John George I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau

John George I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (b. Harzgerode, 9 May 1567 - d. Dessau, 24 May 1618), was a German prince member of the House of Ascania and ruler of the unificated Principality of Anhalt and since 1603, ruler of the Principality of Anhalt-Dessau.

He was the eldest son of Joachim Ernest, Prince of Anhalt by his first Agnes, daughter of Wolfgang I, Count of Barby-Mühlingen.

Life

After the death of his father in 1586, John George inherited the Principality of Anhalt jointly with his younger brother and half-brothers according to the old House of Ascania Family Law. Because his half-brothers were still minors, John George acted as his regent.

In 1603 was made a division agreement between him and his surviving brothers; John George received Anhalt-Dessau, as well as the Seniorat. As a ruler, he continues the Reformation in his state and pursued vehemently the abolition of the traditional uses and ceremonies of the Roman-catholic Church.

On 24 August 1617 in the Schloss Hornstein (later Wilhelmsburg Castle) and during the funeral of their sister Dorothea Maria, Duchess of Saxe-Weimar, John George and his younger brother Louis of Anhalt-Köthen created the Fruitbearing Society. The Prince of Köthen was appointed his first head.

Johan George was very appreciated and considerated in several states as well-read and educated, particularly, in the Astrology and the Alchemie. He possessed a remarkable library with over 3000 volumes.

Marriages and Issue

In Hedersleben on 22 February 1588 John George married firstly with Dorothea (b. 23 March 1561 - d. Dessau, 23 February 1594), daughter of John Albert VI, Count of Mansfeld-Arnstein. They had five children:

1. Sophie Elisabeth (b. Dessau, 10 February 1589 - d. Liegnitz, 9 February 1622), married on 4 November 1614 to George Rudolph, Duke of Liegnitz.
2. Anna Magdalena (b. Dessau, 29 March 1590 - d. Eschwege, 24 October 1626), married on 14 June 1617 to Otto, Hereditary Landgrave of Hesse-Cassel.
3. Anna Marie (b. Dessau, 4 May 1591 - d. Dessau, 7 July 1637).
4. Joachim Ernest (b. Dessau, 18 July 1592 - d. Dessau, 28 May 1615).
5. Christian (b. Dessau, 23 February 1594 - d. Dessau, 13 April 1594).

In Heidelberg on 21 February 1595 John George married secondly with Dorothea (b. Kaiserslautern, 6 January 1581 - d. Sandersleben, 18 September 1631), the only surviving child of Johann Casimir of Simmern, third son of Frederick III, Elector Palatine. They had eleven children:

1. John Casimir, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (b. Dessau, 7 September 1596 - d. Dessau, 15 September 1660).
2. Anna Elisabeth (b. Dessau, 5 April 1598 - d. Tecklenburg, 20 April 1660), married on 2 January 1617 to William Henry, Count of Bentheim-Steinfurt.
3. Frederick Maurice (b. Dessau, 18 February 1600 - d. Lyon, 25 August 1610).
4. Eleonore Dorothea (b. Dessau, 16 February 1602 - d. Weimar, 26 December 1664), married on 23 May 1625 to William, Duke of Saxe-Weimar.
5. Sibylle Christine (b. Dessau, 11 July 1603 - d. Hanau, 21 February 1686), married firstly on 26 December 1627 to Philipp Maurice, Count of Hanau-Münzenberg, and secondly on 13 May 1647 to Frederick Casimir, Count of Hanau-Lichtenberg.
6. Henry Waldemar (b. Dessau, 7 November 1604 - d. Dessau, 25 September 1606).
7. George Aribert (b. Dessau, 3 June 1606 - d. Wörlitz, 14 November 1643).
8. Kunigunde Juliane (b. Dessau, 17 February 1608 - d. Rotenburg, 26 September 1683), married on 2 January 1642 to Hermann, Landgrave of Hesse-Rotenburg.
9. Susanna Margarete (b. Dessau, 23 August 1610 - d. Babenhausen, 13 October 1663), married on 16 February 1651 to John Philip, Count of Hanau-Lichtenberg.
10. Johanna Dorothea (b. Dessau, 24 March 1612 - d. Tecklenburg, 26 April 1695), married on 9February 1636 to Maurice, Count of Bentheim-Tecklenburg (nephew of his brother-in-law William Henry).
11. Eva Katharine (b. Dessau, 11 September 1613 - d. Dessau, 15 December 1679).