Anna Maria of Anhalt
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Anna Maria of Anhalt ( pl, Anna Maria Anhalcka;
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 ...
, 13 June 1561 –
Brzeg Brzeg (; Latin: ''Alta Ripa'', German: ''Brieg'', Silesian German: ''Brigg'', , ) is a town in southwestern Poland with 34,778 inhabitants (December 2021) and the capital of Brzeg County. It is situated in Silesia in the Opole Voivodeship on the ...
, 14 November 1605), was by birth a member 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 a princess of
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 ...
. After her marriage, she was Duchess of
Legnica Legnica (Polish: ; german: Liegnitz, szl, Lignica, cz, Lehnice, la, Lignitium) is a city in southwestern Poland, in the central part of Lower Silesia, on the Kaczawa River (left tributary of the Oder) and the Czarna Woda (Kaczawa), Czarna Woda ...
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Brzeg Brzeg (; Latin: ''Alta Ripa'', German: ''Brieg'', Silesian German: ''Brigg'', , ) is a town in southwestern Poland with 34,778 inhabitants (December 2021) and the capital of Brzeg County. It is situated in Silesia in the Opole Voivodeship on the ...
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Oława Oława (pronounced , , szl, Oława) is a historic town in south-western Poland with 33,029 inhabitants (2019). It is situated in Lower Silesian Voivodeship (from 1975–1998 it was in the former Wrocław Voivodeship), within the Wrocław me ...
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Wołów Wołów (german: Wohlau, cz, Volov) is a town in Lower Silesian Voivodeship in south-western Poland. It is the seat of Wołów County and Gmina Wołów. It lies approximately north-west of the regional capital Wrocław. , the town has a popul ...
. Anna Maria was the eldest daughter of
Joachim Ernest, Prince of Anhalt Joachim Ernest of Anhalt (21 October 1536 – 6 December 1586), was a German prince of the House of Ascania, ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst from 1551, and from 1570 sole ruler of all the Anhalt lands. Life Early life Joachim Ernest ...
, by his first wife Agnes, daughter of
Wolfgang I, Count of Barby-Mühlingen Wolfgang is a German male given name traditionally popular in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The name is a combination of the Old High German words ''wolf'', meaning "wolf", and ''gang'', meaning "path", "journey", "travel". Besides the regula ...
.


Life

In 1570, the nine-year-old Anna Maria succeeded her paternal aunt Elisabeth as Abbess of
Gernrode Gernrode () is a historic town and former municipality in the Harz District, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 January 2014, it has been part of Quedlinburg.Frose Frose is a village and a former municipality in the district of Salzlandkreis, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 15 July 2009, it is part of the town Seeland.Reichstag. In 1577, Anna Maria was relieved from her post as abbess in order to marry Joachim Frederick, eldest son and heir of
George II the Pious George II of Brieg (18 July 1523, in Legnica – 7 May 1586, in Brzeg), was a Duke of Brzeg from 1547 until his death. He was the second son of Frederick II, Duke of Legnica-Brzeg, by his second wife Sophie, daughter of Frederick I, Margrav ...
, Duke of
Brzeg Brzeg (; Latin: ''Alta Ripa'', German: ''Brieg'', Silesian German: ''Brigg'', , ) is a town in southwestern Poland with 34,778 inhabitants (December 2021) and the capital of Brzeg County. It is situated in Silesia in the Opole Voivodeship on the ...
. The wedding took place in Brzeg on 19 May of that year. Her successor as abbess was her younger sister Sibylla. Duke George II died in 1586 and was succeeded by his sons, but only in
Oława Oława (pronounced , , szl, Oława) is a historic town in south-western Poland with 33,029 inhabitants (2019). It is situated in Lower Silesian Voivodeship (from 1975–1998 it was in the former Wrocław Voivodeship), within the Wrocław me ...
and
Wołów Wołów (german: Wohlau, cz, Volov) is a town in Lower Silesian Voivodeship in south-western Poland. It is the seat of Wołów County and Gmina Wołów. It lies approximately north-west of the regional capital Wrocław. , the town has a popul ...
, because Brzeg was given to his wife Barbara of Brandenburg as her
dower Dower is a provision accorded traditionally by a husband or his family, to a wife for her support should she become widowed. It was settled on the bride (being gifted into trust) by agreement at the time of the wedding, or as provided by law. ...
. Anna Maria and her husband settled in Oława. Only three years later, in 1589, Anna Maria gave birth the first of the six children she produced during her marriage.Genealogical database by Herbert Stoyan
/ref> After the death of his brother John George in 1592, Joachim Frederick became sole ruler of Oława-Wołów. After John George's widow relinquished her dower lands in 1594 and Barbara of Brandenburg died in 1595, Joachim Frederick was finally able to re-unite the entire duchy. In his will, completed on 16 December 1595, he gave the district of
Oława Oława (pronounced , , szl, Oława) is a historic town in south-western Poland with 33,029 inhabitants (2019). It is situated in Lower Silesian Voivodeship (from 1975–1998 it was in the former Wrocław Voivodeship), within the Wrocław me ...
to his wife as her dower. Joachim Frederick died on 25 March 1602. Anna Maria assumed the regency on behalf of their two surviving sons, John Christian and George Rudolf, who were minors at that time. In addition to her position as regent, she was the reigning Duchess of Oława. Anna Maria died only three years after her husband. Because her sons were still underage, she was succeeded in the regency by her sister-in-law Elisabeth Magdalena of Brieg and her husband Charles II of Poděbrady, Duke of
Ziębice Ziębice (german: Münsterberg) is a town in Ząbkowice Śląskie County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. The town lies on the Oława River, approximately east of Ząbkowice Śląskie and south of the regional capital ...
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Oleśnica Oleśnica (pronounced ; german: Oels; szl, Ôleśnica) is a town in Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland, within the Wrocław metropolitan area. It is the administrative seat of Oleśnica County and also of the rural district of ...
, until 1609, when John Christian attained his majority and assumed the government by himself.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Anna Maria of Anhalt 1561 births 1605 deaths Duchesses of Legnica House of Ascania Gernrode Daughters of monarchs