Anhalt-Dessau was a principality and later a duchy located in Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

. It was created in 1396 following the partition of the Principality of Anhalt-Zerbst

Principality of Anhalt-Zerbst

Anhalt-Zerbst was a principality located in Germany. It was established for the first time in 1252 following the partition of the principality of Anhalt. The capital of the state was located at Zerbst. Anhalt-Zerbst ceased to exist in 1396 when it was partitioned between Anhalt-Dessau and...

. The capital of the state was Dessau

Dessau

Dessau is a town in Germany on the junction of the rivers Mulde and Elbe, in the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt. Since 1 July 2007, it is part of the merged town Dessau-Roßlau. Population of Dessau proper: 77,973 .-Geography:...

. Anhalt-Dessau experienced a number of partitions throughout its existence with Anhalt-Köthen

Anhalt-Köthen

Anhalt-Köthen has existed on two separate occasions. The first state was created in 1396 when the Anhalt-Zerbst was partitioned between Anhalt-Dessau and Anhalt-Köthen. The first creation lasted until 1552 when it was inherited by Anhalt-Dessau....

 being created in 1471. The principality was partitioned for a second time in 1544 with Anhalt-Zerbst, Anhalt-Plötzkau being created. From 1561 until 1603 Anhalt-Dessau was under the rule of the Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst, and in 1603 Anhalt-Dessau was recreated and it was raised to a duchy in 1807.

Following the death of the last Duke of Anhalt-Bernburg

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...

 in 1863 all of the Anhalt lands came under the rule of the Duke of Anhalt-Dessau who then took the new title of Duke of Anhalt for the newly created Duchy of Anhalt.

Princes of Anhalt-Dessau 1396-1561

• Sigismund I
  Sigismund I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
  Sigismund I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst until 1396, when he became the first ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau....
  
   1396–1405
• Waldemar IV
  Waldemar IV, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
  Waldemar IV, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau....
  
   1405–1417 (co-regent)
• Sigismund II
  Sigismund II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
  Sigismund II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau....
  
   1405–1452 (co-regent)
• Albert V
  Albert V, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
  Albert V, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau.He was the fifth son of Sigismund I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau, by his wife Judith, daughter of Gebhard XI, Count of Querfurt.-Life:After the death of his father in 1405,...
  
   1405–1469 (co-regent)
• George I
  George I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
  George I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau....
  
   1405–1474
• Ernest I
  Ernest I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
  Ernest I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau....
  
   1474–1516
• George II
  George II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
  George II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau....
  
   1474–1509 (co-regent)
• Sigismund III
  Sigismund III, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
  Sigismund III, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau....
  
   1474–1487 (co-regent)
• Rudolph IV
  Rudolph IV, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
  Rudolph IV, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau....
  
   1474–1510 (co-regent)
• John V
  John V, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
  John V of Anhalt-Zerbst , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau...
  
   1516–1544 (co-regent)
• George III
  George III, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
  George III, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau...
  
   1516–1544 (co-regent)
• Joachim I
  Joachim I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
  Joachim I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau...
  
   1516–1561

To Anhalt-Zerbst

Principality of Anhalt-Zerbst

Anhalt-Zerbst was a principality located in Germany. It was established for the first time in 1252 following the partition of the principality of Anhalt. The capital of the state was located at Zerbst. Anhalt-Zerbst ceased to exist in 1396 when it was partitioned between Anhalt-Dessau and...

 1561.

Princes of Anhalt-Dessau 1603-1807

• John George I
  John George I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
  John George I of Anhalt-Dessau was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the unified principality of Anhalt...
  
   1603–1618
• John Casimir
  John Casimir, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
  John Casimir, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau....
  
   1618–1660
• John George II
  John George II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
  John George II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau...
  
   1660–1693
  • Henriette Katharina of Orange-Nassau regent 1693-1697
• Leopold I
  Leopold I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
  Leopold I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau. He was also a Generalfeldmarschall in the Prussian army...
  
   1693–1747
• Leopold II 1747–1751
  • Prince Dietrich
    Dietrich of Anhalt-Dessau
    Dietrich of Anhalt-Dessau , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and later regent of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau...
    
     regent 1751-1758
• Leopold III
  Leopold III, Duke of Anhalt-Dessau
  Leopold III Frederick Franz, Duke of Anhalt-Dessau , known as "Prince Franz" or "Father Franz", was a German prince of the House of Ascania...
  
   1751–1807

Raised to Duchy 1807.

Dukes of Anhalt-Dessau 1807-1863

• Leopold III
  Leopold III, Duke of Anhalt-Dessau
  Leopold III Frederick Franz, Duke of Anhalt-Dessau , known as "Prince Franz" or "Father Franz", was a German prince of the House of Ascania...
  
   1807–1817
• Leopold IV
  Leopold IV, Duke of Anhalt
  Leopold IV Frederick, Duke of Anhalt was a German prince of the House of Ascania.From 1817 until 1853 he was ruler of the duchy of Anhalt-Dessau and from 1847 until 1853 also ruler of the duchy of Anhalt-Köthen...
  
   1817–1863

Renamed Duchy of Anhalt 1863.