Augustus of Anhalt-Plötzkau (Dessau

Dessau

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:...

, 14 July 1575 – Plötzkau

Plötzkau

Plötzkau is a municipality in the district of Salzlandkreis, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany....

, 22 August 1653), was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the unified principality of Anhalt

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 :...

. From 1603, he was ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Plötzkau.

Augustus was the fourth son 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....

, but second-born son of his second wife Eleonore, daughter of Christoph, Duke of Württemberg

Christoph, Duke of Württemberg

Christoph of Württemberg, Duke of Württemberg ruled as Duke of Württemberg from 1550 until his death in 1568....

.

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

John George I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau

John George I of Anhalt-Dessau was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the unified principality of Anhalt...

.

After seventeen years of joint rule, the surviving brothers agreed to a formal division of their lands in 1603. Augustus received Plötzkau

Plötzkau

Plötzkau is a municipality in the district of Salzlandkreis, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany....

, which was created from parts of the old principality of Anhalt-Bernburg

Anhalt-Bernburg

Anhalt-Bernburg was a principality of the Holy Roman Empire and a duchy of the German Confederation ruled by the House of Ascania with its residence at Bernburg in present-day Saxony-Anhalt...

.

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

From 1621 until 1642, Augustus acted as regent in Anhalt-Zerbst

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 :...

 for his infant nephew John VI

John VI, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst

John VI of Anhalt-Zerbst , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst....

, and from 1650 until 1653 in Anhalt-Köthen

Anhalt-Köthen

Anhalt-Köthen has existed on two separate occasions. The first state was created in 1396 when the Anhalt-Zerbst was partitioned between Anhalt-Dessau and Anhalt-Köthen. The first creation lasted until 1552 when it was inherited by Anhalt-Dessau....

 for another infant nephew, William Louis

William Louis, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen

William Louis of Anhalt-Köthen , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Köthen....

.

Marriage and issue

In Ansbach

Ansbach

Ansbach, originally Onolzbach, is a town in Bavaria, Germany. It is the capital of the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Ansbach is situated southwest of Nuremberg and north of Munich, on the Fränkische Rezat, a tributary of the Main river. As of 2004, its population was 40,723.Ansbach...

 on 25 January 1618 Augustus married Sibylle (b. Laubach

Laubach

' is a town of approximately 10,000 people in the region of Hesse, Germany. Laubach is known as a , a climatic health resort. It is situated east of Gießen. Surrounding are the towns of , , and .-Points of interest:...

, 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
   Quedlinburg
   Quedlinburg is a town located north of the Harz mountains, in the district of Harz in the west of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. In 1994 the medieval court and the old town was set on the UNESCO world heritage list....
   
   , 3 May 1676).
2. Ernest Gottlieb, Prince of Anhalt-Plötzkau
   Ernest Gottlieb, Prince of Anhalt-Plötzkau
   Ernest Gottlieb of Anhalt-Plötzkau was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Plötzkau....
   
    (b. Plötzkau, 4 September 1620 - d. Plötzkau, 7 March 1654).
3. Lebrecht, Prince of Anhalt-Plötzkau
   Lebrecht, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen
   Lebrecht of Anhalt-Köthen , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Plötzkau...
   
   , later Anhalt-Köthen
   Anhalt-Köthen
   Anhalt-Köthen has existed on two separate occasions. The first state was created in 1396 when the Anhalt-Zerbst was partitioned between Anhalt-Dessau and Anhalt-Köthen. The first creation lasted until 1552 when it was inherited by Anhalt-Dessau....
   
    (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
   Emmanuel, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen
   Emmanuel of Anhalt-Köthen , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Plötzkau...
   
   , later Anhalt-Köthen
   Anhalt-Köthen
   Anhalt-Köthen has existed on two separate occasions. The first state was created in 1396 when the Anhalt-Zerbst was partitioned between Anhalt-Dessau and Anhalt-Köthen. The first creation lasted until 1552 when it was inherited by Anhalt-Dessau....
   
   (b. Plötzkau, 6 October 1631 - d. Köthen, 8 November 1670).