Anna Maria of Anhalt
Encyclopedia
Anna Maria of Anhalt was by birth a member of the House of Ascania and a princess of Anhalt
. After her marriage, she was Duchess of Legnica
-Brzeg
-Oława-Wołów.
Anna Maria was the eldest daughter of Joachim Ernest, Prince of Anhalt
, by his first wife Agnes, daughter of Wolfgang I, Count of Barby-Mühlingen.
and Frose
. This dignity was only titular, however; the territory had in reality been incorporated into the principality of Anhalt, with her father as "administrator" and holder of Gernrode's vote in the Reichstag
.
In 1577, Anna Maria was relieved from her post as abbess in order to marry Joachim Frederick
, eldest son and heir of George II the Pious
, Duke of Brzeg
. The wedding took place in Brzeg on 19 May of that year. Her successor as abbess was her younger sister Sibylla
.
Duke George II died in 1586 and was succeeded by his sons, but only in Oława and Wołów, because Brzeg was given to his wife Barbara of Brandenburg
as her Oprawa wdowia ("dower rights"). Anna Maria and her husband settled in Oława. Only three years later, in 1589, Anna Maria gave birth the first of the six children she produced during her marriage.
After the death of his brother John George in 1592, Joachim Frederick became sole ruler of Oława-Wołów. After John George's widow relinquished her Oprawa wdowia in 1594 and Barbara of Brandenburg died in 1595, Joachim Frederick was finally able to re-unite the entire duchy. In his will, completed on 16 December 1595, he gave the district of Oława to his wife as her Oprawa wdowia.
Joachim Frederick died on 25 March 1602. Anna Maria assumed the regency on behalf of their two surviving sons, John Christian
and George Rudolf, who were minors at that time. In addition to her position as regent, she was the reigning Duchess of Oława as Oprawa wdowia.
Anna Maria died only three years after her husband. Because her sons were still underage, she was succeeded in the regency by her sister-in-law Elisabeth Magdalena of Brieg and her husband Karl II of Poděbrady, Duke of Ziębice
-Oleśnica
, until 1609, when John Christian attained his majority and assumed the government by himself.
Anhalt
Anhalt was a sovereign county in Germany, located between the Harz Mountains and the river Elbe in Middle Germany. It now forms part of the state of Saxony-Anhalt.- Dukes of Anhalt :...
. After her marriage, she was Duchess of Legnica
Legnica
Legnica is a town in south-western Poland, in Silesia, in the central part of Lower Silesia, on the plain of Legnica, riverside: Kaczawa and Czarna Woda. Between 1 June 1975 and 31 December 1998 Legnica was the capital of the Legnica Voivodeship. It is currently the seat of the county...
-Brzeg
Brzeg
Brzeg is a town in southwestern Poland with 38,496 inhabitants , situated in Silesia in the Opole Voivodeship on the left bank of the Oder...
-Oława-Wołów.
Anna Maria was the eldest daughter of Joachim Ernest, Prince of Anhalt
Joachim Ernest, Prince of Anhalt
Joachim Ernest of Anhalt , was a German prince of the House of Ascania, ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst, and from 1570 sole ruler of all the Anhalt lands....
, by his first wife Agnes, daughter of Wolfgang I, Count of Barby-Mühlingen.
Life
In 1570, the nine-year-old Anna Maria succeeded her paternal aunt Elisabeth as Abbess of GernrodeGernrode
Gernrode is a town and a former municipality in Germany, in the district of Harz, Saxony-Anhalt. The town was first mentioned in 961 and became a city in 1539. Since 1 January 2011, it is part of the town Quedlinburg...
and Frose
Frose
Frose is a village and a former municipality in the district of Salzlandkreis, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 15 July 2009, it is part of the town Seeland....
. This dignity was only titular, however; the territory had in reality been incorporated into the principality of Anhalt, with her father as "administrator" and holder of Gernrode's vote in the Reichstag
Reichstag (Holy Roman Empire)
The Imperial Diet was the Diet, or general assembly, of the Imperial Estates of the Holy Roman Empire.During the period of the Empire, which lasted formally until 1806, the Diet was not a parliament in today's sense; instead, it was an assembly of the various estates of the realm...
.
In 1577, Anna Maria was relieved from her post as abbess in order to marry Joachim Frederick
Joachim Frederick of Brieg
Joachim Frederick of Brieg Joachim Frederick of Brieg Joachim Frederick of Brieg , , was a Duke of Oława and Wołów and Brzeg and Legnica ....
, eldest son and heir of George II the Pious
George II the Pious
George II of Brieg , was a Duke of Brzeg since 1547 until his death.He was the second son of Frederick II, Duke of Legnica-Brzeg, by his second wife Sophie, daughter of Frederick I, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach.-Life:After the death of his father in 1547, George II inherited the Duchy of Brzeg...
, Duke of Brzeg
Brzeg
Brzeg is a town in southwestern Poland with 38,496 inhabitants , situated in Silesia in the Opole Voivodeship on the left bank of the Oder...
. The wedding took place in Brzeg on 19 May of that year. Her successor as abbess was her younger sister Sibylla
Sibylla of Anhalt
Sibylla of Anhalt was an Ascanian princess of Anhalt who became Duchess of Württemberg by marriage to Duke Frederick I. She was the fourth daughter of Joachim Ernest, Prince of Anhalt, by his first wife Agnes, daughter of Wolfgang I, Count of Barby-Mühlingen.-Life:Sibylla was born in Bernburg in...
.
Duke George II died in 1586 and was succeeded by his sons, but only in Oława and Wołów, because Brzeg was given to his wife Barbara of Brandenburg
Barbara of Brandenburg, Duchess of Brieg
Barbara of Brandenburg , was a German princess member of the House of Hohenzollern and by marriage Duchess of Brzeg.She was the second child but eldest daughter of Joachim II Hector, Elector of Brandenburg, by his first wife Magdalena, daughter of George, Duke of Saxony.-Life:In 1537 Barbara was...
as her Oprawa wdowia ("dower rights"). Anna Maria and her husband settled in Oława. Only three years later, in 1589, Anna Maria gave birth the first of the six children she produced during her marriage.
After the death of his brother John George in 1592, Joachim Frederick became sole ruler of Oława-Wołów. After John George's widow relinquished her Oprawa wdowia in 1594 and Barbara of Brandenburg died in 1595, Joachim Frederick was finally able to re-unite the entire duchy. In his will, completed on 16 December 1595, he gave the district of Oława to his wife as her Oprawa wdowia.
Joachim Frederick died on 25 March 1602. Anna Maria assumed the regency on behalf of their two surviving sons, John Christian
John Christian of Brieg
John Christian of Brieg , 25 December 1639), was a Duke of Brzeg–Legnica–Wołów ....
and George Rudolf, who were minors at that time. In addition to her position as regent, she was the reigning Duchess of Oława as Oprawa wdowia.
Anna Maria died only three years after her husband. Because her sons were still underage, she was succeeded in the regency by her sister-in-law Elisabeth Magdalena of Brieg and her husband Karl II of Poděbrady, Duke of Ziębice
Ziebice
Ziębice is a town in Ząbkowice Śląskie County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. It is the seat of the administrative district called Gmina Ziębice. Prior to 1945 it was in Germany...
-Oleśnica
Olesnica
Oleśnica is a town in the Trzebnickie Hills in southwestern Poland with 36,951 inhabitants . It is situated in Lower Silesian Voivodeship...
, until 1609, when John Christian attained his majority and assumed the government by himself.