{{Infobox former country , native_name = {{native name, de, Fürstentum Anhalt-Harzgerode , conventional_long_name = Principality of Anhalt-Harzgerode , common_name = Anhalt-Harzgerode , , image_flag = , image_coat = Blason Principautés d'Anhalt (XVIIe siècle).svg , symbol = Coat of arms of Saxony-Anhalt , symbol_type = 17th century arms
of Anhalt principalities , image_map = Map of Anhalt (1747-1793).svg , image_map_caption = Anhalt territories 1747-1793, Anhalt-Bernburg (of which Anhalt-Harzgerode was a smaller part) in blue , , status = Principality , empire = Holy Roman Empire , government_type = Principality , year_start = 1635 , year_end = 1709 , , event_start = Partition of Anhalt-Bernburg , date_start = 5 December , event_end = Reunion with Anhalt-Bernburg , date_end = 14 October , , p1 = Anhalt-Bernburg , image_p1 = Blason Principautés d'Anhalt (XVIIe siècle)

, s1 = Anhalt-Bernburg , image_s1 = Blason Principautés d'Anhalt (XVIIe siècle)

, , capital =

Harzgerode Harzgerode is a town in the district of Harz in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Geography Harzgerode lies in the lower eastern part of the Harz mountain range on the Selke River, south of Quedlinburg. It is connected to Gernrode and Quedlinburg via Ale ...

, national_motto = , national_anthem = , common_languages = , religion = , currency = , footnotes = Anhalt-Harzgerode was a small principality of the

Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire was a political entity in Western, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its dissolution in 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars. From the accession of Otto I in 962 ...

, ruled by the

House of Ascania The House of Ascania (german: Askanier) was a dynasty of German rulers. It is also known as the House of Anhalt, which refers to its longest-held possession, Anhalt. The Ascanians are named after Ascania (or Ascaria) Castle, known as ''Schlo ...

with its residence at

in present-day

Saxony-Anhalt Saxony-Anhalt (german: Sachsen-Anhalt ; nds, Sassen-Anholt) is a state of Germany, bordering the states of Brandenburg, Saxony, Thuringia and Lower Saxony. It covers an area of and has a population of 2.18 million inhabitants, making it th ...

. It was created in 1635 following the partition of Anhalt-Bernburg with

Frederick Frederick may refer to: People * Frederick (given name), the name Nobility Anhalt-Harzgerode *Frederick, Prince of Anhalt-Harzgerode (1613–1670) Austria * Frederick I, Duke of Austria (Babenberg), Duke of Austria from 1195 to 1198 * Frederick ...

, a younger son of Prince

Christian I Christian I (February 1426 – 21 May 1481) was a Scandinavian monarch under the Kalmar Union. He was king of Denmark (1448–1481), Norway (1450–1481) and Sweden (1457–1464). From 1460 to 1481, he was also duke of Schleswig (within ...

becoming the reigning prince. The death of Frederick's son Prince William Louis in 1709 resulted in the extinction of the ruling family and Anhalt-Harzgerode was reunited with Anhalt-Bernburg.

History

Prince Christian I ruled in Bernburg since he and his brothers had divided their

Anhalt Saxony-Anhalt (german: Sachsen-Anhalt ; nds, Sassen-Anholt) is a state of Germany, bordering the states of Brandenburg, Saxony, Thuringia and Lower Saxony. It covers an area of and has a population of 2.18 million inhabitants, making it the ...

heritage in 1603. He turned to

Calvinism Calvinism (also called the Reformed Tradition, Reformed Protestantism, Reformed Christianity, or simply Reformed) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John Ca ...

and in 1608 founded the

Protestant Union The Protestant Union (german: Protestantische Union), also known as the Evangelical Union, Union of Auhausen, German Union or the Protestant Action Party, was a coalition of Protestant German states. It was formed on 14 May 1608 by Frederick I ...

with the

Lutheran Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Cathol ...

princes, as deputy of Elector Palatine Frederick IV. In the beginning

Thirty Years' War The Thirty Years' War was one of the longest and most destructive conflicts in European history, lasting from 1618 to 1648. Fought primarily in Central Europe, an estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians died as a result of battle ...

, he led the

Bohemian Bohemian or Bohemians may refer to: *Anything of or relating to Bohemia Beer * National Bohemian, a brand brewed by Pabst * Bohemian, a brand of beer brewed by Molson Coors Culture and arts * Bohemianism, an unconventional lifestyle, origin ...

army of Frederick's son

Frederick V Frederick V or Friedrich V may refer to: * Frederick V, Duke of Swabia (1164–1170) *Frederick V, Count of Zollern (d.1289) *Frederick V, Burgrave of Nuremberg (c. 1333–1398), German noble *Frederick V of Austria (1415–1493), or Frederick III ...

into the 1620

Battle of White Mountain The Battle of White Mountain ( cz, Bitva na Bílé hoře; german: Schlacht am Weißen Berg) was an important battle in the early stages of the Thirty Years' War. It led to the defeat of the Bohemian Revolt and ensured Habsburg control for the n ...

, suffering a disastrous defeat. Temporarily banned and exiled in Sweden, he could not return to Bernburg until 1624. Christian died in 1630; his sons, Frederick and his elder brother

Christian II Christian II (1 July 1481 – 25 January 1559) was a Scandinavian monarch under the Kalmar Union who reigned as King of Denmark and Norway, from 1513 until 1523, and Sweden from 1520 until 1521. From 1513 to 1523, he was concurrently Duke ...

likewise fought in the war. Frederick served in the Swedish infantry until the Lutheran Elector

John George of Saxony John George I (5 March 1585 – 8 October 1656) was Elector of Saxony from 1611 to 1656. He led Saxony through the Thirty Years' War, which dominated his 45 year reign. Biography Born in Dresden, John George was the second son of the Elector Chr ...

concluded the Peace of Prague with the Habsburg emperor Ferdinand II in 1635. Back in Anhalt, he and his brother came to terms in December and divided their father's heritage: while Christian II succeeded as Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg, Frederick received the westernmost districts ('' Ämter'') of

, which had just been devastated by a blaze, and

Güntersberge Güntersberge () is a village and a former town in Harz District, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It holds the status of an officially recognized resort town since 2001. Güntersberge, together with the other municipalities of the former ''Verwaltung ...

in the

Harz The Harz () is a highland area in northern Germany. It has the highest elevations for that region, and its rugged terrain extends across parts of Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia. The name ''Harz'' derives from the Middle High German ...

mountain range. Thereby, his lands comprised the Ascanian home territories in the former Saxon ''

Schwabengau The Schwabengau (modernized name; originally: Suavia, Suevon, Nordosquavi) was an early medieval shire ('' Gau'') in the Eastphalia region of the medieval Duchy of Saxony. Ruled by the House of Ascania, it became the nucleus of the later Princip ...

'' with the ruins of Anhalt Castle. In the ongoing war, Prince Frederick served in the armed forces of Landgrave William V of Hesse-Kassel. Finally in 1641, urged by his brother, he returned to Harzgerode and married Johanna Elisabeth (1619–1647), daughter of Prince

John Louis of Nassau-Hadamar John Louis of Nassau-Hadamar, ( Dillenburg, 6 August 1590 – Hadamar, 10 March 1653) and also known in German as Johann Ludwig, was a German nobleman and member of the House of Nassau who is best known for his role as an aide to the head of the ...

the next year. Frederick made significant efforts to alleviate the impacts of the war on his tiny principality and for the reconstruction after the final Peace of Westphalia. When his cousin John Casimir of Anhalt-Dessau died in 1660, he became senior prince of all Anhalt territories. Federick was succeeded by his only son William in 1670. He continued his father's efforts and strove for the development of the Harz

silver mining Silver mining is the extraction of silver from minerals, starting with mining. Because silver is often found in intimate combination with other metals, its extraction requires elaborate technologies. In 2008, ca.25,900 metric tons were consumed ...

( galena) areas. His two marriages with Countess Elizabeth Albertina of

Solms-Laubach Solms-Laubach was a County of southern Hesse and eastern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The House of SolmsSee German article on the '' House of Solms'' or French article '' Maison de Solms. had its origins in Solms, Hesse. History Solms-Laubach ...

(1631–1693) and Sophia Augusta (1666–1733), daughter of Prince Henry of Nassau-Dillenburg remained childless. Upon his death in 1709, his Anhalt share was inherited by his cousin Prince Victor Amadeus of Anhalt-Bernburg.

Princes of Anhalt-Harzgerode

1635–1670 * William Louis 1670–1709 ''To Anhalt-Bernburg''

References

Regnal chronologies
House of Ascania Lists of princes Former states and territories of Saxony-Anhalt 1635 establishments in the Holy Roman Empire 1709 disestablishments in the Holy Roman Empire Principalities of the Holy Roman Empire

History

Princes of Anhalt-Harzgerode

See also

References