Albert I, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
Encyclopedia
Albert I, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst (died 17 August 1316) was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst
.
He was the eldest son of Siegfried I, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
, by his wife Katharina, daughter of Birger jarl
and sister of Kings Waldemar and Magnus III of Sweden
.
and Köthen. He later obtained a part of Zerbst
still controlled by the Margraves of Brandenburg as a fiefdom. In 1295, Albert was the first member of the House of Ascania who entered "Burg" Köthen.
Together with Abbot Konrad of Nienburg
he abolished the use of the Wendish
language in his domains in 1293. He also participated in the siege of the Schloss Herlingsberg against Henry I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
-Grubenhagen in 1291.
After the murder of Albert I of Habsburg in 1308 he was suggested by his brother-in-law Waldemar, Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal
, as a new German King, but had no success in obtaining this dignity.
In 1300 Albert married for a second time to Agnes (d. 4 June 1330), daughter of Conrad, Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal. Through her father she was a great-great-granddaughter of Otto I, Margrave of Brandenburg
, older brother of Bernhard, Count of Anhalt
, Albert's great-grandfather. They had five children:
Anhalt-Zerbst
Anhalt-Zerbst was a district in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is bounded by the districts Potsdam-Mittelmark and Wittenberg, the city of Dessau and the districts of Köthen, Schönebeck and Jerichower Land.- History :...
.
He was the eldest son of Siegfried I, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
Siegfried I, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
Siegfried I, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst....
, by his wife Katharina, daughter of Birger jarl
Birger jarl
, or Birger Magnusson, was a Swedish statesman, Jarl of Sweden and a member of the House of Bjelbo, who played a pivotal role in the consolidation of Sweden. Birger also led the Second Swedish Crusade, which established Swedish rule in Finland. Additionally, he is traditionally attributed to have...
and sister of Kings Waldemar and Magnus III of Sweden
Magnus III of Sweden
Magnus III Ladulås of Sweden, Swedish: Magnus Birgersson or Magnus Ladulås was King of Sweden from 1275 until his death in 1290....
.
Life
In 1290, after his father abdicated to become a preaching monk (German: ), Albert inherited the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst and the towns of DessauDessau
Dessau is a town in Germany on the junction of the rivers Mulde and Elbe, in the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt. Since 1 July 2007, it is part of the merged town Dessau-Roßlau. Population of Dessau proper: 77,973 .-Geography:...
and Köthen. He later obtained a part of Zerbst
Zerbst
Zerbst is a town in the district of Anhalt-Bitterfeld, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Until the administrative reform of 2007, Zerbst was the capital of the Anhalt-Zerbst district. Since the 1 January 2010 local government reform, Zerbst has about 24,000 inhabitants.It is not clear when was it founded;...
still controlled by the Margraves of Brandenburg as a fiefdom. In 1295, Albert was the first member of the House of Ascania who entered "Burg" Köthen.
Together with Abbot Konrad of Nienburg
Nienburg
There are two towns named Nienburg in Germany.*Nienburg, Lower Saxony*Nienburg, Saxony-AnhaltThe Name Nienburg means "Neue Burg" ....
he abolished the use of the Wendish
Wends
Wends is a historic name for West Slavs living near Germanic settlement areas. It does not refer to a homogeneous people, but to various peoples, tribes or groups depending on where and when it is used...
language in his domains in 1293. He also participated in the siege of the Schloss Herlingsberg against Henry I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Henry I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Henry , Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, called the Admirable , was the first ruler of the Principality of Grubenhagen....
-Grubenhagen in 1291.
After the murder of Albert I of Habsburg in 1308 he was suggested by his brother-in-law Waldemar, Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal
Waldemar, Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal
Waldemar of Brandenburg was Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal, the last from the Ascanian House.-Life:He was a son of Conrad, Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal and Constance, daughter of Przemysł I of Greater Poland...
, as a new German King, but had no success in obtaining this dignity.
Marriages and issue
Albert's first marriage was to Liutgard (b. ca. 1251 - d. aft. 28 February 1289), daughter of Gerhard I, Count of Holstein-Itzehoe, and widow of John I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. They had two sons:- Siegfried II (d. ca. 1307/1316), a canon in CoswigCoswigCoswig can refer to two towns in Germany, both on the river Elbe:*Coswig, Saxony, in the district of Meißen, Saxony*Coswig, Anhalt, in the district of Wittenberg, Saxony-Anhalt...
. - Henry (d. bef. 2 March 1317), a canon in Coswig.
In 1300 Albert married for a second time to Agnes (d. 4 June 1330), daughter of Conrad, Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal. Through her father she was a great-great-granddaughter of Otto I, Margrave of Brandenburg
Otto I, Margrave of Brandenburg
Otto I was the second Margrave of Brandenburg, from 1170 until his death.-Life:Otto I was born into the House of Ascania as the eldest son of Albert I , who founded the Margraviate of Brandenburg in 1157, and his wife Sophie von Winzenburg...
, older brother of Bernhard, Count of Anhalt
Bernhard, Count of Anhalt
Bernhard, Count of Anhalt was a German prince of the House of Ascania, Count of Anhalt and Ballenstedt, and Lord of Bernburg through his paternal inheritance...
, Albert's great-grandfather. They had five children:
- Albert II, Prince of Anhalt-ZerbstAlbert II, Prince of Anhalt-ZerbstAlbert II, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst....
(d. 17 July 1362). - Agnes (d. 1352), married bef. 2 September 1324 to Ulrich II, Count of Lindau-Ruppin.
- Waldemar I, Prince of Anhalt-ZerbstWaldemar I, Prince of Anhalt-ZerbstWaldemar I, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst....
(d. 7 January 1368). - Judith, married bef. 1337 to Albert I, Count of Regenstein.
- Matilda (d. ca. 1342), married in 1339 to Bernhard III, Prince of Anhalt-BernburgBernhard III, Prince of Anhalt-BernburgBernhard III, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Bernburg....
.