Karl I of Anhalt-Zerbst (17 November 1534 in

Dessau Dessau is a town and former municipality in Germany at the confluence of the rivers Mulde and Elbe, in the '' Bundesland'' (Federal State) of Saxony-Anhalt. Since 1 July 2007, it has been part of the newly created municipality of Dessau-Roßlau ...

– 4 May 1561 in

Zerbst Zerbst () is a town in the district of Anhalt-Bitterfeld, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Until an administrative reform in 2007, Zerbst was the capital of the former Anhalt-Zerbst district. Geography Zerbst is situated in the Anhalt-Wittenberg regio ...

), 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 ''Schloss ...

and ruler of the principality of

Anhalt-Zerbst Anhalt-Zerbst was a district in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise) the districts Potsdam-Mittelmark (Brandenburg) and Wittenberg, the city of Dessau and the districts of Köthen, Schönebeck and Jerichower L ...

. He was the eldest son of

John V, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst John V of Anhalt-Zerbst (Dessau, 4 September 1504 – Zerbst, 4 February 1551), was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau. From 1544, he assumed rule of the re-created principality of Anhalt-Ze ...

, by his wife

Margaret Margaret is a female first name, derived via French () and Latin () from grc, μαργαρίτης () meaning "pearl". The Greek is borrowed from Persian. Margaret has been an English name since the 11th century, and remained popular througho ...

, daughter of

Joachim I Nestor, Elector of Brandenburg Joachim I Nestor (21 February 1484 – 11 July 1535) was a Prince-elector of the Margraviate of Brandenburg (1499–1535), the fifth member of the House of Hohenzollern. His nickname was taken from King Nestor of Greek mythology. Biography Th ...

Life

After the death of his father in 1551, Karl inherited Anhalt-Zerbst jointly with his younger brothers Joachim Ernest and Bernhard VII according to the family law of the House of Ascania, without any division of the territories of the principality. In 1553 Karl and his brothers inherited Anhalt-Plötzkau after the death of their uncle

George III George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of the two kingdoms on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Br ...

. In

on 16 May 1557 Karl married Anna (5 February 1531 – 13 October 1592), daughter of

Barnim XI, Duke of Pomerania Barnim XI (1501–1573; by some accounts Barnim IX), son of Bogislaw X, Duke of Pomerania, became duke on his father's death in 1523. Life Barnim ruled for a time in common with his elder brother George I; and after George's death in 1531 he sha ...

. The union was childless. Karl died seven months before his last surviving uncle,

Joachim I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau Joachim I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (Dessau, 7 August 1509 – Dessau, 6 December 1561), was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau. After 1544 he served as the first ruler of the re-created Anha ...

. It was his brothers and their successors who inherited the territories of Joachim's principality. {{Authority control Princes of Anhalt-Plötzkau Princes of Anhalt-Zerbst 1534 births 1561 deaths