Victor Amadeus of Anhalt-Bernburg (6 October 1634 in

Harzgerode Harzgerode is a town in the district of Harz in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Geography Harzgerode lies in the lower eastern part of the Harz mountain range on the Selke River, south of Quedlinburg. It is connected to Gernrode and Quedlinburg via ...

– 14 February 1718 in

Bernburg Bernburg (Saale) () is a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, capital of the Salzlandkreis district. The former residence of the Anhalt-Bernburg princes is known for its Renaissance castle. Geography The town centre is situated in the fertile Magdeb ...

), 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-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 ...

. He was the sixth (but second surviving) son of

Christian II, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg Christian II of Anhalt-Bernburg (11 August 1599, in Amberg – 22 September 1656, in Bernburg), was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Bernburg. He was the second (but eldest surviving) son of Christi ...

, by his wife Eleonore Sophie, daughter of

John the Younger, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg John the Younger (; ; 25 March 1545 – 9 October 1622) was the duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg. Biography John was born on 25 March 1545 at Koldinghus Castle in Jutland, Denmark as the fourth child and third son of King Christian III ...

Life

The death of his older brother, the Hereditary Prince Erdmann Gideon (4 April 1649), made Victor Amadeus the new heir of his father, whom he succeeded seven years later, in 1656. Four years after that, the death of his younger and only surviving brother Karl Ursinus left him as the only living agnate of the main line of Anhalt-Bernburg; the next heirs, until the birth of his children, were his uncle

Frederick, Prince of Anhalt-Harzgerode Frederick of Anhalt-Harzgerode (16 November 1613, Ensdorf, Bavaria – 30 June 1670, Plötzkau), was a German prince of the House of Ascania and the first ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Harzgerode. He was the fourth (but third survi ...

, and his only son William Louis. In 1665, upon the death without heirs of

William Louis, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen William Louis of Anhalt-Köthen (3 August 1638, in Köthen – 13 April 1665, in Köthen), was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Köthen. Early life He was the second son of Louis I, Prince of ...

, the territories and title of the latter were taken over by his cousins

Emmanuel Immanuel or Emmanuel (, "God swith us"; Koine Greek: ) is a Hebrew name that appears in the Book of Isaiah (7:14) as a sign that God will protect the House of David. The Gospel of Matthew ( Matthew 1:22 –23) interprets this as a prophecy of ...

and Lebrecht, the co-rulers of Anhalt-Plötzkau, whose territories were returned to Anhalt-Bernburg (from which they had originally been extracted) under Victor Amadeus. In 1709, he inherited the territories of the principality of Anhalt-Harzgerode upon the death of William Louis, who had been its ruler.

Marriage and issue

In Meisenheim am Glan on 16 October 1667 Victor Amadeus married Elisabeth (b. Meisenheim, 22 March 1642 - d. Bernburg, 18 April 1677), daughter of Frederick, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken. They had six children: #

Karl Frederick, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg Karl Frederick of Anhalt-Bernburg (13 July 1668 – 22 April 1721) was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Bernburg. He was born in Bernburg, the eldest son of Victor Amadeus, Prince of Anhalt-Ber ...

(b. Bernburg, 13 July 1668 - d.

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 ...

, 22 April 1721). #

Lebrecht, Prince of Anhalt-Zeitz-Hoym Lebrecht, Prince of Anhalt-Zeitz-Hoym (Bernburg, 28 June 1669 – Bad Ems, 17 May 1727), was a German prince of the House of Ascania. The second son of Victor Amadeus, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg and Elizabeth of Palatinate-Zweibrücken, he marrie ...

, later

Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym (originally Anhalt-Zeitz-Hoym) was a German principality and member of the Holy Roman Empire. The death of Prince Victor Amadeus of Anhalt-Bernburg in 1718 resulted in the partition of his land, with his second so ...

(b. Bernburg, 28 June 1669 - d.

Bad Ems Bad Ems () is a town in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Rhein-Lahn rural district and is well known as a spa on the river Lahn. Bad Ems was the seat of Bad Ems collective municipality, which has been merged i ...

, 17 May 1727). #Sophie Juliane (b. Bernburg, 26 October 1672 - d. Bernburg, 21 August 1674). #John George (b. Bernburg, 14 February 1674 - killed in battle at Leuze, 9 September 1691). #Christian (b. Bernburg, 15 March 1675 - d. Bernburg, 30 December 1675). #A son (b and d. Bernburg, 18 April 1677). After the death of his wife during her sixth childbirth, Victor Amadeus remained a widower for the next forty-one years, until his death. {{DEFAULTSORT:Victor Amadeus 1634 births 1718 deaths People from Harzgerode People from Anhalt-Bernburg House of Ascania Princes of Anhalt-Bernburg Burials at Schlosskirche St. Aegidien (Bernburg)