Otto II, Prince of Anhalt-Aschersleben
Encyclopedia
Otto II, Prince of Anhalt-Aschersleben (died 24 July 1315) was a German prince of the House of Ascania and the last ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Aschersleben.
He was the last child and only son of Otto I, Prince of Anhalt-Aschersleben
, by his wife Hedwig, daughter of Henry III the White, Duke of Breslau.
Otto participated in the political feuds typical of his era. In 1307 he supported the House of Wettin. After years of maintaining close ties with his cousin Waldemar, Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal
, Otto broke with him and became a vassal of King Eric VI of Denmark
in 1315. He died shortly after; the last male of his family, the line of Anhalt-Aschersleben became extinct upon his death.
The Bishopric of Halberstadt
took over his principality and lands (including Aschersleben) as payment for debt after his death. The presiding Anhalt prince at this time, Bernhard II of Anhalt-Bernburg
, recognized the validity of the bishop's claim to this territory and the transfer was agreed upon in acontract signed in December 1316. Unfortunately, the rights to the Principality of Anhalt-Aschersleben
were disputed and argued over for centuries. In 1648, the prince/electors of Brandenburg
took over the Bishopric of Halberstadt
and all its possessions, including all of the land and rights once possessed by Prince Otto II.
. They had two daughters:
He was the last child and only son of Otto I, Prince of Anhalt-Aschersleben
Otto I, Prince of Anhalt-Aschersleben
Otto I, Prince of Anhalt-Aschersleben was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Aschersleben....
, by his wife Hedwig, daughter of Henry III the White, Duke of Breslau.
Life
After the death of his father in 1304, Otto inherited his principality of Anhalt-Aschersleben.Otto participated in the political feuds typical of his era. In 1307 he supported the House of Wettin. After years of maintaining close ties with his cousin Waldemar, Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal
Waldemar, Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal
Waldemar of Brandenburg was Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal, the last from the Ascanian House.-Life:He was a son of Conrad, Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal and Constance, daughter of Przemysł I of Greater Poland...
, Otto broke with him and became a vassal of King Eric VI of Denmark
Eric VI of Denmark
Eric VI Menved was King of Denmark and a son of Eric V and Agnes of Brandenburg.He became king in 1286 at age 12, when his father was murdered 20 November by unknown assailants...
in 1315. He died shortly after; the last male of his family, the line of Anhalt-Aschersleben became extinct upon his death.
The Bishopric of Halberstadt
Bishopric of Halberstadt
The Bishopric of Halberstadt was a Roman Catholic diocese from 804 until 1648 and an ecclesiastical state of the Holy Roman Empire from the late Middle Ages...
took over his principality and lands (including Aschersleben) as payment for debt after his death. The presiding Anhalt prince at this time, Bernhard II of Anhalt-Bernburg
Bernhard II, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg
Bernhard II, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Bernburg....
, recognized the validity of the bishop's claim to this territory and the transfer was agreed upon in acontract signed in December 1316. Unfortunately, the rights to the Principality of Anhalt-Aschersleben
Principality of Anhalt-Aschersleben
The Principality of Anhalt-Aschersleben was a German territory which existed from 1252 to 1315. It was created when the Principality of Anhalt was divided among the sons of Prince Henry I into the Principalities of Anhalt-Aschersleben, Anhalt-Bernburg and Anhalt-Zerbst in 1252.Henry II the Fat, the...
were disputed and argued over for centuries. In 1648, the prince/electors of Brandenburg
Brandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
took over the Bishopric of Halberstadt
Bishopric of Halberstadt
The Bishopric of Halberstadt was a Roman Catholic diocese from 804 until 1648 and an ecclesiastical state of the Holy Roman Empire from the late Middle Ages...
and all its possessions, including all of the land and rights once possessed by Prince Otto II.
Marriage and issue
On 24 August 1309, Otto married Elisabeth (d. aft. 2 May 1347), the only daughter of Frederick Clem, the youngest son of Henry III, Margrave of MeissenHenry III, Margrave of Meissen
Henry III, called Henry the Illustrious from the House of Wettin was Margrave of Meissen and last Margrave of Lusatia from 1221 until his death; from 1242 also Landgrave of Thuringia.-Life:Born probably at the Albrechtsburg residence in Meissen, Henry was the youngest son of Margrave Theodoric I...
. They had two daughters:
- Katharina (d. bef. 15 April 1369), heiress of the Allodial, married in 1328 to Count Hermann VI of Orlamünde.
- Elisabeth (d. young ca. 1317/1319).