Principality/Duchy of Anhalt-Köthen

Principality of Anhalt-Köthen-Warmsdorf

Principality/Duchy of Anhalt-Köthen (adm. Anhalt-Dessau)

The Principality of Anhalt-Köthen was one of four principalities created when Anhalt was partitioned in 1606. Like the other three, it was part of Ascanian Germany. In 1665, the ruling family died out and was replaced by the Plötzkau line. Between 1718 and 1728, the principality temporarily spun off a subordinate principality—Anhalt-Warmsdorf, which consisted solely of the Amt of the same name. When the ruling family of Anhalt-Zerbst died out, Anhalt-Köthen acquired Amt Roßlau, Amt Dornburg, and the western half of Amt Lindau (which I label the Quasi-Amt of Lindau-Lindau). In 1806, the principality was raised to a duchy, and in 1812 it underwent a significant consolidation of its subdivisions. In 1853, the Plötzkau/Köthen line died out and Anhalt-Dessau absorbed all of its territory.

 

Gericht Großbadegast was under the sovereignty of Anhalt-Köthen, but was owned and administered by the prince of Anhalt-Dessau. To reflect the split between sovereignty and administration, I render the simplified country name as Anhalt-Köthen-Dessau.

 

In 1765, Anhalt-Köthen established a subordinate principality consisting of the Dominion of Pleß in Upper Silesia, which remained under Prussian sovereignty. In 1818, the Pleß line inherited the whole of Anhalt-Köthen, but the subordinate principality continued until 1847 at which time the von Hochberg line assumed administrative responsibility. For some uncertain period in the the 18th and 19th centuries, Anhalt-Köthen also had administrative responsibility for the nearby village of Beidersee, which was under Prussian sovereignty.