Anhalt-Zerbst was a principality

Principality

A principality is a monarchical feudatory or sovereign state, ruled or reigned over by a monarch with the title of prince or princess, or by a monarch with another title within the generic use of the term prince....

 located in Germany. It was established for the first time in 1252 following the partition of the principality of Anhalt

Anhalt

Anhalt was a sovereign county in Germany, located between the Harz Mountains and the river Elbe in Middle Germany. It now forms part of the state of Saxony-Anhalt.- Dukes of Anhalt :...

. The capital of the state was located at Zerbst

Zerbst

Zerbst is a town in the district of Anhalt-Bitterfeld, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Until the administrative reform of 2007, Zerbst was the capital of the Anhalt-Zerbst district. Since the 1 January 2010 local government reform, Zerbst has about 24,000 inhabitants.It is not clear when was it founded;...

. Anhalt-Zerbst ceased to exist in 1396 when it was partitioned between 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...

 and 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....

.

It was recreated in 1544 when Anhalt-Dessau was partitioned. The second incarnation lost a lot of territory in 1603 when it was partitioned for a second time with some of its territory being given to Anhalt-Dessau, 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...

, Anhalt-Plötzkau and Anhalt-Köthen. Anhalt-Zerbst lost more of its territory in 1667 with Anhalt-Mühlingen and Anhalt-Dornburg being created. In 1796, the Principality of Anhalt-Zerbst came to an end with its territory being annexed by Anhalt-Dessau.

Princes of Anhalt-Zerbst 1252-1396

• Siegfried I
  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....
  
   1252-1298
• Albert I
  Albert I, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
  Albert I, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst....
  
   1298-1316
• Albert II
  Albert II, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
  Albert II, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst....
  
   1316-1362
• Albert III
  Albert III, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
  Albert III, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst....
  
   1359 (co-regent)
• Waldemar I
  Waldemar I, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
  Waldemar I, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst....
  
   1316-1368 (co-regent)
• Johann II
  John II, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
  John II, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst....
  
   1362-1382
• Waldemar II
  Waldemar II, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
  Waldemar II, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the Principality of Anhalt-Zerbst....
  
   1368-1371 (co-regent)
• Waldemar III
  Waldemar III, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
  Waldemar III, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst.He was the youngest son of John II, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst, by his wife Elisabeth, daughter of John I, Count of Henneberg-Schleusingen.-Life:Waldemar inherited the...
  
   1382-1391 (co-regent)
• Sigismund I
  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....
  
   1382-1396 (co-regent)
• Albert IV
  Albert IV, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen
  Albert IV, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen , 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-Köthen....
  
   1382-1396 (co-regent)

Partitioned between 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...

 and 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....

 in 1396.

Princes of Anhalt-Zerbst 1544-1796

• Johann V
  John V, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
  John V of Anhalt-Zerbst , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau...
  
   1544-1551
• Karl I
  Karl I, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
  Karl I of Anhalt-Zerbst , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst....
  
   1551-1561
• Bernhard VII
  Bernhard VII, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
  Bernhard VII of Anhalt-Zerbst , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst....
  
   1551-1570 (co-regent)
• Joachim Ernest
  Joachim Ernest, Prince of Anhalt
  Joachim Ernest of Anhalt , was a German prince of the House of Ascania, ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst, and from 1570 sole ruler of all the Anhalt lands....
  
   1551-1586 (co-regent, later sole ruler; he unified all the Anhalt lands); later, his sons divided again Anhalt.
• Rudolph
  Rudolph, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
  Rudolph of Anhalt-Zerbst , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the unified principality of Anhalt...
  
   1603-1621
  • Augustus of Anhalt-Plötzkau
    Augustus, Prince of Anhalt-Plötzkau
    Augustus of Anhalt-Plötzkau , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the unified principality of Anhalt...
    
     regent 1621-1642
• Johann VI
  John VI, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
  John VI of Anhalt-Zerbst , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst....
  
   1621-1667
  • Sophie Auguste of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp regent 1667-1674
• Karl William
  Karl, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
  Karl William, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst....
  
   1667-1718
• Johann August
  John Augustus, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
  John Augustus, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst....
  
   1718-1742
• Johann Ludwig II
  John Louis II, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
  John Louis II, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dornburg...
  
   1742-1746
• Christian Augustus
  Christian August, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
  Christian August, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst was a German prince of the House of Ascania. He was a ruler of the Principality of Anhalt-Dornburg, then, from 1742, a ruler of the entire Principality of Anhalt-Zerbst...
  
   1742-1747 (co-regent)
  • Joanna Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp
    Joanna Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp
    Johanna Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp was a princess of the House of Holstein-Gottorp and later the Electress of Anhalt-Zerbst. She is best known as the mother of Catherine the Great of Russia....
    
     regent 1747-1752
• Friedrich August
  Frederick Augustus, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
  Frederick Augustus, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and the last ruler of the Principality of Anhalt-Zerbst....
  
   1747-1793
• Sophie Auguste Fredericke (Empress Catherine II of Russia) 1793-1796 (only in Jever
  Jever
  Jever is the capital of the district of Friesland in Lower Saxony, Germany. The name Jever is usually associated with a major brand of beer which is produced here, the city is also a popular holiday resort. Jever was granted city status in 1536. Unofficially Jever is sometimes referred to as...
  
  )

To 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...

1796.