George I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
Encyclopedia
George I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (ca. 1390 – Dessau
, 21 September 1474), was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau
.
He was the second son of Sigismund I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
, by his wife Judith, daughter of Gebhard XI, Count of Querfurt.
and his younger brothers Sigismund II
and Albert V
. By 1435, he adopted the style "Lord of Zerbst and Dessau" and styled himself "Lord of Köthen" from 1460.
In 1468 he inherited the principality of Anhalt-Bernburg
, then three years later (in 1471) signed a succession contract with the Adolph I, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen
, that named him as "Mitherr" (co-ruler) with rights to half of the principality of Anhalt-Köthen
. George renounced his rights, however, in favor of his eldest son Waldemar VI
, who became the new co-ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Köthen.
The deaths of George's brothers between 1417-1469 without male heirs left him as the sole ruler of Anhalt-Dessau until his own death.
. The spouses were related to each other as direct descendants of Henry I, Count of Anhalt
, through his sons Bernhard I of Anhalt-Bernburg
(ancestor of Matilda), and Siegfried I of Anhalt-Zerbst
(ancestor of George). The marriage was childless.
In 1432 George married for a second time to Euphemia (b. ca. 1404? - d. 27 November 1442), daughter of Konrad III the Old
, Duke of Oleśnica
and widow of Albert III, Elector of Saxony
. They had six daughters:
After 1442, George married for a third time to Sophie (d. 1451), possibly a member of the House of Hohnstein
. They had three children:
Before 25 July 1452 George married for a fourth time to Anna (b. ca. 1430 - d. Lippehne, 9 July 1513), daughter of Albert VIII, Count of Lindau-Ruppin. They had nine children:
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:...
, 21 September 1474), 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 Sigismund I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
Sigismund I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
Sigismund I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst until 1396, when he became the first ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau....
, by his wife Judith, daughter of Gebhard XI, Count of Querfurt.
Life
In 1405, after the death of his father, George inherited the principality of Anhalt-Dessau alongside his older brother Waldemar IVWaldemar IV, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
Waldemar IV, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau....
and his younger brothers Sigismund II
Sigismund II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
Sigismund II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau....
and Albert V
Albert V, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
Albert V, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau.He was the fifth son of Sigismund I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau, by his wife Judith, daughter of Gebhard XI, Count of Querfurt.-Life:After the death of his father in 1405,...
. By 1435, he adopted the style "Lord of Zerbst and Dessau" and styled himself "Lord of Köthen" from 1460.
In 1468 he inherited the 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...
, then three years later (in 1471) signed a succession contract with the Adolph I, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen
Adolph I, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen
Adolph I, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Köthen....
, that named him as "Mitherr" (co-ruler) with rights to half of the principality of 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....
. George renounced his rights, however, in favor of his eldest son Waldemar VI
Waldemar VI, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen
Waldemar VI, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Köthen....
, who became the new co-ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Köthen.
The deaths of George's brothers between 1417-1469 without male heirs left him as the sole ruler of Anhalt-Dessau until his own death.
Marriages and Issue
After 1413, George married Matilda (d. Coswig, bef. 1432), daughter of Otto III, Prince of Anhalt-BernburgOtto III, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg
Otto III, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Bernburg....
. The spouses were related to each other as direct descendants of Henry I, Count of Anhalt
Henry I, Count of Anhalt
Henry I, Count of Anhalt was a German prince of the House of Ascania and Count of Anhalt.He was the oldest son of Bernhard III, Duke of Saxony and Count of Anhalt, by his wife Brigitte a daughter of Canute V of Denmark....
, through his sons Bernhard I of Anhalt-Bernburg
Bernhard I, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg
Bernhard I, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Bernburg....
(ancestor of Matilda), and Siegfried I of Anhalt-Zerbst
Siegfried I, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
Siegfried I, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst....
(ancestor of George). The marriage was childless.
In 1432 George married for a second time to Euphemia (b. ca. 1404? - d. 27 November 1442), daughter of Konrad III the Old
Konrad III the Old
Konrad III the Old was a Duke of Oleśnica, Koźle, half of Bytom and half of Ścinawa since 1377 ....
, Duke of Oleśnica
Olesnica
Oleśnica is a town in the Trzebnickie Hills in southwestern Poland with 36,951 inhabitants . It is situated in Lower Silesian Voivodeship...
and widow of Albert III, Elector of Saxony
Albert III, Duke of Saxe-Wittenberg
Duke Albert III of Saxe-Wittenberg was the last Wittenberg Ascanian and prince-elector of the German Nation.- Life :When Prince-Elector Rudolf III was poisoned in 1419 and died, his younger brother Albert III, , also known as Albert the Poor, took over the running of Saxe-Wittenberg...
. They had six daughters:
- Anna (d. 8 April 1492), married on 22 June 1461 to Henry II, Count of Plauen and Burgrave of Meissen (later were divorced), then for a second time in 1467 to John I, Count of Honstein-Heldrungen.
- Margarete (d. bef. 1516).
- Hedwig (d. young).
- Marie, nun at BrehnaBrehnaBrehna is a town and a former municipality in the district of Anhalt-Bitterfeld, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 July 2009, it is part of the town Sandersdorf-Brehna.It is situated southwest of Bitterfeld. Important in this city is the church...
. - Hedwig (d. bef. 1516), nun at Brehna.
- Barbara, nun at Brehna.
After 1442, George married for a third time to Sophie (d. 1451), possibly a member of the House of Hohnstein
Hohnstein
Hohnstein is a town in the Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge district, in the Free State of Saxony, Germany. It is situated in Saxon Switzerland, 12 km east of Pirna, and 28 km southeast of Dresden . It is dominated by its castle, standing on a sandstone rock....
. They had three children:
- Agnes (b. 1445 - d. Kaufungen, 15 August 1504), Abbess of GandersheimGandersheim AbbeyGandersheim Abbey is a former house of secular canonesses in the present town of Bad Gandersheim in Lower Saxony, Germany. It was founded in 852 by Duke Liudolf of Saxony, progenitor of the Liudolfing or Ottonian dynasty, whose rich endowments ensured its stability and prosperity.The "Imperial...
(1485), of Neuenheerse (1486-1492) and of KaufungenKaufungenKaufungen is a municipality in the district of Kassel, in Hesse, Germany. It is situated in the narrow valley of the river Losse, surrounded by the steep, wooded hills of the Kaufunger Wald, approx...
(1495). - Waldemar VI, Prince of Anhalt-KöthenWaldemar VI, Prince of Anhalt-KöthenWaldemar VI, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Köthen....
(b. 1450 - Köthen, 1 November 1508). - Scholastica (b. 1451 - d. Gernrode, 31 July 1504), Abbess of GernrodeGernrodeGernrode 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...
(1469).
Before 25 July 1452 George married for a fourth time to Anna (b. ca. 1430 - d. Lippehne, 9 July 1513), daughter of Albert VIII, Count of Lindau-Ruppin. They had nine children:
- Ernest I, Prince of Anhalt-DessauErnest I, Prince of Anhalt-DessauErnest I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau....
(d. Dessau, 12 June 1516). - George II, Prince of Anhalt-DessauGeorge II, Prince of Anhalt-DessauGeorge II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau....
(b. 1454 - d. 25 April 1509). - Sigismund III, Prince of Anhalt-DessauSigismund III, Prince of Anhalt-DessauSigismund III, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau....
(d. 1456 - d. Dessau, 27 November 1487). - Anna (d. 10 October 1531), married on 20 June 1498 to John V, Count of Oldenburg-Delmenhorst.
- Rudolph IV, Prince of Anhalt-DessauRudolph IV, Prince of Anhalt-DessauRudolph IV, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau....
(d. 7 September 1510). - Bernhard (d. young).
- John (d. young).
- Henry (d. young).
- Lorenz (d. young).