Ernest I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (died

Dessau Dessau is a district of the independent city of Dessau-Roßlau in Saxony-Anhalt at the confluence of the rivers Mulde and Elbe, in the ''States of Germany, Bundesland'' (Federal State) of Saxony-Anhalt. Until 1 July 2007, it was an independent ...

, 12 June 1516), was a German prince of the

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

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 th ...

. He was the second son of

George I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau George I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau ( – 21 September 1474), was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau. He was the second son of Sigismund I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau, by his wife Judith, daughter ...

, yet the first born by his fourth wife Anna, daughter of Albert VIII, Count of Lindow-Ruppin.

Life

In 1473, after the death of his father, Ernest inherited the principality of Anhalt-Dessau alongside his younger brothers George II,

Sigismund III Sigismund III Vasa (, ; 20 June 1566 – 30 April 1632 N.S.) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1587 to 1632 and, as Sigismund, King of Sweden from 1592 to 1599. He was the first Polish sovereign from the House of Vasa. Relig ...

, and Rudolph IV. Following the family law of the House of Ascania, the accession took place without any division of territories. The deaths of Sigismund III in 1487, George II in 1509, and Rudolph IV in 1510 without surviving male issue left Ernest as the sole ruler of Anhalt-Dessau until his death.

Marriage and issue

Cottbus Cottbus () or (;) is a university city and the second-largest city in the German state of Brandenburg after the state capital, Potsdam. With around 100,000 inhabitants, Cottbus is the most populous city in Lusatia. Cottbus lies in the Sorbian ...

on 20 January 1494 Ernest married

Margarete Margarete is a German feminine given name. It is derived from Ancient Greek ''margarites'' (μαργαρίτης), meaning "the pearl". Via the Latin ''margarita'', it arrived in the German sprachraum. Related names in English include Daisy, ...

(b. Breslau, 25 August 1473 – d. Dessau, 28 June 1530), daughter of

Henry I, Duke of Münsterberg-Oels Henry the Elder of Münsterberg (also called ''Henry I of Münsterberg'', ''Henry I of Oels''; or ; or ; 1448 – 1498, Kłodzko) was an Imperial Count and Count of Kladsko. He was also Duke of Silesian duchies Münsterberg and Oels and 1465 ...

, and granddaughter of

George of Poděbrady George of Kunštát and Poděbrady (23 April 1420 – 22 March 1471), also known as Poděbrad or Podiebrad (; ), was the sixteenth King of Bohemia, who ruled in 1458–1471. He was a leader of the Hussites, but moderate and tolerant toward the ...

, King of

Bohemia Bohemia ( ; ; ) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. In a narrow, geographic sense, it roughly encompasses the territories of present-day Czechia that fall within the Elbe River's drainage basin, but historic ...

. They had four sons: #Thomas (b. Dessau, 27 November 1503 – d. 1503). # John V, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau, later

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 Lan ...

(b. Dessau, 4 September 1504 – d. Zerbst, 4 February 1551). #

George III, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau George III, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (15 August 1507 – 17 October 1553), was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau, and also a Protestant Reformer. After 1544 he became the first ruler of the ...

, later Anhalt-Plötzkau (b. Dessau, 15 August 1507 – d. Dessau, 17 October 1553). #

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 Anh ...

(b. Dessau, 7 August 1509 – d. Dessau, 6 December 1561).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ernest 01, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau Princes of Anhalt-Dessau House of Ascania 1516 deaths Year of birth unknown