Leopold IV Frederick, Duke of Anhalt (1 October 1794 – 22 May 1871) was a German prince of the House of Ascania.
From 1817 until 1853 he was ruler of the duchy of
Anhalt-DessauAnhalt-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...
and from 1847 until 1853 also ruler of the duchy of
Anhalt-KöthenAnhalt-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....
. From 1853 until 1863 he was the ruler of the joined duchy of Anhalt-Dessau-Köthen and from 1863 the first ruler of the united duchy of Anhalt.
Early life
Leopold was born in
DessauDessau 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:...
on 1 October 1794 as the eldest son of Frederick, Hereditary Prince of Anhalt-Dessau, by his wife
Landgravine Amalie of Hesse-HomburgLandgravine Christiane Amalie of Hesse-Homburg, full German name: Christiane Amalie, Landgräfin von Hessen-Homburg was a member of the House of Hesse-Homburg and a Landgravine of Hesse-Homburg by birth...
, daughter of
Frederick V, Landgrave of Hesse-HomburgFrederick V Louis William Christian , Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg was from 1751 to his death landgrave of Hesse-Homburg...
.
Following the premature death of his father in 1814, he became heir to the duchy of Anhalt-Dessau.
Reign
Following the death of his grandfather
Leopold IIILeopold III Frederick Franz, Duke of Anhalt-Dessau , known as "Prince Franz" or "Father Franz", was a German prince of the House of Ascania...
he succeeded as duke on 9 August 1817.
The Duke's personal assistant and close friend was
Christian RasterChristian Raster was a statesman in Anhalt-Dessau and personal assistant to Leopold IV, [Duke] of Anhalt-Dessau. He had a son, Hermann Raster who was editor of Illinois Staats-Zeitung....
, a German statesman.
During the revolutions of 1848 he was forced to grant a constitution to Dessau on 29 October 1848. It was revoked, however, on 4 November 1849, then replaced with a new version in October 1859.
On 27 November 1847 he inherited the Duchy of
Anhalt-KöthenAnhalt-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....
from his distant cousin
Duke HenryHenry of Anhalt-Köthen , was a German prince of the House of Ascania, ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Pless, and the last ruler of the duchy of Anhalt-Köthen....
. As a result of a treaty concluded with
Anhalt-BernburgAnhalt-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 May 1853 his duchies were joined together and named Anhalt-Dessau-Köthen, because the eventual inheritance of Leopold over all the Anhalt duchies seemed inevitable. The death of another distant cousin,
Duke Alexander KarlAlexander Karl, Duke of Anhalt-Bernburg , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and the last ruler of the duchy of Anhalt-Bernburg....
, on 19 August 1863 resulted in the ruling line of the duchy of Anhalt-Bernburg becoming extinct, thus Leopold inherited that duchy as well. On 30 August he assumed the title "duke of Anhalt."
Leopold died in
DessauDessau 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:...
on 22 May 1871. He was succeeded by his son
FrederickFrederick I was a German prince of the house of Ascania who ruled the Duchy of Anhalt from 1871 to 1904.-Early life:...
.
Marriage and issue
In
BerlinBerlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
on 18 April 1818 Leopold married Frederica Wilhelmina of Prussia (b. Berlin, 30 September 1796 - d. Dessau, 1 January 1850), daughter of
Prince Frederick Louis Charles of PrussiaPrince Louis Charles of Prussia was the second son and third child of Frederick William II of Prussia and Frederika Louisa of Hesse-Darmstadt.-Marriage and issue:...
(brother of King
Frederick William III of PrussiaFrederick William III was king of Prussia from 1797 to 1840. He was in personal union the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel .-Early life:...
) by his wife
Frederica of Mecklenburg-StrelitzFrederica of Mecklenburg-Strelitz , Duchess of Cumberland and later Queen of Hanover , was the consort of Ernest Augustus I of Hanover, the fifth son and eighth child of George III and Queen Charlotte.She was born in the Altes Palais of Hanover as the fifth...
; through her mother's last marriage, she was a half-sister of King
George V of HanoverGeorge V was King of Hanover, the only child of Ernest Augustus I, and a grandchild of King George III of the United Kingdom. In the peerage of Great Britain, he was 2nd Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale, 2nd Earl of Armagh...
. They had been engaged since 17 May 1816, as the connection had already been arranged by the Prussian court. This dynastic connection was an expression of Leopold's pro-Prussian policies.
They had six children:
| Name | |Death | Princess Fredericka Amalie Agnes Princess Frederica Amalia Agnes of Anhalt-Dessau was the eldest daughter of Leopold IV, Duke of Anhalt by his wife Frederica Wilhelmina of Prussia...
| 24 June 1824 |
23 October 1897 |
married on 28 April 1853 to Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg. |
| A son |
3 August 1825 |
3 August 1825 |
he was either stillborn or died shortly after the birth. |
| A son |
3 November 1827 |
3 November 1827 |
he was either stillborn or died shortly after the birth. |
| Frederick I, Duke of Anhalt Frederick I was a German prince of the house of Ascania who ruled the Duchy of Anhalt from 1871 to 1904.-Early life:...
|
29 April 1831 |
24 January 1904 |
married on 22 April 1854 to Princess Antoinette of Saxe-Altenburg. |
| Princess Maria Anna Princess Maria Anna of Anhalt-Dessau was a princess from the House of Ascania. She was the third child of Leopold IV, Duke of Anhalt and Frederica Wilhelmina of Prussia.-Family:...
|
14 September 1837 |
12 May 1906 |
married on 29 November 1854 to Prince Frederick Charles of PrussiaPrince Friedrich Carl Nicolaus of Prussia was the son of Prince Charles of Prussia and his wife Princess Marie of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach . Prince Frederick Charles was a grandson of King Frederick William III of Prussia and a nephew of Frederick William IV and William I...
. |