In 1586, after the death of his father, Rudolph inherited the principality of Anhalt jointly with his half- and full brothers, but because he was still a minor, his older brother John George I acted as regent.
By the accounts of contemporary witnesses, Rudolph was an eager pupil and student. In 1596 the twenty-year-old prince was invited to the coronation of King Christian IV of Denmark in Copenhagen.
His Grand Tour began in 1600 when he arrived in Sicily. With his younger brother Louis, Rudolph spent a year in Florence. On 21 November 1601 he was admitted to the University of Siena. A year later, in 1602, the prince left Switzerland (where he had lived for some time) and returned to Dessau.
In 1603, a formal division of the principality of Anhalt was agreed upon by Rudolph and his surviving brothers. He received Zerbst, where his main residence was, and supported there the renovation of the Gymnasium Francisceum, beginning with the addition of a library. In 1618, Rudolph joined the Fruitbearing Society.
The death of his wife caused Rudolph to fall into a deep depression, according to contemporary witnesses.
In Oldenburg on 31 August 1612 Rudolph married for a second time to Magdalene (born Oldenburg, 6 October 1585 – d. Coswig, 14 April 1657), heiress of Jever and daughter of John VII, Count of Oldenburg; only when Rudolph met her did he find a way out of his depression. They had two children:
Elisabeth (born Zerbst, 1 December 1617 – d. Oldenburg, 3 June 1639).
rudolph, prince, anhalt, zerbst, this, article, includes, list, references, related, reading, external, links, sources, remain, unclear, because, lacks, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, november, 2. This article includes a list of references related reading or external links but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations November 2018 Learn how and when to remove this template message Rudolph of Anhalt Zerbst Harzgerode 28 October 1576 Zerbst 30 July 1621 was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the unified Principality of Anhalt From 1603 he was ruler of the principality of Anhalt Zerbst Rudolph Prince of Anhalt ZerbstRudolph Prince of Anhalt ZerbstBorn28 October 1576HarzgerodeDied30 July 1621 1621 07 30 aged 44 ZerbstNoble familyHouse of AscaniaSpouse s Dorothea Hedwig of Brunswick WolfenbuttelMagdalene of OldenburgIssueDetailDorotheaEleonorJohn VI Prince of Anhalt ZerbstFatherJoachim Ernest Prince of AnhaltMotherEleonore of WurttembergRudolph was the fifth son of Joachim Ernest Prince of Anhalt but third born son by his second wife Eleonore daughter of Christoph Duke of Wurttemberg Contents 1 Life 2 Marriages and issue 3 Notes 4 ReferencesLife EditIn 1586 after the death of his father Rudolph inherited the principality of Anhalt jointly with his half and full brothers but because he was still a minor his older brother John George I acted as regent By the accounts of contemporary witnesses Rudolph was an eager pupil and student In 1596 the twenty year old prince was invited to the coronation of King Christian IV of Denmark in Copenhagen His Grand Tour began in 1600 when he arrived in Sicily With his younger brother Louis Rudolph spent a year in Florence On 21 November 1601 he was admitted to the University of Siena A year later in 1602 the prince left Switzerland where he had lived for some time and returned to Dessau In 1603 a formal division of the principality of Anhalt was agreed upon by Rudolph and his surviving brothers He received Zerbst where his main residence was and supported there the renovation of the Gymnasium Francisceum beginning with the addition of a library In 1618 Rudolph joined the Fruitbearing Society Marriages and issue EditIn Wolfenbuttel on 29 December 1605 Rudolph married Dorothea Hedwig born Wolfenbuttel 3 February 1587 d Zerbst 16 October 1609 daughter of Henry Julius Duke of Brunswick Luneburg They had four daughters Stillborn daughter Zerbst October 1606 Dorothea born Zerbst 25 September 1607 d Hitzacker 26 September 1634 married on 26 October 1623 to Augustus Duke of Brunswick Luneburg Eleonor born Zerbst 10 November 1608 d Osterholm 2 November 1681 married on 15 February 1632 to Frederick Duke of Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Norburg Stillborn daughter Zerbst 16 October 1609 The death of his wife caused Rudolph to fall into a deep depression according to contemporary witnesses In Oldenburg on 31 August 1612 Rudolph married for a second time to Magdalene born Oldenburg 6 October 1585 d Coswig 14 April 1657 heiress of Jever and daughter of John VII Count of Oldenburg only when Rudolph met her did he find a way out of his depression They had two children Elisabeth born Zerbst 1 December 1617 d Oldenburg 3 June 1639 John VI Prince of Anhalt Zerbst born Zerbst 24 March 1621 d Zerbst 4 July 1667 Notes EditReferences EditFranz Kindscher Rudolf In Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie ADB Band 29 Duncker amp Humblot Leipzig 1889 S 519 523 Marek Miroslav Complete Genealogy of the House of Ascania Genealogy EU self published source better source needed Genealogical database by Herbert Stoyan Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rudolph Prince of Anhalt Zerbst Rudolph Prince of Anhalt ZerbstHouse of AscaniaBorn 28 October 1576 Died 30 July 1621Preceded byJoachim Ernest Prince of Anhaltwith John George I Christian I Bernhard until 1596 Augustus John Ernest until 1601 and Louis1586 1603 Succeeded byPrincipality partitioned in Anhalt Dessau Anhalt Bernburg Anhalt Plotzkau Anhalt Zerbst and Anhalt KothenNew division Prince of Anhalt Zerbst1603 1621 Succeeded byJohn VIPreceded byJohn VII Lord of Jever1603 1621 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Rudolph Prince of Anhalt Zerbst amp oldid 1081199647, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
