George II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (1454 – 25 April 1509) 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 th ...

. He was the fourth 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 o ...

, as second-born child of his fourth wife Anna, daughter of Albert VIII, Count of Lindow-Ruppin.

Life

After the death of his father in 1474, George inherited Anhalt-Dessau alongside his older brothers Ernest I and

Sigismund III Sigismund III Vasa ( pl, Zygmunt III Waza, lt, Žygimantas Vaza; 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 and Grand Duke of Finland from 1592 to ...

and his younger brother Rudolph IV. Following the family law of the House of Ascania, this did not involve a division of the territories within the principality. During life of his father, George was made "Mitherr" (co-ruler) of Köthen (1471) alongside his elder half-brother Waldemar VI, but soon resigned in Waldemar's favor. In 1480 he was made "Lord of Hoym and Wörlitz" and appointed "

Pfandherr In German nobility, a PfandherrCampe 1809, S. 610: "Pfandherr. Der Herr, Inhaber eines Pfandes, auf welches er einem Andern Geld geliehen hat, oder welches ihm sonst für etwas Sicherheit leistet; der Pfandinhaber, Pfandhaber". (Pledge Lord) was a ...

of Crossen, Cottbus and Peitz," a post he held until 1508. In 1478 George married Agnes (ca. 1434 – Bernburg, 9 May 1512), daughter of

Barnim VIII, Duke of Pomerania Barnim VIII, Duke of Pomerania (between 1405 and 1407 – between 15 and 19 December 1451)
at www.ruegenwalde.com'

, and widow of

Frederick of Altmark Frederick III of Brandenburg, nicknamed the Fat, also the Younger (born: ; died: 6 October 1463 in Tangermünde) was Margrave of Brandenburg and Lord of the Altmark. Life Frederick was the youngest son of the Elector Frederick I of Brandenburg ( ...

, son of

Frederick I, Elector of Brandenburg Frederick (Middle High German: ''Friderich','' Standard German: ''Friedrich''; 21 September 1371 – 20 September 1440) was the last Burgrave of Nuremberg from 1397 to 1427 (as Frederick VI), Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach from 1398, Margr ...

. She was almost twenty years his senior and their union was childless, although some sources assert the existence of a child who was either stillborn or died shortly after the birth. On his death, George was succeeded by his surviving brothers and co-rulers Ernest I and Rudolph IV. {{DEFAULTSORT:George II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau Princes of Anhalt-Dessau 1454 births 1509 deaths