Karl Frederick, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg
Encyclopedia
Karl Frederick of Anhalt-Bernburg (Bernburg
, 13 July 1668 – Ballenstedt
, 22 April 1721), was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Bernburg
.
He was the eldest son of Victor Amadeus, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg
, by his wife Elisabeth, daughter of Frederick, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken
.
on 25 June 1692 Karl Frederick married his cousin Sophie Albertine (b. Sonnenwalde, 2 October 1672 - d. Bernburg, 12 June 1708), daughter of George Frederick, Count of Solms-Sonnenwalde, by his wife Anna Sophia of Anhalt-Bernburg (sister of his father Victor Amadeus). They had six children:
From 1711 Karl Frederick began to live with Wilhelmine Charlotte Nüssler (b. Harzgerode, 10 May 1683 - d. Gernrode
, 30 May 1740), the daughter of a non-noble chancery counselor. They had two sons:
Karl Frederick and Wilhelmine Charlotte married secretly in Bernburg
on 1 May 1715 and Karl Frederick immediately tried to have his wife raised to the rank of countess by the Emperor. When Prince Victor Amadeus learned of his son's actions, he wrote to the Emperor on 15 November 1715 to prevent the elevation, and added a codicil to his testament dated 13 July 1716 denying the children of the union any succession rights. The Emperor approved this codicil one year later, on 15 July 1717.
The Emperor also sent a rescript to Karl Frederick dated 20 August 1717 instructing him not to call his wife princess or their sons princes. Nevertheless, after his father died in 1718, Karl Frederick obtained from the Emperor a patent to elevate his wife to the title Countess of Ballenstedt (German: Gräfin von Ballenstedt) on 19 December 1719, and their two sons to the rank of Imperial Counts of Bährnfeld (German: Reichsgrafen von Bährnfeld) on 12 June 1723; this, however, without prejudice of the rights of the agnates. In 1722, the Reichshofrat forbade Karl Frederick's widow to use the princely title for herself or her sons.
However, on 16 November 1742, the Emperor Charles VII raised the Counts of Bährenfeld to the rank of Princes of Anhalt-Bernburg with all rights of succession. Victor I, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym
, protested, but the Emperor died in 1745. The Prince brought up the matter to the College of Electors gathered in 1745, but they declined to take up the matter in the electoral capitulation. He then brought the matter to the Reichshofrat, which ruled on 6 May 1748 by repealing the diploma of 1742 and forbidding the Counts of Bährenfeld from calling themselves Princes of Bernburg or Princes of Anhalt-Bernburg, and allowing them only to call themselves Princes of Bährenfeld. They died unmarried.
Bernburg
Bernburg is a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, capital of the district of Salzlandkreis. It is situated on the river Saale, approx. 30 km downstream from Halle. The town is dominated by its huge Renaissance castle featuring a museum as well as a popular, recently updated bear pit in its...
, 13 July 1668 – Ballenstedt
Ballenstedt
Ballenstedt is a town in the Harz district, in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. It is situated at the northern rim of the Harz mountain range, about 10 km southeast of Quedlinburg. The municipality includes the villages of Badeborn and Oppenrode...
, 22 April 1721), was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of 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...
.
He was the eldest son of Victor Amadeus, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg
Victor Amadeus, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg
Victor Amadeus of Anhalt-Bernburg , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Bernburg....
, by his wife Elisabeth, daughter of Frederick, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken
Frederick, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken
Frederick was the Duke of Zweibrücken from 1635 until 1661.-Life:Frederick was born in Zweibrücken in 1616 as the elder son of John II, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken. He succeeded his father in 1635. During his reign, Palatinate-Zweibrücken was devastated during the Thirty Years' War...
.
Life
After the death of his father in 1718, the fifty-year-old Karl Frederick inherited Anhalt-Bernburg. His reign, which lasted only two years until his death, was unremarkable.Marriages and Issue
In BernburgBernburg
Bernburg is a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, capital of the district of Salzlandkreis. It is situated on the river Saale, approx. 30 km downstream from Halle. The town is dominated by its huge Renaissance castle featuring a museum as well as a popular, recently updated bear pit in its...
on 25 June 1692 Karl Frederick married his cousin Sophie Albertine (b. Sonnenwalde, 2 October 1672 - d. Bernburg, 12 June 1708), daughter of George Frederick, Count of Solms-Sonnenwalde, by his wife Anna Sophia of Anhalt-Bernburg (sister of his father Victor Amadeus). They had six children:
- Elisabeth Albertine (b. Bernburg, 31 March 1693 - d. ArnstadtArnstadtArnstadt is a town in Ilm-Kreis, Thuringia, Germany, situated on the Gera River. It is one of the oldest towns in Thuringia and is nicknamed Das Tor zum Thüringer Wald, The Gate to the Thuringian Forest....
, 7 July 1774), married on 2 October 1712 to Günther XLIII, Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. - Frederick William (b. Bernburg, 3 September 1694 - d. Bernburg, 28 December 1694).
- Charlotte Sophie (b. Bernburg, 21 May 1696 - d. SondershausenSondershausenSondershausen is a town in Thuringia, Germany, capital of the Kyffhäuserkreis district, situated about 50 km north of Erfurt. On 1 December 2007, the former municipality Schernberg was incorporated by Sondershausen....
, 22 July 1762), married on 19 July 1721 to Augustus I Günther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen-Ebeleben. - Auguste Wilhelmine (b. Bernburg, 3 November 1697 - d. HarzgerodeHarzgerodeHarzgerode is a town in the district of Harz in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.-Geography:Its localities include:*Harzgerode*Alexisbad*Dankerode*Güntersberge*Königerode*Mägdesprung*Neudorf*Schielo*Silberhütte*Siptenfelde*Straßberg...
, 22 June 1767). - Victor Frederick, Prince of Anhalt-BernburgVictor Frederick, Prince of Anhalt-BernburgVictor Frederick of Anhalt-Bernburg , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Bernburg....
(b. Bernburg, 20 September 1700 - d. Bernburg, 18 May 1765). - Fredericka Henriette (b. Bernburg, 24 November 1702 - d. Köthen, 4 April 1723), married on 11 December 1721 to Leopold, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen.
From 1711 Karl Frederick began to live with Wilhelmine Charlotte Nüssler (b. Harzgerode, 10 May 1683 - d. Gernrode
Gernrode
Gernrode 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...
, 30 May 1740), the daughter of a non-noble chancery counselor. They had two sons:
- Frederick ["Imperial Count of Bährnfeld"" from 12 June 1723] (b. Harzgerode, 13 March 1712 - d. Gernrode, 8 September 1758). Born illegitimate, he was legitimized after the wedding of their parents.
- Karl Leopold ["Imperial Count of Bährnfeld" since 12 June 1723] (b. PlötzkauPlötzkauPlötzkau is a municipality in the district of Salzlandkreis, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany....
, 1 July 1717 - d. KasselKasselKassel is a town located on the Fulda River in northern Hesse, Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Kassel Regierungsbezirk and the Kreis of the same name and has approximately 195,000 inhabitants.- History :...
, 3 October 1769).
Karl Frederick and Wilhelmine Charlotte married secretly in Bernburg
Bernburg
Bernburg is a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, capital of the district of Salzlandkreis. It is situated on the river Saale, approx. 30 km downstream from Halle. The town is dominated by its huge Renaissance castle featuring a museum as well as a popular, recently updated bear pit in its...
on 1 May 1715 and Karl Frederick immediately tried to have his wife raised to the rank of countess by the Emperor. When Prince Victor Amadeus learned of his son's actions, he wrote to the Emperor on 15 November 1715 to prevent the elevation, and added a codicil to his testament dated 13 July 1716 denying the children of the union any succession rights. The Emperor approved this codicil one year later, on 15 July 1717.
The Emperor also sent a rescript to Karl Frederick dated 20 August 1717 instructing him not to call his wife princess or their sons princes. Nevertheless, after his father died in 1718, Karl Frederick obtained from the Emperor a patent to elevate his wife to the title Countess of Ballenstedt (German: Gräfin von Ballenstedt) on 19 December 1719, and their two sons to the rank of Imperial Counts of Bährnfeld (German: Reichsgrafen von Bährnfeld) on 12 June 1723; this, however, without prejudice of the rights of the agnates. In 1722, the Reichshofrat forbade Karl Frederick's widow to use the princely title for herself or her sons.
However, on 16 November 1742, the Emperor Charles VII raised the Counts of Bährenfeld to the rank of Princes of Anhalt-Bernburg with all rights of succession. Victor I, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym
Victor I, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym
Victor I Amadeus Adolph of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym , was a German prince of the House of Ascania from the Anhalt-Bernburg branch and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym.He was the eldest son of Lebrecht, Prince of Anhalt-Zeitz-Hoym, by his first wife Charlotte,...
, protested, but the Emperor died in 1745. The Prince brought up the matter to the College of Electors gathered in 1745, but they declined to take up the matter in the electoral capitulation. He then brought the matter to the Reichshofrat, which ruled on 6 May 1748 by repealing the diploma of 1742 and forbidding the Counts of Bährenfeld from calling themselves Princes of Bernburg or Princes of Anhalt-Bernburg, and allowing them only to call themselves Princes of Bährenfeld. They died unmarried.