Rudolph of Anhalt-Zerbst (Harzgerode

Harzgerode

Harzgerode 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...

, 28 October 1576 – 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;...

, 30 July 1621), was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the unified 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 :...

. From 1603, he was ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst

Anhalt-Zerbst

Anhalt-Zerbst was a district in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is bounded by the districts Potsdam-Mittelmark and Wittenberg, the city of Dessau and the districts of Köthen, Schönebeck and Jerichower Land.- History :...

.

Rudolph was the fifth son of Joachim Ernest, Prince of Anhalt

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....

, but third-born son by his second wife Eleonore, daughter of Christoph, Duke of Württemberg

Christoph, Duke of Württemberg

Christoph of Württemberg, Duke of Württemberg ruled as Duke of Württemberg from 1550 until his death in 1568....

.

Life

In 1586, after the death of his father, Rudolph inherited the principality of Anhalt jointly with his half- and full brothers, but because he was still a minor, his older brother John George I acted as regent.

By the accounts of contemporary witnesses, Rudolph was an eager pupil and student. In 1596 the twenty-year-old prince was invited to the coronation of King Christian IV of Denmark

Christian IV of Denmark

Christian IV was the king of Denmark-Norway from 1588 until his death. With a reign of more than 59 years, he is the longest-reigning monarch of Denmark, and he is frequently remembered as one of the most popular, ambitious and proactive Danish kings, having initiated many reforms and projects...

 in Copenhagen

Copenhagen

Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...

.

His Grand Tour

Grand Tour

The Grand Tour was the traditional trip of Europe undertaken by mainly upper-class European young men of means. The custom flourished from about 1660 until the advent of large-scale rail transit in the 1840s, and was associated with a standard itinerary. It served as an educational rite of passage...

 began in 1600 when he arrived in Sicily

Sicily

Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...

. With his younger brother Louis, Rudolph spent a year in Florence

Florence

Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....

. On 21 November 1601 he was admitted to the University of Siena

University of Siena

The University of Siena in Siena, Tuscany is one of the oldest and first publicly funded universities in Italy. Originally called Studium Senese, the University of Siena was founded in 1240. The University has around 20,000 students, nearly half of Siena's total population of around 54,000...

. A year later, in 1602, the prince left Switzerland

Switzerland

Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....

 (where he had lived for some time) and returned to Dessau.

In 1603, a formal division of the principality of Anhalt was agreed upon by Rudolph and his surviving brothers. He received 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;...

, where his main residence was, and supported there the renovation of the Gymnasium Francisceum, beginning with the addition of a library. In 1618, Rudolph joined the Fruitbearing Society

Fruitbearing Society

The Fruitbearing Society was a German literary society founded in 1617 in Weimar by German scholars and nobility to emulate the idea of the Accademia della Crusca in Florence and similar groups already thriving in Italy, to be followed in later years also in France and Britain...

.

Marriages and Issue

In Wolfenbüttel

Wolfenbüttel

Wolfenbüttel is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany, located on the Oker river about 13 kilometres south of Brunswick. It is the seat of the District of Wolfenbüttel and of the bishop of the Protestant Lutheran State Church of Brunswick...

 on 29 December 1605 Rudolph married Dorothea Hedwig (b. Wolfenbüttel, 3 February 1587 - d. Zerbst, 16 October 1609), daughter of Henry Julius, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg

Henry Julius, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg

Henry Julius was duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and prince of Wolfenbüttel from 1589 until his death. In 1576 he had become the first rector of the Protestant University of Helmstedt.- Life :...

. They had four daughters:

1. Stillborn daughter (Zerbst, October? 1606).
2. Dorothea (b. Zerbst, 25 September 1607 - d. Hitzacker
   Hitzacker
   Hitzacker is a town in the Lüchow-Dannenberg district of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the river Elbe, approx. 8 km north of Dannenberg, and 45 km east of Lüneburg. The 2007 population of Hitzacker was 4,982, and its postal code is 29456. The mayor is Karl Guhl...
   
   , 26 September 1634), married on 26 October 1623 to Augustus, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
   Augustus the Younger, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
   Augustus of Brunswick-Lüneburg , called the Younger, was duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. In the estate division of the House of Welf of 1635, he received the Principality of Wolfenbüttel....
   
   .
3. Eleonor
   Eleanor of Anhalt-Zerbst
   Eleonore of Anhalt-Zerbst was a member of the House of Ascania and a princess of the Anhalt-Zerbst by births and by marriage Duchess of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Norburg.- Life :...
   
    (b. Zerbst, 10 November 1608 - d. Osterholm, 2 November 1681), married on 15 February 1632 to Frederick, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Norburg.
4. Stillborn daughter (Zerbst, 16 October 1609).

The death of his wife caused Rudolph to fall into a deep depression

Depression (mood)

Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person's thoughts, behaviour, feelings and physical well-being. Depressed people may feel sad, anxious, empty, hopeless, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritable, or restless...

, according to contemporary witnesses.

In Oldenburg

Oldenburg

Oldenburg is an independent city in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated in the western part of the state between the cities of Bremen and Groningen, Netherlands, at the Hunte river. It has a population of 160,279 which makes it the fourth biggest city in Lower Saxony after Hanover, Braunschweig...

 on 31 August 1612 Rudolph married for a second time to Magdalene (b. Oldenburg, 6 October 1585 - d. Coswig

Coswig

Coswig can refer to two towns in Germany, both on the river Elbe:*Coswig, Saxony, in the district of Meißen, Saxony*Coswig, Anhalt, in the district of Wittenberg, Saxony-Anhalt...

, 14 April 1657), heiress of 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...

 and daughter of John XVI, Count of Oldenburg; only when Rudolph met her did he find a way out of his depression. They had two children:

1. Elisabeth (b. Zerbst, 1 December 1617 - d. Oldenburg, 3 June 1639).
2. John VI, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
   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....
   
   (b. Zerbst, 24 March 1621 - d. Zerbst, 4 July 1667).