Dietrich of Anhalt-Dessau
Encyclopedia
Dietrich of Anhalt-Dessau (b. Dessau
, 2 August 1702 - d. Dessau, 2 December 1769), was a German prince of the House of Ascania and later regent of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau
. He was also a Prussian Generalfeldmarschall
.
Dietrich was the third son of Leopold I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
, by his morganatic wife Anna Louise Föse.
in Anhalt-Dessau in 1727 left Dietrich without any chance to take part in the government of Dessau. Because his oldest brother, the Hereditary Prince William Gustav
, had already died before his father, the second brother, Leopold Maximilian, inherited the princely title and government. After the latter's death in 1751, the succession passed to his eleven-year-old son Leopold Frederick Franz
. Dietrich acted as regent of Anhalt-Dessau on behalf of his nephew until 1758, when Leopold Frederick Franz was proclaimed an adult and assumed the government of his principality.
Dietrich never married or had children. Later, his palace in Dessau was used by a progressive school, "The Philanthropinum
".
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:...
, 2 August 1702 - d. Dessau, 2 December 1769), was a German prince of the House of Ascania and later regent of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau
Anhalt-Dessau
Anhalt-Dessau was a principality and later a duchy located in Germany. It was created in 1396 following the partition of the Principality of Anhalt-Zerbst. The capital of the state was Dessau. Anhalt-Dessau experienced a number of partitions throughout its existence with Anhalt-Köthen being...
. He was also a Prussian Generalfeldmarschall
Generalfeldmarschall
Field Marshal or Generalfeldmarschall in German, was a rank in the armies of several German states and the Holy Roman Empire; in the Austrian Empire, the rank Feldmarschall was used...
.
Dietrich was the third son of Leopold I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
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...
, by his morganatic wife Anna Louise Föse.
Life
The introduction of primogeniturePrimogeniture
Primogeniture is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn to inherit the entire estate, to the exclusion of younger siblings . Historically, the term implied male primogeniture, to the exclusion of females...
in Anhalt-Dessau in 1727 left Dietrich without any chance to take part in the government of Dessau. Because his oldest brother, the Hereditary Prince William Gustav
William Gustav of Anhalt-Dessau
William Gustav of Anhalt-Dessau , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and heir to the principality of Anhalt-Dessau....
, had already died before his father, the second brother, Leopold Maximilian, inherited the princely title and government. After the latter's death in 1751, the succession passed to his eleven-year-old son Leopold Frederick Franz
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...
. Dietrich acted as regent of Anhalt-Dessau on behalf of his nephew until 1758, when Leopold Frederick Franz was proclaimed an adult and assumed the government of his principality.
Dietrich never married or had children. Later, his palace in Dessau was used by a progressive school, "The Philanthropinum
Philanthropinum
The Philanthropinum was a reformist, progressive school in Dessau, Germany from 1774–93.-History:...
".