Joachim Ernest, Prince of Anhalt

Joachim Ernest, Prince of Anhalt (b. Dessau, 21 October 1536 - d. Dessau, 6 December 1586), was a German prince member of the House of Ascania and ruler of the Principality of Anhalt-Zerbst and since 1570 the only ruler of of the whole Anhalt lands.

He was the second son of John V, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst by his wife Margarete, daughter of Joachim I Nestor, Elector of Brandenburg.

Life

He received an extensive education under the supervision of his father. On 1 February 1549, with only thirteen-years-old, was oficially admited in the University of Wittenberg, were, among others, he studied with the later Reformer Theologist Georg Helt. In 1550, after the death of his father, he inherited Anhalt-Zerbst alongisde with his older brother Karl I and his younger brother Bernhard VII. The deaths of his uncles without male heirs permited to him and his brothers inherited Anhalt-Plötzkau (1553) and Anhalt-Dessau (1561). In 1562 his cousin Wolfgang abdicated Anhalt-Köthen on his favor.

Joachim Ernest was a typical renaissance monarch, who poenly supported the Arts and culture. He sent his sons with their tutors to educational journeys across Europe. We owe to the son of his chancellor, Tobias Hübner, the description of the famous Knight's games (German: Ritterspiele) who taken place at the Dessau court.

The death of his last surviving brother, Bernhard VII, in 1570 left him as the sole ruler of the whole Anhalt states, who were finally unificated since his first partition in 1252; Joachim Ernest made the seat of his government in Dessau. He created in 1572 the Regional Regulation of Anhalt (German: Landesverordnung Anhalts) and in 1582 he founded the Francisceum High School (German: Gymnasium Francisceum) in Zerbst. Also, was a convinced supporter of the Reformation and supported the Huguenots.

For the absence of the Primogenitur in Anhalt, on his death Joachim Ernest's five surviving sons shared the government until they divided between them their lands in 1603.

Marriages and Issue

In Barby 3 March 1560 Joachim Ernest married firstly with Agnes (b. Barby, 23 June 1540 - d. Bernburg, 27 November 1569), daughter of Wolfgang I, Count of Barby-Mühlingen. They had six children:

1. Anna Maria (b. Zerbst, 13 June 1561 - d. Brieg, 14 November 1605), married on 19 May 1577 to Joachim Frederick, Duke of Liegnitz-Brieg-Wohlau.
2. Agnes (b. Zerbst, 16 September 1562 - d. Bernburg, 4 June 1564).
3. Elisabeth (b. Zerbst, 25 September 1563 - d. Crossen, 5 October 1607), married on 19 May 1577 to John George, Elector of Brandenburg.
4. Sibylle (b. Bernburg, 28 September 1564 - d. Leonberg, 26 October 1614), married on 22 May 1581 to Frederick I, Duke of Württemberg.
5. John George I, Prince of Anhalt, later Anhalt-Dessau (b. Harzgerode, 9 May 1567 - d. Dessau, 24 May 1618).
6. Christian I, Prince of Anhalt, later Anhalt-Bernburg (b. Bernburg, 11 May 1568 - d. Bernburg, 17 April 1630).

In Stuttgart on 9 January 1571 Joachim Ernest married secondly with Eleonore (b. Tübingen, 22 March 1552 - d. Schloss Lichtenberg, 12 January 1618), daughter of Christoph, Duke of Württemberg. They had ten children:

1. Bernhard, *Dessau 25.9.1571, +Klosterhof bei Tyrnau 24.11.1596
2. Agnes Hedwig, *Dessau 12.3.1573, +Sonderburg 3.11.1616; 1m: Dessau 3.1.1586 August Kfst von Sachsen (*31.7.1526 +11.2.1586); 2m: Sonderburg 14.2.1588 John II, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Plön.
3. Dorothea Marie, *Dessau 2.7.1574, +Weimar 18.7.1617, bur there; m.Altenburg 7.1.1593 Duke Johann von Sachsen-Weimar.
4. August Fürst von Anhalt-Plötzkau (1603-53), *Dessau 14.7.1575, +Plötzkau 22.8.1653;
5. Rudolf I Fürst von Anhalt-Zerbst (1603-21), *Harzgerode 28.10.1576, +Zerbst 30.7.1621;
6. Johann Ernst, *Dessau 1.5.1578, +Wien 22.12.1601
7. Ludwig Fürst von Anhalt-Köthen (1603-50), *Dessau 17.6.1579, +Köthen 7.1.1650
8. Sabine, *Dessau 7.11.1580, +Darmstadt 28.3.1599
9. Joachim Christof, *Dessau 7.7.1582, +Dessau 16.7.1583
10. Anna Sofie, *Dessau 15.6.1584, +Oberkranichfeld 9.6.1652; m.Rudolstadt 13.6.1613 Gf Karl Günther von Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt