Frederick Augustus, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst (8 August 1734 in Alt Stettin – 3 March 1793 in

Luxembourg Luxembourg, officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, is a landlocked country in Western Europe. It is bordered by Belgium to the west and north, Germany to the east, and France on the south. Its capital and most populous city, Luxembour ...

), 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 the last 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 Lan ...

before the family line went extinct.

Life

He was the second and sole surviving son of Christian Augustus, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst (since 1742 of all

) by his wife

Johanna Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp Joanna Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp (24 October 1712 – 30 May 1760) was a member of the German House of Holstein-Gottorp, a princess consort of Anhalt-Zerbst by marriage, and the regent of Anhalt-Zerbst from 1747 to 1752 on behalf of her mino ...

, daughter of Christian August of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp, Prince of Eutin (Prince- Bishop of Lubeck). He was also the younger brother of Catherine The Great. Frederick Augustus succeeded his father in Anhalt-Zerbst in 1747, at the age of thirteen. His mother, the Princess Johanna Elisabeth, acted as regent on his behalf until 1752. He was one of the sovereigns who supported

Britain Britain most often refers to: * Great Britain, a large island comprising the countries of England, Scotland and Wales * The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, a sovereign state in Europe comprising Great Britain and the north-eas ...

in the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

with soldiers, sending 1,228 men. His actions were opposed to the policy of the Holy Roman Emperor and to the moral sense of the age, but he received a substantial monetary compensation. In 1776 he granted religious tolerance in his lands. Due to a quarrel with the Kingdom of

Prussia Prussia (; ; Old Prussian: ''Prūsija'') was a Germans, German state centred on the North European Plain that originated from the 1525 secularization of the Prussia (region), Prussian part of the State of the Teutonic Order. For centuries, ...

, he was forced to flee into exile in

Basel Basel ( ; ), also known as Basle ( ), ; ; ; . is a city in northwestern Switzerland on the river Rhine (at the transition from the High Rhine, High to the Upper Rhine). Basel is Switzerland's List of cities in Switzerland, third-most-populo ...

and later

, where he died.

Marriages and succession

Zerbst Zerbst () is a List of cities and towns in Germany, 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 sit ...

on 17 November 1753 Frederick Augustus first married Caroline (b. Kassel, 10 May 1732 – d. Zerbst, 22 May 1759), daughter of Prince

Maximilian of Hesse-Kassel Maximilian of Hesse-Kassel (28 May 1689 – 8 May 1753) was a prince of Hesse-Kassel and a Generalfeldzeugmeister, Generalfeldmarschall and finally Reichsgeneralfeldmarschall in the army of the Holy Roman Empire. Life Maximilian was the nint ...

and granddaughter of

Charles I, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel Charles of Hesse-Kassel (; 3 August 1654 – 23 March 1730), member of the House of Hesse, was the Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel from 1670 to 1730. Childhood Charles was the second son of William VI, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel, and Hedwig Sophi ...

. The marriage was childless. In

Ballenstedt Ballenstedt is a town in the Harz district, in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. Geography It is situated at the northern rim of the Harz mountain range, about 10 km (6 mi) southeast of Quedlinburg. The municipal area comprises the vi ...

on 27 May 1764 Frederick Augustus married secondly Fredericka Auguste Sophie (b. Ballenstedt, 28 August 1744 – d. Coswig, 12 April 1827), daughter of

Victor Frederick, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg Victor Frederick of Anhalt-Bernburg (20 September 1700–18 May 1765), was a German prince of the House of Ascania. He was Reigning prince of the principality of Anhalt-Bernburg from 1721 to 1765. Life Victor Frederick was born on 20 Septe ...

. Like the first marriage, this union was childless. On his death the line of Anhalt-Zerbst became extinct and the succession to the principality was disputed between the other branches of

Anhalt-Bernburg Anhalt-Bernburg was a Princes of the Holy Roman Empire, principality of the Holy Roman Empire and a duchy of the German Confederation ruled by the House of Ascania with its residence at Bernburg in present-day Saxony-Anhalt. It emerged as a subd ...

Anhalt-Köthen Anhalt-Köthen was a Princes of the Holy Roman Empire, principality of the Holy Roman Empire ruled by the House of Ascania. It was created in 1396 when the Principality of Anhalt-Zerbst was partitioned between Anhalt-Dessau and Anhalt-Köthen. T ...

and

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 ...

; finally, in 1796 Anhalt-Zerbst was divided and ceased to exist. The dominion of

Jever Jever () is the capital of the district of Friesland (district), Friesland in Lower Saxony, Germany. The name Jever is usually associated with a major brand of beer, Jever Pilsener, which is produced there. The city is also a popular holiday res ...

(which was annexed to Zerbst by the marriage of Prince Rudolph with Magdalene of Oldenburg, heiress of that land) was ruled under the Semi-Salic Law; for this, was given to the Empress Catherine II of Russia, born Princess Sophie Friederike Auguste of Anhalt-Zerbst and Frederick Augustus's only surviving sibling. Her sister-in-law Princess Friederike Auguste Sophie of Anhalt-Bernburg ruled the territory of Jever as regent-governor on Catherine the Great's behalf until Napoleon's invasion in 1806.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Frederick Augustus, Prince Of Anhalt-Zerbst 1734 births 1793 deaths People from Szczecin Princes of Anhalt-Zerbst Generals of the Holy Roman Empire