Dietrich of Anhalt-Dessau (b. Dessau, 2 August 1702 - d. Dessau, 2 December 1769), was a German prince of 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 ...

and later regent of the principality of

Anhalt-Dessau Anhalt-Dessau was a principality of the Holy Roman Empire and later a duchy of the German Confederation. Ruled by the House of Ascania, it was created in 1396 following the partition of the Principality of Anhalt-Zerbst, and finally merged into t ...

. He was also a Prussian ''

Generalfeldmarschall ''Generalfeldmarschall'' (from Old High German ''marahscalc'', "marshal, stable master, groom"; en, general field marshal, field marshal general, or field marshal; ; often abbreviated to ''Feldmarschall'') was a rank in the armies of several ...

''. Anton Balthasar König, ''Henning Alexander von Kleist'', Biographisches Lexikon aller Helden und Militärpersonen: T. G-L, A. Wever, 1789
pp. 275–276
Dietrich was the third son of

Leopold I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau Leopold I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (3 July 1676 – 7 April 1747) was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau from 1693 to 1747. He was also a ''Generalfeldmarschall'' in the Prussian army. Nickname ...

, by his morganatic wife

Anna Louise Föhse Anna Louise Föhse, Princess of the Holy Roman Empire (22 March 1677 in Dessau – 5 February 1745) was a German imperial princess. Born as a commoner to Rudolf Föhse (d. 1698), the court pharmacist in Dessau, and his wife, Agnes Ohme (d. 170 ...

Life

The introduction of primogeniture in Anhalt-Dessau in 1727 left Dietrich without any chance to take part in the government of Dessau. Because his oldest brother, the Hereditary Prince William Gustav, had already died before his father, the second brother, Leopold Maximilian, inherited the princely title and government. After the latter's death in 1751, the succession passed to his eleven-year-old son Leopold Frederick Franz. Dietrich acted as regent of Anhalt-Dessau on behalf of his nephew until 1758, when Leopold Frederick Franz was proclaimed an adult and assumed the government of his principality. Dietrich never married or had children. Later, his palace in Dessau was used by a progressive school, "The Philanthropinum".

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Anhalt-Dessau, Dietrich von 1702 births 1769 deaths Dietrich Field marshals of Prussia 18th-century Prussian military personnel Royal reburials People from Dessau-Roßlau Military personnel from Saxony-Anhalt