Sigismund II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (died aft. 22 May 1452) 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-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 the fourth son of

Sigismund I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau Sigismund I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (died Coswig, 19 January 1405), 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. He w ...

, by his wife Judith, daughter of

Gebhard XI, Count of Querfurt Gebhard (''Gebhart'') is a German given name, recorded at least from the 9th century. It is composed of the Old High German elements ''geb'' "gift" and ''hard'' "brave, hardy". People with the surname *Heinrich Gebhard (1878-1963), pianist, comp ...

Life

After the death of his father in 1405, Sigismund inherited the principality of Anhalt-Dessau with his older brothers Waldemar IV and

George I George I or 1 may refer to: People * Patriarch George I of Alexandria (fl. 621–631) * George I of Constantinople (d. 686) * George I of Antioch (d. 790) * George I of Abkhazia (ruled 872/3–878/9) * George I of Georgia (d. 1027) * Yuri Dolgor ...

and his younger brother

Albert V Albert V may refer to: *Albert V, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg (ca. mid-1330s–1370) *Albert V, Duke of Mecklenburg (1397–1423) *Albert II of Germany (1397–1439), Albert V as Duke of Austria *Albert V, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (died c. 1469) *Albert ...

as co-rulers. By virtue of the family of law of the House of Ascania, there was no division of territories among them. Sigismund married Matilda (died 1443), daughter of

Bernhard VI, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg Bernhard VI, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg (died 2 February 1468) was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the Principality of Anhalt-Bernburg. He was the eldest son of Otto III, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg, by his first unknown wife. ...

. Both spouses were direct descendants of

Henry I, Count of Anhalt Henry I ( 1170 – 1252), a member of the House of Ascania, was Count of Anhalt from 1212 and the first ruling Anhalt prince from 1218 until his death. Life He was the oldest son of Count Bernhard of Anhalt probably by his first wife Judith (o ...

, through his sons Bernhard I (ancestor of Matilda), and Siegfried I (ancestor of Sigismund). The marriage was childless. Without direct heirs at the time of his death, Sigismund was succeeded by his surviving brothers and co-rulers. Princes of Anhalt-Dessau 1452 deaths Year of birth unknown {{Germany-noble-stub