Leberecht von Anhalt-Köthen (1622 - 1669)

Lebrecht of Anhalt-Köthen (

Plötzkau Plötzkau is a municipality in the district of Salzlandkreis, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Rus ...

, 8 April 1622 – Köthen, 7 November 1669), 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-Plötzkau. From 1665, he was ruler of the principality of

Anhalt-Köthen Anhalt-Köthen was a 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. The first creation lasted until 1562 ...

. He was the second son of

Augustus, Prince of Anhalt-Plötzkau Augustus of Anhalt-Plötzkau ( Dessau, 14 July 1575 – Plötzkau, 22 August 1653), was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the unified principality of Anhalt. From 1603, he was ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Plötzkau. ...

, by his wife Sibylle, daughter of

John George I, Count of Solms-Laubach John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...

Life

After the death of his father in 1653, Lebrecht inherited Plötzkau jointly with his older brother Ernest Gottlieb and his younger brother

Emmanuel Immanuel ( he, עִמָּנוּאֵל, 'Īmmānū'ēl, meaning, "God is with us"; also romanized: , ; and or in Koine Greek of the New Testament) is a Hebrew name that appears in the Book of Isaiah (7:14) as a sign that God will protect the ...

. With their principality, they also received the regency over Anhalt-Köthen on behalf of the infant Prince William Louis. While Lebrecht and Emmanuel held the regency, Ernest Gottlieb served as sole ruler over Plötzkau, but only for seven months until his death, unmarried and childless. Lebrecht continued as regent over Köthen until 1659, when William Louis was proclaimed of age and began to govern his principality. Lebrecht then returned to Plötzkau, where he ruled jointly with Emmanuel. The death of William Louis in 1665 without heirs changed the distribution of the existing Anhalt principalities: Lebrecht and his brother received Anhalt-Köthen, and Plötzkau was returned to

Anhalt-Bernburg Anhalt-Bernburg was a 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 subdivision from the Principality of ...

, from which it was originally extracted. In

on 18 January 1655 Lebrecht married Sophie Ursula Eleonore (b. Ortenberg, 2 October 1628 - d. Köthen, 13 September 1675), daughter of Henry Volrad, Count of Stolberg-Wernigerode. The union was childless. After four years of rule in Köthen, Lebrecht died without heirs and was succeeded by his younger brother and co-ruler Emmanuel. {{DEFAULTSORT:Lebrecht, Prince of Anhalt-Kothen Princes of Anhalt-Plötzkau Princes of Anhalt-Köthen 1622 births 1669 deaths