| Leopold IV | |
|---|---|
| Duke of Anhalt | |
| Spouse | Frederica Wilhelmina of Prussia |
| Issue | |
| Princess Fredericka Amalie Auguste Agnes, Duchess of Saxe-Altenburg Frederick I, Duke of Anhalt Maria Anna, Princess Frederick Charles of Prussia |
|
| Full name | |
| Leopold Frederick | |
| House | House of Ascania |
| Father | Frederick, Hereditary Prince of Anhalt-Dessau |
| Mother | Landgravine Amalie of Hesse-Homburg |
| Born | 1 October 1794 Dessau, Anhalt |
| Died | 22 May 1871 (aged 76) Dessau, Anhalt |
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-Dessau and from 1847 until 1853 also ruler of the duchy of Anhalt-Köthen. 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.
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Leopold was born in Dessau on 1 October 1794 as the eldest son of Frederick, Hereditary Prince of Anhalt-Dessau, by his wife Landgravine Amalie of Hesse-Homburg, daughter of Frederick V, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg.
Following the premature death of his father in 1814, he became heir to the duchy of Anhalt-Dessau.[1]
Following the death of his grandfather Leopold III he succeeded as duke on 9 August 1817.[1]
The Duke's personal assistant and close friend was Christian Raster, 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 It was revoked, however, on 4 November 1849, then replaced with a new version in October 1859.[2]
On 27 November 1847 he inherited the Duchy of Anhalt-Köthen from his distant cousin Duke Henry. As a result of a treaty concluded with Anhalt-Bernburg 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.[1] The death of another distant cousin, Duke Alexander Karl, on 19 August 1863 resulted in the ruling line of the duchy of Anhalt-Bernburg becoming extinct, thus Leopold inherited that duchy as well.[1] On 30 August he assumed the title "duke of Anhalt."[1]
Leopold died in Dessau on 22 May 1871. He was succeeded by his son Frederick.[3]
In Berlin 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 Prussia (brother of King Frederick William III of Prussia) by his wife Frederica of Mecklenburg-Strelitz; through her mother's last marriage, she was a half-sister of King George V of Hanover.[1] 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:[4][5]
| Name | Birth | Death | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Princess Fredericka Amalie Auguste | 28 November 1819 | 11 December 1822 | |
| Princess Fredericka Amalie Agnes | 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 | 29 April 1831 | 24 January 1904 | married on 22 April 1854 to Princess Antoinette of Saxe-Altenburg. |
| Princess Maria Anna | 14 September 1837 | 12 May 1906 | married on 29 November 1854 to Prince Frederick Charles of Prussia. |
|
Leopold IV, Duke of Anhalt
Born: 1 October 1794 Died: 22 May 1871 |
||
| Regnal titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Leopold III |
Duke of Anhalt-Dessau 1817-1853 |
Duchies united |
| Preceded by Henry |
Duke of Anhalt-Köthen 1847-1853 |
|
| New title | Duke of Anhalt-Dessau-Köthen 1853-1863 |
Unification of all Anhalt Duchies |
| Preceded by Alexander Karl |
Duke of Anhalt-Bernburg 1863 |
|
| New title | Duke of Anhalt 1863-1871 |
Succeeded by Frederick I |