Henry, Duke of Anhalt-Köthen
Encyclopedia
Henry of Anhalt-Köthen was a German prince of the House of Ascania, ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Pless
, and the last ruler of the duchy of Anhalt-Köthen
.
He was the fourth (but third surviving) son of Frederick Erdmann, Prince of Anhalt-Pless
, by his wife Louise Ferdinande, daughter of Henry Ernest, Count of Stolberg-Wernigerode.
. During the campaign of 1806, he attained the rank of major
. Before his retirement from active service, Henry was elevated to the rank of Generalmajor
.
After his older brother Frederick Ferdinand
inherited Anhalt-Köthen in 1818, Henry assumed the government over Pless. When Frederick Ferdinand died in 1830, Henry succeeded him in Köthen, whereas he left Pless to his younger brother Louis, who died in 1841 without heirs. Henry reassumed his rulership over Pless until his death.
In Trebschen on 18 May 1819 Henry married Auguste Fredericka Espérance (b. Brunswick
, 3 August 1794 - d. Köthen, 13 July 1855), daughter of Henry XLIV, Prince Reuss of Köstritz. The union was childless.
Since his youth, Henry was a strong advocate of Homeopathy
. In 1821 he took under his protection its creator, Samuel Hahnemann
, who remained with his large family in Köthen for the next fourteen years as Henry's personal physician.
In 1830 Henry was made a knight of the Order of the Black Eagle
. From 1841, he resumed service in the Prussian army, and by the time of his death, he was a General of Infantry.
With him, the line of Anhalt-Köthen became extinct. On his death, the duchy was inherited by his kinsmen Alexander Karl of Anhalt-Bernburg
and Leopold IV of Anhalt-Dessau
, however Alexander renounced his rights over Köthen on behalf of Leopold IV, since it was clear that his eventual assumption of all the Anhalt lands was inevitable.
The principality of Pless, governed by Semi-Salic Law, passed to Henry's nephew Hans Henry X, Count of Hochberg-Fürstenstein, son of his sister Anna Emilie, who was the only one of his siblings who had children.
Duchy of Pless
The Duchy of Pless The Duchy of Pless The Duchy of Pless (or the Duchy of Pszczyna ^ Tadeusz Walichnowski, (Przynaleznosc terytorialna archiwaliow Panstwa Polskiego w stosunkach miedzynarodowych), Polish Scientific Publishers, Warsaw, 1977. Polish State Archives. ^Nagel's Encyclopedia Guide,...
, and the last ruler of the duchy 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....
.
He was the fourth (but third surviving) son of Frederick Erdmann, Prince of Anhalt-Pless
Frederick Erdmann, Prince of Anhalt-Pless
Frederick Erdmann of Anhalt-Pless , was a German prince of the House of Ascania from the Anhalt-Köthen branch and the first ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Pless....
, by his wife Louise Ferdinande, daughter of Henry Ernest, Count of Stolberg-Wernigerode.
Life
In 1796, he joined the Prussian armyPrussian Army
The Royal Prussian Army was the army of the Kingdom of Prussia. It was vital to the development of Brandenburg-Prussia as a European power.The Prussian Army had its roots in the meager mercenary forces of Brandenburg during the Thirty Years' War...
. During the campaign of 1806, he attained the rank of major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
. Before his retirement from active service, Henry was elevated to the rank of Generalmajor
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
.
After his older brother Frederick Ferdinand
Frederick Ferdinand, Duke of Anhalt-Köthen
Frederick Ferdinand of Anhalt-Köthen , was a German prince of the House of Ascania, ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Pless, and from 1818 ruler of the duchy of Anhalt-Köthen....
inherited Anhalt-Köthen in 1818, Henry assumed the government over Pless. When Frederick Ferdinand died in 1830, Henry succeeded him in Köthen, whereas he left Pless to his younger brother Louis, who died in 1841 without heirs. Henry reassumed his rulership over Pless until his death.
In Trebschen on 18 May 1819 Henry married Auguste Fredericka Espérance (b. Brunswick
Braunschweig
Braunschweig , is a city of 247,400 people, located in the federal-state of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located north of the Harz mountains at the farthest navigable point of the Oker river, which connects to the North Sea via the rivers Aller and Weser....
, 3 August 1794 - d. Köthen, 13 July 1855), daughter of Henry XLIV, Prince Reuss of Köstritz. The union was childless.
Since his youth, Henry was a strong advocate of Homeopathy
Homeopathy
Homeopathy is a form of alternative medicine in which practitioners claim to treat patients using highly diluted preparations that are believed to cause healthy people to exhibit symptoms that are similar to those exhibited by the patient...
. In 1821 he took under his protection its creator, Samuel Hahnemann
Samuel Hahnemann
Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann was a German physician, known for creating an alternative form of medicine called homeopathy.- Early life :Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann was born in Meissen, Saxony near Dresden...
, who remained with his large family in Köthen for the next fourteen years as Henry's personal physician.
In 1830 Henry was made a knight of the Order of the Black Eagle
Order of the Black Eagle
The Order of the Black Eagle was the highest order of chivalry in the Kingdom of Prussia. The order was founded on 17 January 1701 by Elector Friedrich III of Brandenburg . In his Dutch exile after WWI, deposed Emperor Wilhelm II continued to award the order to his family...
. From 1841, he resumed service in the Prussian army, and by the time of his death, he was a General of Infantry.
With him, the line of Anhalt-Köthen became extinct. On his death, the duchy was inherited by his kinsmen Alexander Karl of Anhalt-Bernburg
Alexander Karl, Duke of Anhalt-Bernburg
Alexander Karl, Duke of Anhalt-Bernburg , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and the last ruler of the duchy of Anhalt-Bernburg....
and Leopold IV of Anhalt-Dessau
Leopold IV, Duke of Anhalt
Leopold IV Frederick, Duke of Anhalt was a German prince of the House of Ascania.From 1817 until 1853 he was ruler of the duchy of Anhalt-Dessau and from 1847 until 1853 also ruler of the duchy of Anhalt-Köthen...
, however Alexander renounced his rights over Köthen on behalf of Leopold IV, since it was clear that his eventual assumption of all the Anhalt lands was inevitable.
The principality of Pless, governed by Semi-Salic Law, passed to Henry's nephew Hans Henry X, Count of Hochberg-Fürstenstein, son of his sister Anna Emilie, who was the only one of his siblings who had children.