Leopold IV of 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.

Early life 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.

Reign Following the death of his grandfather Leopold III he succeeded as duke on 9 August 1817. The younger Raster was given the unusual choice to either stay in Anhalt-Dessau and face criminal prosecution for his role in the Revolution or to emigrate from the country freely like other Forty-Eighters. Raster made the second choice and eventually became a powerful Republican Party political boss in the United States.

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.

Marriage and issue

In Berlin on 18 April 1818 Leopold married Princess Frederica of Prussia, 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.

Honours He received the following orders and decorations:

Ancestry