. Bans are formed for the prohibition of activities within a certain political territory. Some bans in commerce are referred to as embargoes. ''Ban'' is also used as a verb similar in meanin ...

, his possessions were restored in the 1552 Peace of Passau. Without heirs, Wolfgang in 1562 ceded Anhalt-Köthen to his cousins Joachim Ernest and Bernhard VII of Anhalt-Zerbst. Upon Bernhard's death in 1570, all Anhalt territories were formally re-united under Joachim Ernest's rule.

Second creation

Prince Joachim Ernest died in 1586, and his sons first ruled jointly. In 1603, however, the five surviving brothers again divided their heritage, with Anhalt-Köthen recreated for Prince Louis I. The partition was consummated until 1606, while the Louis' eldest brother Prince John George I of Anhalt-Dessau formally remained the head of all Anhalt principalities. Louis turned out to be a capable ruler; in 1617 he founded the literary Fruitbearing Society and became its first president, he worked with

Wolfgang Ratke Wolfgang Ratke (also Wolfgangus Ratichius or Wolfgang Ratich) (18 October 157127 April 1635) was a German educational reformer. Biography Early life He was born at Wilster, Holstein,Leichpredigt: Meyfart, Johann Matthäus: Programma Publicum In ...

to implement educational reforms and had Schloss Köthen rebuilt. When he died in 1650, his son and successor William Louis was still a minor with Prince Augustus of Anhalt-Plötzkau and, from 1653, his sons Leberecht and Emmanuel acting as regents. As William Louis' marriage with Elizabeth Charlotte had remained childless, he was succeeded by Leberecht and Emmanuel upon his death in 1665. From 1671 Emmanuel's son Emmanuel Lebrecht became sole rule of Anhalt-Köthen, initially under the guardianship of his mother Princess Anna Eleonore and Prince

John George II of Anhalt-Dessau John George II (17 November 1627 – 7 August 1693) was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau from 1660 to 1693. A member of the Fruitbearing Society, he also served as a field marshal of Brandenbu ...

. He took over the government in 1692 and entered into a morganatic marriage with Gisela Agnes of Rath, elevated to a '' Reichsgräfin'' of Nienburg by Emperor Leopold I in 1694. When Emmanuel Lebrecht died in 1704, he was succeeded by his second-born but eldest surviving son Leopold. Also a minor at his father's death, his mother Gisela Agnes acted as regent, supervised by King Frederick I of Prussia. Leopold came of age in 1715; he was a great patron of the arts, founded the Köthen court orchestra and, in 1717, employed

as '' Kapellmeister''. Bach stayed in Köthen until 1723, where he worked with violinist

Christian Ferdinand Abel Christian Ferdinand Abel (July or August 1682, Hanover, Germany – buried 3 April 1761 (or 1737?), Köthen, Germany) was one of the most famous German Baroque violinists, cellists and especially viol virtuosos. His father was the composer, ...

and met with singer Anna Magdalena Wilcke, who became his second wife in 1721. Prince Leopold died in 1728 at the age of 33; as he left no sons, his principality fell to his brother Augustus Louis. Upon his death in 1755, Prince Augustus Louis was succeeded by his second-born son Karl George Leberecht. During the

Seven Years' War The Seven Years' War (1756–1763) was a global conflict that involved most of the European Great Powers, and was fought primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. Other concurrent conflicts include the French and Indian War (1754 ...

, Karl George tried to ease the impact on his principality; in 1751 he joined the

Prussian Army The Royal Prussian Army (1701–1919, german: Königlich Preußische Armee) served as the army of the Kingdom of Prussia. It became vital to the development of Brandenburg-Prussia as a European power. The Prussian Army had its roots in the co ...

and became a general in the Habsburg Imperial Army in 1789; soon after he was killed in the Siege of Belgrade. He was succeeded by his son Augustus Christian, who received parts of the extinct Principality of Anhalt-Zerbst in 1793 and was elevated to a

duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are r ...

(''

Herzog ''Herzog'' (female ''Herzogin'') is a German hereditary title held by one who rules a territorial duchy, exercises feudal authority over an estate called a duchy, or possesses a right by law or tradition to be referred to by the ducal title. ...

'') by

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader wh ...

in 1806. Anhalt-Köthen became a member of the German

Confederation of the Rhine The Confederated States of the Rhine, simply known as the Confederation of the Rhine, also known as Napoleonic Germany, was a confederation of German client states established at the behest of Napoleon some months after he defeated Austria a ...

in 1807. Prince Augustus Christian died in 1812, and the ducal title passed to his minor nephew Louis Augustus Karl Frederick Emil, son of Prince Louis, himself the younger brother of Prince Augustus Louis. Duke Leopold III of Anhalt-Dessau acted as regent, however, Louis Augustus died in 1818 at the age of 16, leaving no heirs.

Anhalt-Köthen-Pless

In 1765, Frederick Erdmann, the youngest son of Prince Augustus Louis, had received the Silesian

state country State country (german: Freie Standesherrschaft; cs, stavovské panství; pl, państwo stanowe) was a unit of administrative and territorial division in the Bohemian crown lands of Silesia and Upper Lusatia, existing from 15th to 18th centuries. ...

in the former

Duchy of Pless The Duchy of Pless (or the ''Duchy of Pszczyna'',Julian Janczakof Pszczyna" (in) Zarys dziejów kartografii śląskiej do końca XVIII wieku''(An outline for the History of Cartography till the End of the 18th century)'', Opole: 1976, Polish Aca ...

from the hands of his maternal uncle, Count John Erdmann of Promnitz. From that time on, he styled himself as ''Prince of Anhalt-Köthen-Pless''. His son, Frederick Ferdinand, inherited the princely title in 1797. Upon the early death in 1818 of Louis Augustus, Duke of Anhalt-Köthen, Frederick Ferdinand inherited the ducal title of Anhalt-Köthen. He then ceded Pless to his younger brother, Henry. Upon Frederick Ferdinand's death in 1830, Henry succeeded him as Duke of Anhalt-Köthen. He left Pless to the youngest brother, Louis, who predeceased him in 1841. With Henry's death in 1847, the Anhalt-Köthen line became extinct, and all territories passed to Duke

Leopold IV of Anhalt-Dessau Leopold IV Frederick, Duke of Anhalt (1 October 1794 – 22 May 1871) was a German prince of the House of Ascania. From 1817 until 1853 he was ruler of the duchy of Anhalt-Dessau and from 1847 until 1853 also ruler of the duchy of Anhalt-Köthen ...

Princes of Anhalt-Köthen (1396–1562)

* Albert IV 1396–1423 * Adolph I 1423–1473 * Waldemar V 1423–1436 (co-regent) * Waldemar VI 1471–1508 (

line) * Albert VI 1473–1475 * Philip 1475–1500 * Magnus 1475–1508 (co-regent, son of Adolph I) (d. 1524) * Adolph II 1475–1508 (co-regent, son of Adolph I) (d. 1526) * Wolfgang 1508–1562 (d. 1566) ''To Prince Joachim Ernest of Anhalt-Zerbst''.

Princes of Anhalt-Köthen (1603–1806)

* Louis 1603–1650 ** Augustus of Anhalt-Plötzkau ''regent 1650–1653'' **Lebrecht and Emmanuel of Anhalt-Plötzkau ''joint regents 1653–1659'' * William Louis 1650–1665 * Lebrecht 1665–1669 * Emmanuel 1665–1670 (co-ruler) ** Anna Eleonore of Stolberg-Wernigerode ''regent 1670–1690'' **

''regent 1690–1692'' * Emmanuel Lebrecht 1671–1704 ** Gisela Agnes of Rath ''regent 1704–1715'' * Leopold 1704–1728 * Augustus Louis 1728–1755 * Karl George Lebrecht 1755–1789 * Augustus Christian Frederick 1789–1806 ''Raised to Duchy 1806''.

Dukes of Anhalt-Köthen (1806–1847)

* Augustus Christian Frederick 1806–1812 * Louis Augustus Karl Frederick Emil 1812–1818 ** Leopold III of Anhalt-Dessau ''regent 1812-1817'' **

''regent 1817-1818'' * Frederick Ferdinand 1818–1830 * Henry 1830–1847 ''To Duke

Notes

References

Regnal chronology
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Anhalt-Kothen 1390s establishments in the Holy Roman Empire 1396 establishments in Europe 1853 disestablishments in Europe States and territories established in 1396 States of the Confederation of the Rhine States of the German Confederation House of Ascania Lists of princes History of Anhalt Former states and territories of Saxony-Anhalt Principalities of the Holy Roman Empire