Frederick Albert of Anhalt-Bernburg (15 August 1735 – 9 April 1796), was a German prince of the House of Ascania and reigning prince of the principality of Anhalt-Bernburg from 1765 to 1796.[1]
Frederick Albert | |||||
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Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg | |||||
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Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg | |||||
Reign | 18 May 1765–9 April 1796 | ||||
Predecessor | Victor Frederick | ||||
Successor | Alexius Frederick Christian | ||||
Born | Bernburg, Anhalt-Bernburg, Holy Roman Empire | 15 August 1735||||
Died | 9 April 1796 Ballenstedt, Anhalt-Bernburg, Holy Roman Empire | (aged 60)||||
Spouse | |||||
Issue | Alexius Frederick Christian, Duke of Anhalt-Bernburg Pauline, Princess of Lippe-Detmold | ||||
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House | House of Ascania | ||||
Father | Victor Frederick, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg | ||||
Mother | Albertine of Brandenburg-Schwedt |
Life
editFrederick Albert was born in Bernburg on 15 August 1735 as the only son of Victor Frederick, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg, by his second wife Albertine of Brandenburg-Schwedt, daughter of Margrave Albert Frederick of Brandenburg-Schwedt.[2]
Frederick Albert succeeded his father as ruler of Anhalt-Bernburg when he died in 1765 and immediately changed his main residence from Bernburg to Ballenstedt.[3]
On 22 December 1785 he confirmed the entrance of his state into the Fürstenbund.
In 1788 a classical theater was built under his orders. He was considered as "Father of the Country" by the citizens of his principality, primarily for his good works: one of his reforms was to give women legal influence over their inheritance. Frederick Albert was also the founder of the Anhaltische Mineraliensammlung.
He died at Ballenstedt on 9 April 1796. It is unclear whether he died as a result of a hunting accident, or if he committed suicide.
Marriage and issue
editIn Augustenburg on 4 June 1763 Frederick Albert married Princess Louise Albertine (b. Plön, 21 July 1748 - d. Ballenstedt, 2 March 1769), daughter of Frederick Carl, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Plön and a princess of Denmark by birth as a descendant in the male line of King Christian III. They had two children:
- Alexius Frederick Christian, Prince and from 1807 Duke of Anhalt-Bernburg (b. Ballenstedt, 12 June 1767 - d. Ballenstedt, 24 March 1834).
- Pauline Christine Wilhelmine (b. Ballenstedt, 23 February 1769 - d. Detmold, 29 December 1820), married on 2 January 1796 to Leopold I, Prince of Lippe-Detmold.
Frederick Albert also had an illegitimate daughter:
- Auguste von Gröna (d. 8 April 1841), married to Hans August Baron von Bissing (d. 8 April 1841).
References
edit- ^ Beatson, Robert (1806). A Political Index to the Histories of Great Britain & Ireland, Or, a Complete Register of the Hereditary Honours, Public Offices, and Persons in Office: From the Earliest Periods to the Present Time. Longman, Hurst, Rees, and Orme.
- ^ "Dates by GEDbrowser". Archived from the original on 15 February 2012. Retrieved 11 September 2008.
- ^ The Blood Royal of Britain: Being a Roll of the Living Descendants of Edward IV and Henry VII, Kings of England, and James III, King of Scotland By Melville Henry Massue Ruvigny Et Raineval, Marquis of Ruvigny & Raineval Published by Genealogical Pub Co, 1994