Eduard, Duke of Anhalt

Eduard
Eduard, Duke of Anhalt
Duke of Anhalt
Reign	21 April 1918 – 13 September 1918
Predecessor	Friedrich II
Successor	Joachim Ernst
Born	(1861-04-18)18 April 1861 Dessau, Anhalt
Died	13 September 1918(1918-09-13) (aged 57) Berchtesgaden, Bavaria
Spouse	Princess Louise Charlotte of Saxe-Altenburg
Issue	Princess Friederike Prince Leopold Princess Marie-Auguste Joachim Ernst, Duke of Anhalt Prince Eugen Prince Wolfgang
Names Eduard Georg Wilhelm Maximilian
House	Ascania
Father	Friedrich I, Duke of Anhalt
Mother	Princess Antoinette of Saxe-Altenburg

Eduard Georg Wilhelm, Duke of Anhalt (Template:Lang-de; 18 April 1861 – 13 September 1918) was a German prince of the House of Ascania and the penultimate ruler of the Duchy of Anhalt from April to September 1918.

Early life

Eduard was born at Dessau, the capital of the Duchy, in 1861 as the third son of Duke Friedrich I of Anhalt (1831–1904) and his wife Princess Antoinette of Saxe-Altenburg (1838–1908). As Eduard's eldest brother, Leopold, died without male offspring in 1886, and the next brother, Frederick, had no issue, Eduard became heir presumptive and Hereditary Prince following the death of their father, Duke Friedrich I, in 1904.

Reign

Eduard succeeded his brother Duke Friedrich II of Anhalt on 21 April 1918, but his brief reign came to an end five months later with his own death on 13 September 1918. He was succeeded by his eldest surviving son Prince Joachim Ernst under the regency of Eduard's younger brother, Prince Aribert.

Marriage and children

Duke Eduard married Princess Louise Charlotte of Saxe-Altenburg (1873–1953) in Altenburg on 6 February 1895. She was a daughter of Prince Moritz of Saxe-Altenburg and his wife Princess Augusta of Saxe-Meiningen. They had six children before divorcing in 1918.

• Princess Friederike of Anhalt (1896-1896)
• Prince Leopold of Anhalt (1897–1898)
• Princess Marie-Auguste of Anhalt (1898–1983) married in 1916 Prince Joachim of Prussia
• Prince Joachim Ernst of Anhalt (1901–1947)
• Prince Eugen of Anhalt (1903–1980) married in 1935 Anastasia Jungmeier (1901–1970). Claimed to be Joachim's immediate successor, considering his sons morganatic.
  • Princess Anastasia of Anhalt (born 1940) married in 1962 Maria Emanuel, Margrave of Meissen
• Prince Wolfgang of Anhalt (1912–1936)

Ancestry

Ancestors of Eduard, Duke of Anhalt

16. Leopold III, Duke of Anhalt-Dessau 8. Frederick, Hereditary Prince of Anhalt-Dessau 17. Margravine Louise of Brandenburg-Schwedt 4. Leopold IV, Duke of Anhalt 18. Frederick V, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg 9. Landgravine Amalie of Hesse-Homburg 19. Landgravine Caroline of Hesse-Darmstadt 2. Frederick I, Duke of Anhalt 20. Frederick William II of Prussia 10. Prince Louis Charles of Prussia 21. Landgravine Frederika Louisa of Hesse-Darmstadt 5. Princess Frederica Wilhelmina of Prussia 22. Charles II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (= 26) 11. Duchess Frederica of Mecklenburg-Strelitz 23. Princess Friederike of Hesse-Darmstadt (= 27) 1. Eduard, Duke of Anhalt 24. Ernest Frederick III, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen 12. Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg 25. Princess Ernestine of Saxe-Weimar 6. Prince Eduard of Saxe-Altenburg 26. Charles II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (= 22) 13. Duchess Charlotte Georgine of Mecklenburg-Strelitz 27. Princess Friederike of Hesse-Darmstadt (= 23) 3. Princess Antoinette of Saxe-Altenburg 28. Anton Aloys, Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen 14. Karl, Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen 29. Princess Amalie Zephyrine of Salm-Kyrburg 7. Princess Amalie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen 30. Pierre Murat 15. Marie Antoinette Murat 31. Louise d'Astorg