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Elisabeth Albertine of Anhalt-Dessau
Elisabeth Albertine of Anhalt-Dessau
	Portrait as Princess-Abbess of Herford with crosier, ca. 1680–1685. Herford Städtisches Museum.
Princess-Abbess of Herford
Reign	1680–1686
Duchess consort of Saxe-Weisselfels-Barby
Tenure	1686–1706
Born	1 May 1665; Cölln an der Spree
Died	5 October 1706 (aged 41); Dessau
Spouse	Henry, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels-Barby
Issue	Frederick Henry, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Weissenfels-Barby; George Albert, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels-Barby; Princess Henriette Marie
House	Ascania
Father	John George II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
Mother	Henriette Catherine of Orange-Nassau

Elisabeth Albertine of Anhalt-Dessau (1 May 1665 – 5 October 1706), was a German noblewoman by birth Princess of Anhalt-Dessau as member of the House of Ascania and by marriage Duchess of Saxe-Weissenfels-Barby.

Born in Cölln an der Spree, she was the fourth of ten children born from the marriage of John George II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau and Henriette Catherine of Orange-Nassau. From her nine older and younger siblings, five survive adulthood: Henriette Amalie (by marriage Princess of Nassau-Dietz), Marie Eleonore (by marriage Princess Radziwiłł and Duchess of Olyka), Henriette Agnes, Leopold I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau and Johanna Charlotte (by marriage Margravine of Brandenburg-Schwedt).^[1]^[2]^{[better source needed]}

Life

In 1680, and thanks to her father's instigation, Elisabeth Albertine was chosen Princess-Abbess of Herford Abbey as Elisabeth IV, securing with this the support of the Rhenish Imperial College prelate (German: Reichsprälatenkollegiums). She remained in the post for six years, until her marriage was arranged and moved to Barby; however, several Herford artists and merchants followed her.

In Dessau on 30 March 1686, Elisabeth Albertine married Henry, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels-Barby. Elisabeth Albertine's paternal great-great grandmother was Agnes of Barby-Mühlingen; this give to Henry some blood ties to the extinct House of Barby.

The marriage produced eight children, of whom only three survive adulthood:^[3]^[4]

John August, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Weissenfels-Barby (Dessau, 28 July 1687 – Dessau, 22 January 1688).
John August, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Weissenfels-Barby (Dessau, 24 July 1689 – Dessau, 21 October 1689).
Stillborn twin sons (Dessau, 1690).
Frederick Henry, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Weissenfels-Barby (Dessau, 2 July 1692 – The Hague, 21 November 1711).
George Albert, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels-Barby (Dessau, 19 April 1695 – Barby, 12 June 1739).
Henriette Marie (Dessau, 1 March 1697 – Weissenfels, 10 August 1719).
Stillborn daughter (Dessau, 5 October 1706).

Elisabeth Albertine died in Dessau aged 41, following complications in her last childbirth. She was buried in the Familiengruft, Barby.^[5]

References

^ Johann Georg II. Fürst v.Anhalt-Dessau in: Genealogy Database by Herbert Stoyan Archived 2014-10-16 at the Wayback Machine [retrieved 11 October 2014].
^ Marek, Miroslav. "Genealogy of the House of Ascania". genealogy.euweb.cz. Retrieved 11 October 2014.^{[self-published source]}
^ Elisabeth Albertina Prinzessin v.Anhalt-Dessau in: Genealogy Database by Herbert Stoyan Archived 2014-10-16 at the Wayback Machine [retrieved 11 October 2014].
^ Elisabeth Albertine Prinzessin von Anhalt-Dessau in: thePeerage.com [retrieved 11 October 2014].
^ Anhalt-Dessau line in: Royaltyguide.nl Archived 2011-10-20 at the Wayback Machine [retrieved 11 October 2014].

German royalty
Princess Elisabeth Albertine of Anhalt-Dessau House of Ascania Born: 1 May 1665 Died: 5 October 1706
new creation	Duchess consort of Saxe-Weissenfels-Barby 1686–1706	Vacant Title next held by Auguste Louise of Württemberg-Oels