George Aribert of Anhalt-Dessau
Encyclopedia
George Aribert of Anhalt-Dessau (Dessau
, 3 June 1606 – Wörlitz
, 14 November 1643), was a German prince of the House of Ascania and (titular) ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau
.
He was the sixth son of John George I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
, but the fourth-born son of his second wife Dorothea, daughter of John Casimir of Simmern
. In fact, he was the second and youngest son of John George and Dorothea who survived adulthood; two of his older brothers, Frederick Maurice and Henry Waldemar, died in infancy.
. Nominally, the young prince was co-ruler with his brother, but he never took real part in the government of Dessau.
In 1619 Georg Aribert was accepted by his uncle Louis of Anhalt-Köthen
in the Fruitbearing Society
. The Bitter orange
tree was chosen as his emblem.
George Aribert performed military service in the Imperial army with Christoph Albrecht von Zanthierfrom 1625 to 1629.
After thirteen years of "co-government" between him and John Casimir, a treaty was signed on 28 January 1632 that divided the territories of Anhalt-Dessau; George Aribert took possession of just a few locations: Wörlitz
(which he chose as his residence), Radegast
, and Kleutsch.
This decision created many difficulties with his relatives, who were totally against the union. However, on 10 February 1637 they finally concluded a formal agreement to accept the union as morganatic
.
Under the terms of the contract, the prince's wife would obtain all the rights of a legitimate spouse, but she was maintained in her rank as member of the old nobility, without raising her to princely rank, comital, or baronial nobility. George Aribert also promised not to ask the Emperor to elevate her status.
The children of the marriage were to be nobles only, and bear the name "von Aribert"; they were denied any rights to princely name, title, or arms, and also excluded from the succession to Anhalt. Nevertless, were assigned certain estates as well as a rent of 45,000 Thaler
s. The Estates (Landstände) of Anhalt-Dessau confirmed the contract the next day and promised never to recognize anyone excluded by the contract as prince or princess.
One month later, on 7 March 1637, George Aribert finally married Johanna Elisabeth. They had five children:
George Aribert died at the age of only thirty-seven; all of his lands reverted to Anhalt-Dessau.
Nevertheless, some years later (in 1660) his son Christian Aribert wrote to his cousin John George
(son of John Casimir) to dispute the validity of his parents' contract with their relatives and claim the rank of Prince of Anhalt. The Emperor issued a rescript to the princes of Anhalt in 1661 where he claimed that he wanted to uphold the contract but could not deny justice to Christian Aribert.
In the end, Duke Ernest of Saxe-Gotha
offered mediation, and an agreement was reached on 6 February 1671 with the Princes of Anhalt. The agreement gave Christian Aribert the title "Count of Bähringen, Lord of Waldersee and Radegast," and allowed him to style himself "Legitimate and only son of Prince George Aribert of Anhalt." For arms, he was allowed to use the traditional bear of Anhalt impaling Waldersee. Also, his two surviving sisters Sophie and Eleonore were created "Countesses of Bähringen."
No opposition would be made to his elevation to the rank of prince, as long as it was not to that of Prince of Anhalt. In case of the extinction of the entire House of Anhalt in all male lines, there would be no opposition to him or his male-line legitimate heirs making a claim to the principality. However, Christian Aribert died unmarried and childless in 1677; his two sisters both married at advanced ages and died without issue.
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:...
, 3 June 1606 – Wörlitz
Wörlitz
' is a town and a former municipality in the district of Wittenberg, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 January 2011, it is part of the town Oranienbaum-Wörlitz. It is situated on the left bank of the Elbe, east of Dessau...
, 14 November 1643), was a German prince of the House of Ascania and (titular) 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 sixth son of John George I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
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...
, but the fourth-born son of his second wife Dorothea, daughter of John Casimir of Simmern
Johann Casimir of Simmern
John Casimir of the Palatinate-Simmern was a German prince and a younger son of Elector Frederick III, Count Palatine of the Rhine. A firm Calvinist, he was a leader of mercenary troops in the religious wars of the time, including the Dutch Revolt...
. In fact, he was the second and youngest son of John George and Dorothea who survived adulthood; two of his older brothers, Frederick Maurice and Henry Waldemar, died in infancy.
Life
After the death of his father in 1618, the twelve-year-old George Aribert was put under the custody of his older brother John CasimirJohn Casimir, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
John Casimir, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau....
. Nominally, the young prince was co-ruler with his brother, but he never took real part in the government of Dessau.
In 1619 Georg Aribert was accepted by his uncle Louis of Anhalt-Köthen
Louis I, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen
Louis I of Anhalt-Köthen , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the unified principality of Anhalt. From 1603, he was ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Köthen...
in the Fruitbearing Society
Fruitbearing Society
The Fruitbearing Society was a German literary society founded in 1617 in Weimar by German scholars and nobility to emulate the idea of the Accademia della Crusca in Florence and similar groups already thriving in Italy, to be followed in later years also in France and Britain...
. The Bitter orange
Bitter orange
The name "bitter orange", also known as Seville orange, sour orange, bigarade orange, and marmalade orange, refers to a citrus tree and its fruit. Many varieties of bitter orange are used for their essential oil, which is used in perfume and as a flavoring...
tree was chosen as his emblem.
George Aribert performed military service in the Imperial army with Christoph Albrecht von Zanthierfrom 1625 to 1629.
After thirteen years of "co-government" between him and John Casimir, a treaty was signed on 28 January 1632 that divided the territories of Anhalt-Dessau; George Aribert took possession of just a few locations: Wörlitz
Wörlitz
' is a town and a former municipality in the district of Wittenberg, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 January 2011, it is part of the town Oranienbaum-Wörlitz. It is situated on the left bank of the Elbe, east of Dessau...
(which he chose as his residence), Radegast
Radegast
Radegast is a small town in the district of Anhalt-Bitterfeld in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is the smallest town in Saxony-Anhalt and is located about 13 km south of the district capital of Köthen...
, and Kleutsch.
Marriage and issue
Around 1632 George Aribert decided to marry Johanna Elisabeth (Anna?) von Krosigk (d. aft. 1686), of old nobility and daughter of Christoph von Krosigk, "Cammerrath, Marschall und Hauptmann in Diensten" at the court of his brother John Casimir.This decision created many difficulties with his relatives, who were totally against the union. However, on 10 February 1637 they finally concluded a formal agreement to accept the union as morganatic
Morganatic marriage
In the context of European royalty, a morganatic marriage is a marriage between people of unequal social rank, which prevents the passage of the husband's titles and privileges to the wife and any children born of the marriage...
.
Under the terms of the contract, the prince's wife would obtain all the rights of a legitimate spouse, but she was maintained in her rank as member of the old nobility, without raising her to princely rank, comital, or baronial nobility. George Aribert also promised not to ask the Emperor to elevate her status.
The children of the marriage were to be nobles only, and bear the name "von Aribert"; they were denied any rights to princely name, title, or arms, and also excluded from the succession to Anhalt. Nevertless, were assigned certain estates as well as a rent of 45,000 Thaler
Thaler
The Thaler was a silver coin used throughout Europe for almost four hundred years. Its name lives on in various currencies as the dollar or tolar. Etymologically, "Thaler" is an abbreviation of "Joachimsthaler", a coin type from the city of Joachimsthal in Bohemia, where some of the first such...
s. The Estates (Landstände) of Anhalt-Dessau confirmed the contract the next day and promised never to recognize anyone excluded by the contract as prince or princess.
One month later, on 7 March 1637, George Aribert finally married Johanna Elisabeth. They had five children:
- Sophie von Aribert (Countess of Bähringen from 6 February 1671) (b. 1637 - d. Wülknitz, 23 May 1695), married on 3 December 1682 to Gebhard Siegfried Edler von Plotho und Engelmünster (d. Hanau, 31 August 1689).
- Dorothea Ariberte von Aribert (b. 16 October 1639 - d. Wörlitz, 3 May 1661).
- Christian Aribert von Aribert (Count of Bähringen, Lord of Waldersee and Radegast from 6 February 1671) (d. Koblenz, 14 July 1677).
- Eleonore von Aribert (Countess of Bähringen from 6 February 1671) (b. Wörlitz, 16 May 1642 - d. Baruth, 27 August 1677), married on 4 May 1675 to John George III, Count of Solms-Baruth.
- Johanna von Aribert (d. Wörlitz, November 1660).
George Aribert died at the age of only thirty-seven; all of his lands reverted to Anhalt-Dessau.
Nevertheless, some years later (in 1660) his son Christian Aribert wrote to his cousin John George
John George II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
John George II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau...
(son of John Casimir) to dispute the validity of his parents' contract with their relatives and claim the rank of Prince of Anhalt. The Emperor issued a rescript to the princes of Anhalt in 1661 where he claimed that he wanted to uphold the contract but could not deny justice to Christian Aribert.
In the end, Duke Ernest of Saxe-Gotha
Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha
-Family and children:In Altenburg on 24 October 1636, Ernst married his cousin Elisabeth Sophie of Saxe-Altenburg. As a result of this marriage Saxe-Gotha and Saxe-Altenburg were unified, when the last duke of the line died childless in 1672. Ernst and Elisabeth Sophie had eighteen children:#...
offered mediation, and an agreement was reached on 6 February 1671 with the Princes of Anhalt. The agreement gave Christian Aribert the title "Count of Bähringen, Lord of Waldersee and Radegast," and allowed him to style himself "Legitimate and only son of Prince George Aribert of Anhalt." For arms, he was allowed to use the traditional bear of Anhalt impaling Waldersee. Also, his two surviving sisters Sophie and Eleonore were created "Countesses of Bähringen."
No opposition would be made to his elevation to the rank of prince, as long as it was not to that of Prince of Anhalt. In case of the extinction of the entire House of Anhalt in all male lines, there would be no opposition to him or his male-line legitimate heirs making a claim to the principality. However, Christian Aribert died unmarried and childless in 1677; his two sisters both married at advanced ages and died without issue.