Ernest I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (died 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:...

, 12 June 1516), was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of 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...

.

He was the second son of George I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau

George I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau

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

, but the first born by his fourth wife Anna, daughter of Albert VIII, Count of Lindau-Ruppin.

Life

In 1473, after the death of his father, Ernest inherited the principality of Anhalt-Dessau alongside his younger brothers George II

George II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau

George II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau....

, Sigismund III

Sigismund III, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau

Sigismund III, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau....

, and Rudolph IV

Rudolph IV, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau

Rudolph IV, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau....

. Following the family law of the House of Ascania, the accession took place without any division of territories.

The deaths of Sigismund III in 1487, George II in 1509, and Rudolph IV in 1510 without surviving male issue left Ernest as the sole ruler of Anhalt-Dessau until his death.

Marriage and issue

In Cottbus

Cottbus

Cottbus is a city in Brandenburg, Germany, situated around southeast of Berlin, on the River Spree. As of , its population was .- History :...

 on 20 January 1494 Ernest married Margarete (b. Breslau, 25 August 1473 - d. Dessau, 28 June 1530), daughter of Henry I, Duke of Münsterberg-Oels, and granddaughter of George of Poděbrady

George of Podebrady

George of Kunštát and Poděbrady , also known as Poděbrad or Podiebrad , was King of Bohemia...

, King of Bohemia

Bohemia

Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...

. They had four sons:

1. Thomas (b. Dessau, 27 November 1503 - d. 1503).
2. John V, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
   John V, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
   John V of Anhalt-Zerbst , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau...
   
   , later 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 :...
   
    (b. Dessau, 4 September 1504 - d. Zerbst, 4 February 1551).
3. George III, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
   George III, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
   George III, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau...
   
   , later Anhalt-Plötzkau (b. Dessau, 15 August 1507 - d. Dessau, 17 October 1553).
4. Joachim I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
   Joachim I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
   Joachim I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau...
   
   (b. Dessau, 7 August 1509 - d. Dessau, 6 December 1561).