Emmanuel Lebrecht, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen
Encyclopedia
Emmanuel Lebrecht of Anhalt-Köthen (Köthen, 20 May 1671 – Köthen, 30 May 1704), was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Köthen
.
He was the only child of Emmanuel, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen
, by his wife Anna Eleonore, daughter of Henry Volrad, Count of Stolberg-Wernigerode.
, 12 March 1740), of an old noble family of Anhalt. The Dowager Princess Anna Eleonore was totally against their liaison and tried to separated the couple by sending Gisela Agnes to Stadthagen
with her sister.
After the death of the Dowager Princess and formal assumption of the rule of his principality, Emmanuel Lebrecht sent for Gisela Agnes and they finally married in a secret ceremony in Nienburg
on 22 May (30 September according to some sources) of 1692. They had six children:
The morganatic marriage of a Reformist prince with a Lutheran woman from the lesser nobility brought vehements protest from the Reform Church and the other agnates of the Anhalt principalities. Nonetheless, Gisela Agnes was created Imperial Countess of Nienburg
(German: Reichsgräfin von Nienburg) on 23 July 1694.
The agnates refused to accept the marriage as dynastically valid and Emmanuel Lebrecht sued them before the Reichshofrat for libel in 1696; finally, by means of a treaty of 28 June 1698, the Princes of Anhalt-Bernburg
, Anhalt-Harzgerode
, Anhalt-Zerbst
, and Anhalt-Dessau
all recognized the issue of the marriage as lawful heirs and all descendants as princes and princesses of Anhalt with all appertaining rights, without however creating any precedent against the prescriptions of the law of the House of Ascania. The Imperial confirmation of the treaty was granted on 12 March 1699.
On August 3 of that year Emmanuel Lebrecht assigned his wife the castle, city, and bailiwick of Nienburg
as dowage for life and made her "tutrix and regent" in case of the minority of his successor, with the full approval of the agnates. In 1702, he made a testament in which the principle of primogeniture
was introduced in Köthen; later, there was a dispute between his two surviving sons, Leopold and Augustus Louis. Emmanuel Lebrecht died two years later leaving an infant successor, Leopold, who reigned until 1715 under the regency of his mother.
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....
.
He was the only child of Emmanuel, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen
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...
, by his wife Anna Eleonore, daughter of Henry Volrad, Count of Stolberg-Wernigerode.
Life
Emmanuel Lebrecht was born six months after the death of his father on 8 November 1670 and was declared ruler of Anhalt-Köthen under the regency of his mother immediately at birth. The Dowager Princess Anna Eleonore ruled over Köthen for almost twenty years, until her death in 1690. Two years later (in January 1692), Emmanuel Lebrecht was formally proclaimed of age and took over the government of his lands.Marriage and issue
When Emmanuel Lebrecht was still a young prince, he fell in love with Gisela Agnes of Rath (b. Klein-Wülknitz near Köthen, 9 October 1669 - d. NienburgNienburg
There are two towns named Nienburg in Germany.*Nienburg, Lower Saxony*Nienburg, Saxony-AnhaltThe Name Nienburg means "Neue Burg" ....
, 12 March 1740), of an old noble family of Anhalt. The Dowager Princess Anna Eleonore was totally against their liaison and tried to separated the couple by sending Gisela Agnes to Stadthagen
Stadthagen
Stadthagen is the capital of the district of Schaumburg, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 20 km east of Minden and 40 km west of Hanover. The city consists of the districts Brandenburg, Enzen-Hobbensen, Hörkamp-Langenbruch, Krebshagen, Obernwöhren, Probsthagen, Reinsen...
with her sister.
After the death of the Dowager Princess and formal assumption of the rule of his principality, Emmanuel Lebrecht sent for Gisela Agnes and they finally married in a secret ceremony in Nienburg
Nienburg
There are two towns named Nienburg in Germany.*Nienburg, Lower Saxony*Nienburg, Saxony-AnhaltThe Name Nienburg means "Neue Burg" ....
on 22 May (30 September according to some sources) of 1692. They had six children:
- Augustus Lebrecht (b. Köthen, 24 May 1693 - d. Köthen, 25 October 1693), who died before the recognition of the marriage of his parents as equal and lawful; for this reason, he was never recognized as Hereditary Prince of Anhalt-Köthen.
- Leopold, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen (b. Köthen, 29 November 1694 - d. Köthen, 29 September 1728).
- Eleonore Wilhelmine (b. Köthen, 7 May 1696 - d. WeimarWeimarWeimar is a city in Germany famous for its cultural heritage. It is located in the federal state of Thuringia , north of the Thüringer Wald, east of Erfurt, and southwest of Halle and Leipzig. Its current population is approximately 65,000. The oldest record of the city dates from the year 899...
, 30 August 1726), married on 15 February 1714 to Frederick Erdmann of Saxe-MerseburgChristian II, Duke of Saxe-MerseburgChristian II of Saxe-Merseburg , was a duke of Saxe-Merseburg and member of the House of Wettin....
, and secondly on 24 January 1716 to Ernest Augustus I, Duke of Saxe-Weimar-EisenachErnest Augustus I, Duke of Saxe-Weimar-EisenachErnest Augustus I, Duke of Saxe-Weimar , was a duke of Saxe-Weimar and, from 1741, of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach....
. - Augustus Louis, Prince of Anhalt-KöthenAugustus Louis, Prince of Anhalt-KöthenAugustus Louis of Anhalt-Köthen , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Köthen....
(b. Köthen, 9 June 1697 - d. Köthen, 6 August 1755). - Gisela Auguste (b. Köthen, 24 July 1698 - d. Köthen, 3 September 1698).
- Christiane Charlotte (b. Köthen, 12 January 1702 - d. Köthen, 27 January 1745).
The morganatic marriage of a Reformist prince with a Lutheran woman from the lesser nobility brought vehements protest from the Reform Church and the other agnates of the Anhalt principalities. Nonetheless, Gisela Agnes was created Imperial Countess of Nienburg
Nienburg
There are two towns named Nienburg in Germany.*Nienburg, Lower Saxony*Nienburg, Saxony-AnhaltThe Name Nienburg means "Neue Burg" ....
(German: Reichsgräfin von Nienburg) on 23 July 1694.
The agnates refused to accept the marriage as dynastically valid and Emmanuel Lebrecht sued them before the Reichshofrat for libel in 1696; finally, by means of a treaty of 28 June 1698, the Princes 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...
, Anhalt-Harzgerode
Anhalt-Harzgerode
Anhalt-Harzgerode was a principality and member of the Holy Roman Empire. It was created in 1635 following the partition of Anhalt-Bernburg with Frederick, a younger son of Christian I becoming the reigning prince...
, 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 :...
, and Anhalt-Dessau
Anhalt-Dessau
Anhalt-Dessau was a principality and later a duchy located in Germany. It was created in 1396 following the partition of the Principality of Anhalt-Zerbst. The capital of the state was Dessau. Anhalt-Dessau experienced a number of partitions throughout its existence with Anhalt-Köthen being...
all recognized the issue of the marriage as lawful heirs and all descendants as princes and princesses of Anhalt with all appertaining rights, without however creating any precedent against the prescriptions of the law of the House of Ascania. The Imperial confirmation of the treaty was granted on 12 March 1699.
On August 3 of that year Emmanuel Lebrecht assigned his wife the castle, city, and bailiwick of Nienburg
Nienburg
There are two towns named Nienburg in Germany.*Nienburg, Lower Saxony*Nienburg, Saxony-AnhaltThe Name Nienburg means "Neue Burg" ....
as dowage for life and made her "tutrix and regent" in case of the minority of his successor, with the full approval of the agnates. In 1702, he made a testament in which the principle of primogeniture
Primogeniture
Primogeniture is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn to inherit the entire estate, to the exclusion of younger siblings . Historically, the term implied male primogeniture, to the exclusion of females...
was introduced in Köthen; later, there was a dispute between his two surviving sons, Leopold and Augustus Louis. Emmanuel Lebrecht died two years later leaving an infant successor, Leopold, who reigned until 1715 under the regency of his mother.