House of Ascania

Anhalt Duchy Gun Shield.

Shield of arms of the family of the princes of Anhalt since the centuryXIII.

The House of Ascania (German: Askanier) is a dynasty of German rulers. It is also known as the Anhalt House, after Anhalt, the possession they held the longest.

The Ascanids are named after the nearby palace of Ascania (or Ascaria), Schloss Askanien, which is named after Aschersleben (Aschania), in the current state of Saxony-Anhalt. The palace was the seat of the county of Ascania, a title later subsumed under the titles of the Prince of Anhalt.

History

The Ascanids are, along with those of the House of Wettin and the Guelphs, one of the most important and influential families in medieval Saxony.

The earliest known member of the house, Esiko, Count of Ballenstedt (d. c. 1060), first appears in a document from 1036, and is assumed to have been a grandson (via his mother) of Odo I (margrave of the East Saxon March). Beginning with Otto, the Ascanids inherited large estates in the East Saxon March.

Esiko's grandson was Otto of Ballenstedt, who died in 1123. By his marriage to Eilika, daughter of Magnus, Duke of Saxony, the Ascanids became heirs to half the property of the former House of Billung. Dukes of Saxony, having been Magnus Billung as regent of King Lothair III of Supplinburg, holder of the duchy.

But really the true founder of the dynasty is Otto's son, Albert the Bear (Albrecht I der Bär). On the death of his father in 1123 he receives the county of Ballenstedt. Vassal of King Lothair III, he is in charge of controlling the North Mark (Nordmark), from which he conquered the principality of the Wendos in 1134, proclaiming himself Margrave of Brandenburg from 1140 on from his last Wend ruler, Pribislav, in 1157, and he became the first ascanid margrave. In 1138, King Conrad III deposed the Welf duke of Saxony, Henry the Proud, and gave the title to Albert. Thus he became, with the help of his mother's inheritance, the first Aschanian duke of Saxony in 1139. But he soon had to cede rule of Saxony to his Guelph rival. In 1142 he must renounce, by decision of the new Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa, the duchy in favor of Henry's son, Henry the Lion, although he annexed part of the duchy to his Brandenburg possessions. In 1140 he receives from his cousin, the Count Palatine of the Rhine, the county of Weimar-Orlamünde.

Alberto and his descendants of the House of Ascania then made considerable progress in Christianizing and Germanizing the lands. Being a borderland between the Germanic and Slavic cultures, the country was known as a brand.

When Albert the Bear died in 1170, his domains were divided among his sons, and the Ascanians controlled much of eastern and central Saxony in their different lines.

The sons of Alberto el Oso divided the territory and the family into different branches:

• Margrave Oton I of Brandenburg. It promoted the expansion of the ascánids, who continued the expansion to the east (Drang nach Osten) leading the border of the Margraviate of Brandenburg to the Oder (1300). In 1253 and from 1262 to 1319 they were also lords of Oberlausitz. The line was extinguished in 1320 with Enrique el Joven.
• The second son, Bernardo (h. 1140-1212), received the county of Anhalt and Ballenstedt, in addition to the lordship of Bernburg. From 1180 he became Duke of Saxony.
• The third son, Herman (1140-1176) founded the new line of the Counts of Weimar-Orlamünde in Turingia, where the fourth main line is established Ascania-Weimar-Orlamundewhich continued until the centuryXV.
• Archbishop Sigfrido I of Bremen.

The struggles between Henry the Lion and Frederick I Barbarossa ended with the victory of the emperor, who dismembered the Duchy of Saxony, leaving the eastern part in the hands of Bernard of Anhalt, and named him the new Duke of Saxony in 1180. His children Territories were divided up, thus creating two new lines. With Henry I the line Ascania-Anhalt begins and with Alberto, the line Ascania-Saxony. The Ascanids returned to rule the duchy of Saxony, which had been reduced to its eastern half by the emperor. However, even in eastern Saxony, roundworms could establish control only in limited areas, most of them near the Elbe River.

In 1237 and 1244 two cities, Cölln and Berlin were founded during the rule of Otto and John, grandsons of the margrave Albert the Bear (later they were united into one city, Berlin). The emblem of the House of Ascania, red eagle and bear, became heraldic emblems of Berlin. In 1320 the Berlin ascanid line died out.

In the 13th century, the principality of Anhalt broke away from the duchy. Later, the rest of the state (Ascania-Saxony line) was divided in turn into two duchies: Saxe-Wittenberg (Upper Saxony) and Saxe-Lauenburg (Lower Saxony). The former received electoral privilege by the Golden Bull in 1356, which prevented the duchy from fragmenting. The last Elector, Albert III, died without issue (1422) and electoral Saxony passed to Frederick I of Meissen from the house of Wettin.

Lower Saxony remained in the hands of the Ascanids until the end of the 17th century (1689), sometimes divided into several lines (Ratzenburg, Bergedorf) and little by little its presence decreased due to pressure from the Hannover, the Wettin and the Oldenburg.

The Ascanids continued to rule the smaller state of Anhalt and its various subdivisions until the monarchy was abolished in 1918.

The Ascania-Anhalt line is the most complex and was originally subdivided into three lines, Anhalt-Aschersleben, Anhalt-Bernburg and Anhalt-Zerbst. The Anhalt-Dessau and Anhalt-Köthen branches come from the latter, which will be unified around the 15th century. Again, five lines will be formed from the Anhalt-Dessau line that will govern the Anhalt microstates until, in 1863, Leopold Frederick of Anhalt-Dessau unified the duchy. His successors ruled Anhalt until German unification in 1918.

Ascania (Counts of Ballenstedt)

• Adalbert I (Adalbert I), Count of Ballenstedt, Lord of Nienburg and Hagerode
• Esiko I, count of Ballenstedt, Lord of Nienburg and Hagerode
• Adalberto II (Adalbert II), count of Ballenstedt, Lord of Nienburg and Hagerode (house with Adelheid von Orlamunde)
• Oton I el RicoCount of Ballenstedt, Duke of Saxony (1112-1123), Count of Anhalt (house with Eilika Billung of Saxony)
• Alberto I der BäreCount of Ballenstedt, Duke of Saxony (1137-1142), Margrave of Nordmark (1134-1157), Count of Weimar-Orlamünde (1140-1170), Margrave of Brandenburg (1140-1170)

Ascania-Brandenburg

• Alberto I The BearMargrave of Brandenburg (1134-1170)
• Oton I (Otto I)Margrave of Brandenburg (1170-1184)
• Oton II (Otto II der Freigiebige)Margrave of Brandenburg (1184-1205)
• Alberto II (Albrecht II.)Margrave of Brandenburg (1205-1220)

Ascania-Brandenburg-Stendal

• Juan I (Johann I)Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal (1220-1267)
• John II (Johann II)Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal (1266-1281)
• Conrado I (Konrad I)Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal (1266-1304)
• Oton IV (Otto IV mit dem Pfeil)Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal (1266-1309)
• Enrique I (Heinrich) Without EarthMargrave of Brandenburg-Stendal (1266-1318)
• Oton VII (Otto VII Templer)Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal (1291-1297)
• John IV (Johann IV der Mitregent)Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal (1304-1305)
• Conrado II (Konrad II)Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal (1308-1319)
• Valdemar (Waldemar)Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal (1308-1319)
• Henry II (Heinrich II. der Jüngere)Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal (1318-1320)

Ascania-Brandenburg-Salzwedel

• Oton III (Otto III der Fromme)Margrave of Brandenburg-Salzwedel (1220-1267)
• John III (Johann III der Prager)Margrave of Brandenburg-Salzwedel (1267-1268)
• Oton V (Otto V der Lange)Margrave of Brandenburg-Salzwedel (1267-1299)
• Oton VI (Otto VI der Kleine)Margrave of Brandenburg-Salzwedel (1267-1286)
• Alberto III (Albrecht III)Margrave of Brandenburg-Salzwedel (1267-1300)
• Germán I der LangeMargrave of Brandenburg-Salzwedel (1298-1308)
• Juan V (Johann V der Erlauchte)Margrave of Brandenburg-Salzwedel (1308-1317)

Ascania-Saxony

• Oton "the Rico" Otto I der Reiche, Duke of Saxony (1112-1123)
• Alberto "the Bear" Albrecht I. der BärMargrave of Brandenburg and Duke of Saxony (1123-1142)
• Bernardo I (III) Bernhard III., Duke of Saxony (1180-1212)
• Alberto I (II) Albrecht II., Duke of Saxony (1212-1261)

Ascania-Saxony-Wittenberg

• Alberto II (Albrecht III. Degener, Duke of Saxony-Wittenberg (1260-1298), Elector (1265-1274)
• Rodolfo I (Rudolf I.)Prince of Saxony-Wittenberg (1298-1356)
• Rodolfo II "the Blind" (Rudolf II.)Prince of Saxony-Wittenberg (1256-1370)
• Venceslao I (Wendelf)Prince of Saxony-Wittenberg (1370-1388)
• Rodolfo III (Rudolf III)Prince of Saxony-Wittenberg (1388-1419)
• Alberto III (Albrecht IV. der Arme)Prince of Saxony-Wittenberg (1419-1422)

Saxony-Lauenburg

• Juan I (Johann I), Duke of Saxony-Lauenburg (1260-1286)
  • Ascania-Saxonia-Molln-Bergedorf
• John II (Johann II), Duke of Saxony-Molln-Bergedorf (1305-1322)
• Alberto IV (Albrecht IV), Duke of Saxony-Molln-Bergedorf (1321-1343)
• John III (Johann III), Duke of Saxony-Molln-Bergedorf (1343-1359)
• Alberto V (Albrecht V), Duke of Saxony-Molln-Bergedorf (1359-1370)
• Erico III (Erich III), Duke of Saxony-Molln-Bergedorf (1370-1401)
  • Ascania-Sajonia-Lauenburg
• Eric IV (Erich IV), Duke of Saxony-Lauenburg (1401-1412)
• Erico V (Erich V), Duke of Saxony-Lauenburg (1412-1436)
• Bernardo II (III) (Berhard II), Duke of Saxony-Lauenburg (1436-1463)
• Juan V (Johann V), Duke of Saxony-Lauenburg (1463-1507)
• Magnus I, Duke of Saxony-Lauenburg (1507-1543)
• Francisco I (Franz I), Duke of Saxony-Lauenburg (1543-1581)
• Magnus II, Duke of Saxony-Lauenburg (1581-1603)
• Francis II (Franz II), Duke of Saxony-Lauenburg (1603-1619)
• Augusto (August), Duke of Saxony-Lauenburg (1619-1656)
• Julio Enrique (Julius Heinrich)the Duke of Saxony-Lauenburg (1656-1665)
• Francisco Erdmann (Franz Erdmann), Duke of Saxony-Lauenburg (1665-1666)
• Julio Francisco (Julius Franz), Duke of Saxony-Lauenburg (1666-1689)

Ascania-Saxony-Ratzenburg

• Alberto III (Albrecht III)duke Saxony-Ratzenburg (1286-1308)
• Erico I (Erich I), Duke of Saxony-Ratzenburg (1308-1361)
• Erico II (Erich II), Duke of Saxony-Ratzenburg (1361-1368)
• Eric IV (Erich IV), Duke of Saxony-Ratzenburg (1368-1401)
• John IV (Johann IV), Duke of Saxony-Ratzenburg (1401-1414)

Ascania-Anhalt

• Bernard III (Berhard III)Count of Anhalt (1170-1212)
• Enrique I (Heinrich I der Fette)Count of Anhalt (1212-1218), Prince (1218-1252)

Ascania-Anhalt-Aschersleben

• Henry II (Heinrich II)Prince of Anhalt-Aschersleben (1252-1266)
• Henry III (Heinrich III)Prince of Anhalt-Aschersleben (1266-1283)
• Oton I (Otto I)Prince of Anhalt-Aschersleben (1266-1304)
• Oton II (Otto II)Prince of Anhalt-Aschersleben (1304-1315)

Ascania-Anhalt-Bernburg

• Bernardo I (Bernhard I)Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg (1252-1287)
• Juan I (Johann I)Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg (1287-1291)
• Bernard II (Bernhard II)Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg (1287-1318)
• Bernard III (Bernhard III)Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg (1318-1348)
• Bernard IV (Bernhard IV)Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg (1348-1354)
• Henry IV (Heinrich IV)Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg (1354-1374)
• Oton III (Otto III)Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg (1374-1404)
• Oton IV (Otto IV)Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg (1404-1415)
• Bernardo V (Bernhard V)Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg (1404-1420)
• Bernardo VI (Bernhard VI)Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg (1404-1468)

Ascania-Anhalt-Zerbst

• Sigfried I (Siegrifried I)Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst (1252-1298)
• Alberto I (Albrecht I)Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst (1298-1316)
• Alberto II (Albrecht II)Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst (1316-1362)
• Alberto III (Albrecht III)Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst (1359-1359)
• Valdemar I (Waldemar I)Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst (1316-1367)
• Valdemar II (Waldemar II)Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst (1367-1370)
• Juan I (Johann I)Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst (1362-1382)
• Valdemar III (Waldemar III)Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst (1382-1392)
• Sigmund I (Siegmund I)Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst (1382-1396)
• Valdemar IV (Waldemar IV)Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst (1382-1396)

Anhalt-Köthen

• Valdemar IV (Waldemar IV)Prince of Anhalt-Köthen (1396-1424)
• Valdemar V (Waldemar V)Prince of Anhalt-Köthen (1424-1436)
• Adolfo I (Adolf I)Prince of Anhalt-Köthen (1424-1473)
• Alberto V (Albrecht V)Prince of Anhalt-Köthen (1424-1475)
• Valdemar VI (Waldemar VI)Prince of Anhalt-Köthen (1475-1508)
• Wolfgang I (Wolfgang I)Prince of Anhalt-Köthen (1508-1552)

Anhalt-Dessau

• Segismundo I (Siegmund I)Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (1396-1405)
• Valdemar IV (Waldemar IV)Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (1405-1424)
• Alberto VI (Albrecht VI)Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (1405-1448)
• Second world (Siegmund II)Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (1405-1448)
• Jorge I (Georg I)Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (1405-1471)
• Second world III (Siegmund III)Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (1471-1487)
• Jorge II (Georg II)Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (1471-1509)
• Ernesto I (Ernst I)Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (1471-1516)
• John II (Johann II)Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (1516-1544)
• Jorge III (Georg III)Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (1516-1544)
• Joaquin I (Joachim I)Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (1516-1561)

Anhalt-Dessau-Zerbst

• John V (or IV) (Johann II), Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst (1544-1551)
• Carlos I (Karl)Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst (1551-1561)
• Bernardo VII (Berhhard VII)Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst (1551-1570)
• Joaquín Ernesto (Joachim II Ernest)Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst (1551-1586)
• Rodolfo I, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst (1586-1621)
• John VI, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst (1621-1667)
• Charles Guillermo, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst (1667-1717)
• John Augusto, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst (1717-1742)
• John Louis II, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst (1742-1746)
• Cristián Augusto, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst (1742-1747)
• Federico Augusto (Friedrich August)Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst (1747-1793)

Anhalt-Dessau-Zerbst-Mühlingen

• Antonio Gunter (Anton Gunther)Prince of Anhalt-Mühlingen (1667-1714)

Anhalt-Dessau-Zerbst-Dornburg

• Juan Luis I, Prince of Anhalt-Dornburg (1667-1704)
• John Louis II, Prince of Anhalt-Dornburg (1704-1742)
• Cristián Augusto, Prince of Anhalt-Dornburg (1704-1742)

Anhalt-Dessau-Köthen

• Luis I (Ludwig I)Prince of Anhalt-Köthen (1586-1649)
• Guillermo Luis (Wilhelm Ludwig)Prince of Anhalt-Köthen (1649-1665)
• Lebrecht, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen (1653-1669)
• Manuel (Emmanuel)Prince of Anhalt-Köthen (1669-1670)
• Manuel Lebrecht (Emanuel Lebrecht)Prince of Anhalt-Köthen (1670-1704)
• Leopoldo, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen (1704-1728)
• Augusto II Luis (August II Ludwig)Prince of Anhalt-Köthen (1728-1755)
• Carlos Jorge Lebrecht (Karl Georg Lebrecht)Prince of Anhalt-Köthen (1755-1789)
• August III (August III Christian Friedrich)Prince of Anhalt-Köthen (1789-1806), Duke of Anhalt-Köthen (1806-12)
• Louis II Augusto (Ludwig II August Karl Friedrich Emil), Duke of Anhalt-Köthen (1812-1818)
• Federico (Friedrich Ferdinand), Duke of Anhalt-Köthen (1818-1830)
• Enrique (Heinrich), Duke of Anhalt-Köthen (1830-1840)

Anhalt-Dessau-Köthen-Pless

• Federico Erdmann (Friedrich Erdmann)Prince of Anhalt-Pless (1755-1797)
• Federico (Friedrich Ferdinand)Prince of Anhalt-Pless (1797-1818)
• Enrique (Heinrich)Prince of Anhalt-Pless (1818-1830)
• Luis (Ludwig III)Prince of Anhalt-Pless (1830-1841)

Anhalt-Dessau-Plötzkau

• Augusto (August)Prince of Anhalt-Plötzkau (1586-1653)
• Ernesto Gottlieb (Ernst Gottlieb)Prince of Anhalt-Plötzkau (1653-1654)

Anhalt-Dessau-Dessau

• Juan Jorge I (Johann Georg I)Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (1586-1618).
• Juan Casimiro (Johann Kasimir)Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (1618-1660).
• Juan Jorge II (Johann Georg II)Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (1660-1693).
• Leopoldo I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (1693-1747).
• Leopoldo II Maximilian, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (1747-1751).
• Leopoldo III (Leopold III Friedrich Franz)Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (1747-1807), Duke of Anhalt-Dessau (1807-1817).
• Leopoldo IV (Leopold IV Friedrich), Duke of Anhalt-Dessau (1817-1863), Duke of Anhalt reunified (1863-1871).
• Federico I (Leopold Franz Nikolaus), Duke of Anhalt-Dessau (1871-1904).
• Federico II (Leopold Eduard Karl Alexander), Duke of Anhalt-Dessau (1904-1918).
• Eduardo Jorge Guillermo, Duke of Anhalt-Dessau (1918).
• Joaquín Ernesto II Wilhelm Karl Albrecht Leopold Friedrich Moritz ErdmannDuque de Anhalt-Dessau (1918).

Anhalt-Dessau-Dessau-Wörlitz

• Jorge Ariberto (Georg Aribert)Prince of Anhalt-Wörlitz (1618-1643).

Anhalt-Dessau-Bernburg

• Cristián I, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg (1586-1630)
• Cristián II, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg (1630-1656)
• Victor Amadeo, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg (1658-1718)
• Charles Federico, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg (1718-1721)
• Victor Federico, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg (1721-1765)
• Federico Alberto, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg (1765-1796)
• Alejo Federico Cristián, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg (1796-1806), Duke of Anhalt-Bernburg(1806-34)
• Alejandro Carlos, Duke of Anhalt-Bernburg (1834-1863)

Anhalt-Dessau-Bernburg-Harzgerode

• Federico (Friedrich)Prince of Anhalt-Harzgerode (1653-1670)
• Guillermo Luis (Wilhelm Ludwig)Prince of Anhalt-Harzgerode (1670-1709)

Anhalt-Dessau-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym

• Lebrecht, Prince of Anhalt-Zeitz-Hoym (1718-1727)
• Victor Amadeo Adolfo, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym (1727-1772)
• Carlos Luis, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym (1772-1806)
• Victor Carlos Federico, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym (1806-1812)
• Frederick, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym (1812)

Anhalt Jever

• Sofia Augusta de Anhalt-Zerbst (Cataline II of Russia), Ms. de Jever (1793-1798)
• Zar Pablo I of Russia, Mr. de Jever (1798-1801)
• Zar Alexander I of Russia, Mr. de Jever (1801-1807)
• Occupation by Napoleon I (1807)

Ascania-Weimar-Orlamunde

• Adelaide (Adelheid)Weimar-Orlamunde Countess (1067-1100)
• Sigfried I (Siegfried I)Count of Weimar-Orlamunde (1100-1113)
• Sigfried II (Siegfried II)Count of Weimar-Orlamunde (1113-1124)
• Guillermo V (Wilhelm V)Count of Weimar-Orlamunde (1124-1140)
• Alberto I (Albrecht I der Bäre)Count of Weimar-Orlamunde (1140-1170)
• Herman I (Hermann I)count of Orlamunde (1167-1176)
• Dietrich (Dietrich)Count of Weimar-Burgweben (1170-1183)
• Henry II (Heinrich II)Count of Weimar (1176-1211)
• Sigfried III (Siegfried III)Count of Weimar-Orlamunde (1176-1211)
• Alberto II (Albrecht II)Count of Weimar-Orlamunde (1211-1247)

Weimar

• Oton III, Earl of Weimar (1247-1283)
• Alberto III, Earl of Weimar (1253-1285)
• Herman III, Earl of Weimar (1285-1321)
• Frederick II, Earl of Weimar-Weimar (1321-1365)
• Herman IV, Earl of Weimar-Wiehe (1321-1372)

Orlamunde

• Hermann II, Count of Orlamunde (1247-1295)
• Heinrich II, Earl of Orlamunde (1295-1347)
• Heinrich III, Earl of Orlamunde (1347-?)
• Friedrich III, Earl of Orlamunde (1347-1391)
• Heinrich IV, Earl of Orlamunde (1391-1411)

Grafenthal

• Hermann IV, count of Gräfenthal (1295-1321)
• Otto X, count of Gräfenthal-Lauestein (1321-1334)
• Friedrich III, count of Gräfenthal-Lauestein (1334-1363)
• Otto XI, count of Gräfenthal-Lauestein (1363-1406)
• Otto XII, count of Gräfenthal-Lichtenkamm (1406-1426)
• Siegmund, Count of Lichtenburg-Magdala (1406-1447)
• Otto XIII, Count of Lichtenburg-Magdala (1447-1460)
• Wilhelm VI, Count of Lauenstein-Schaunforst (1406-1440)
• Friedrich IV, count of Lauenstein-Schaunforst (1440-1467)