Anthony Günther, Prince of Anhalt-Mühlingen
Encyclopedia
Anthony Günther, Prince of Anhalt-Mühlingen (11 January 1653 – 10 December 1714) was a German prince of the House of Ascania, the first (and only) ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Mühlingen.
He was born in Zerbst
, the fourth (but second surviving) son of John VI, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
, by his wife Sophie Auguste
, daughter of Frederick III, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp
.
as an appanage
with the title of prince. The lands were extracted from Anhalt-Zerbst
, which was in consequence severely reduced in size. During his minority, his mother the Dowager Princess Sophie Auguste acted as regent.
In 1669 he and his older brother Karl William
started their Grand Tour
and visited Holland, England, France, and Italy; they only returned to Zerbst in 1672. Soon afterwards he began his military career and fought in Italy against France under the command of Johann Karl, Palatine Count of Birkenfeld, and was present at the sieges of Oudenaarde
, Grave (1674) and Philippsburg
(1676). After the Treaty of Nijmegen he stayed in Italy until 1681, when he returned to Zerbst. One year later he travelled again, this time to Denmark, Sweden, Courland
, and Poland. Under the command of the Elector John George III of Saxony, he fought in the Battle of Vienna
(1683).
In 1689 the war against King Louis XIV of France
was renewed; he moved with the Brandenburg
troops outside Bonn, where he distinguished himself in battle; for this, the Elector Frederick III
(later King Frederick I of Prussia) called him Obersten ("The Highest"). Anthony Günther marched in 1690 with the Brandenburg troops to Brabant
and became Commandant of Ath
. In 1692 he fought in the Battle of Steenkerken, were he received five shots in his left arm. Hardly recovered from his wounds, he got another shot in Landau
, once again in the arm. Now in charge of a battalion, King William III of England
in 1694 appointed him Commander-in-Chief of a brigade of 9 battalions and in 1695 handed him over the governorship of Ath, whose fortress he had surrendered, however, after a brave defense, to Catinat
.
In 1698 he was appointed Major-General by the Elector of Brandenburg, and at the same time received command of about 5000 Brandenburg Hülfstruppen who had acted in the service of the Dutch Republic
. In this position he was present at the siege of Bonn
and was wounded by a mat ball in the chest. After the taking of Bonn he went to Brabant and took Huy
. Nonetheless, his health was severely weakened by so many wounds and shortly after resigned his command.
After a visit to the Aachen
baths, he returned from Berlin to Zerbst. In 1705 King Frederick I appointed him General-Lieutenant.
, 28 December 1736), a lady-in-waiting of his mother. She lived under the name of "Madame Güntherode" in Naumburg
, where the prince regularly visited her in the short intervals between his long trips. The union only produced a daughter:
After his definitive return home, Anthony Günther formally married his beloved Auguste in Zerbst
on 1 January 1705; shortly after, she was created "Frau von Günthersfeld." Because Auguste was born into the lesser nobility, the marriage was morganatic and their daughter Antoinette, legitimized by the wedding, could only assume the surname "von Günthersfeld," her mother's new title.
The couple lived quietly at times in Zerbst and at times in Schloss Mühlingen. Dedicating himself during his last years to religion, Anthony Günther died in Zerbst without male issue, and his principality was merged again into Anhalt-Zerbst.
He was born in Zerbst
Zerbst
Zerbst is a town in the district of Anhalt-Bitterfeld, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Until the administrative reform of 2007, Zerbst was the capital of the Anhalt-Zerbst district. Since the 1 January 2010 local government reform, Zerbst has about 24,000 inhabitants.It is not clear when was it founded;...
, the fourth (but second surviving) son of John VI, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
John VI, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
John VI of Anhalt-Zerbst , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst....
, by his wife Sophie Auguste
Sophie Augusta of Holstein-Gottorp
Sophie Augusta of Holstein-Gottorp was a daughter van Frederick III, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp and Duchess Marie Elisabeth of Saxony.- Marriage and issue :...
, daughter of Frederick III, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp
Frederick III, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp
Frederick III of Holstein-Gottorp was a Duke of Holstein-Gottorp.He was the elder son of Duke Johann Adolf of Holstein-Gottorp and Augusta of Denmark. His mother was a daughter of King Frederick II of Denmark....
.
Life
After the death of his father in 1667, Anthony Günther received MühlingenMühlingen
Mühlingen is a town in the district of Konstanz in Baden-Württemberg in Germany....
as an appanage
Appanage
An apanage or appanage or is the grant of an estate, titles, offices, or other things of value to the younger male children of a sovereign, who would otherwise have no inheritance under the system of primogeniture...
with the title of prince. The lands were extracted from Anhalt-Zerbst
Anhalt-Zerbst
Anhalt-Zerbst was a district in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is bounded by the districts Potsdam-Mittelmark and Wittenberg, the city of Dessau and the districts of Köthen, Schönebeck and Jerichower Land.- History :...
, which was in consequence severely reduced in size. During his minority, his mother the Dowager Princess Sophie Auguste acted as regent.
In 1669 he and his older brother Karl William
Karl, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
Karl William, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst....
started their Grand Tour
Grand Tour
The Grand Tour was the traditional trip of Europe undertaken by mainly upper-class European young men of means. The custom flourished from about 1660 until the advent of large-scale rail transit in the 1840s, and was associated with a standard itinerary. It served as an educational rite of passage...
and visited Holland, England, France, and Italy; they only returned to Zerbst in 1672. Soon afterwards he began his military career and fought in Italy against France under the command of Johann Karl, Palatine Count of Birkenfeld, and was present at the sieges of Oudenaarde
Oudenaarde
Oudenaarde is a Belgian municipality in the Flemish province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Oudenaarde proper and the towns of Bevere, Edelare, Eine, Ename, Heurne, Leupegem, Mater, Melden, Mullem, Nederename, Welden, Volkegem and a part of Ooike.From the 15th to the 18th...
, Grave (1674) and Philippsburg
Philippsburg
Philippsburg is a town in Germany, in the district of Karlsruhe in Baden-Württemberg.-History:Before 1632, Philippsburg was known as "Udenheim".The city was a possession of the Bishop of Speyer from 1371–1718...
(1676). After the Treaty of Nijmegen he stayed in Italy until 1681, when he returned to Zerbst. One year later he travelled again, this time to Denmark, Sweden, Courland
Courland
Courland is one of the historical and cultural regions of Latvia. The regions of Semigallia and Selonia are sometimes considered as part of Courland.- Geography and climate :...
, and Poland. Under the command of the Elector John George III of Saxony, he fought in the Battle of Vienna
Battle of Vienna
The Battle of Vienna took place on 11 and 12 September 1683 after Vienna had been besieged by the Ottoman Empire for two months...
(1683).
In 1689 the war against King Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
was renewed; he moved with the Brandenburg
Brandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
troops outside Bonn, where he distinguished himself in battle; for this, the Elector Frederick III
Frederick I of Prussia
Frederick I , of the Hohenzollern dynasty, was Elector of Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia in personal union . The latter function he upgraded to royalty, becoming the first King in Prussia . From 1707 he was in personal union the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel...
(later King Frederick I of Prussia) called him Obersten ("The Highest"). Anthony Günther marched in 1690 with the Brandenburg troops to Brabant
Duchy of Brabant
The Duchy of Brabant was a historical region in the Low Countries. Its territory consisted essentially of the three modern-day Belgian provinces of Flemish Brabant, Walloon Brabant and Antwerp, the Brussels-Capital Region and most of the present-day Dutch province of North Brabant.The Flag of...
and became Commandant of Ath
Ath
Ath is a Belgian municipality located in the Walloon province of Hainaut. The Ath municipality includes the old communes of Lanquesaint, Irchonwelz, Ormeignies, Bouvignies, Ostiches, Rebaix, Maffle, Arbre, Houtaing, Ligne, Mainvault, Moulbaix, Villers-Notre-Dame, Villers-Saint-Amand, Ghislenghien...
. In 1692 he fought in the Battle of Steenkerken, were he received five shots in his left arm. Hardly recovered from his wounds, he got another shot in Landau
Landau
Landau or Landau in der Pfalz is an autonomous city surrounded by the Südliche Weinstraße district of southern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is a university town , a long-standing cultural centre, and a market and shopping town, surrounded by vineyards and wine-growing villages of the...
, once again in the arm. Now in charge of a battalion, King William III of England
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
in 1694 appointed him Commander-in-Chief of a brigade of 9 battalions and in 1695 handed him over the governorship of Ath, whose fortress he had surrendered, however, after a brave defense, to Catinat
Nicolas Catinat
Nicolas Catinat was a French military commander and Marshal of France under Louis XIV. The son of a magistrate, Catinat was born in Paris on 1 September 1637...
.
In 1698 he was appointed Major-General by the Elector of Brandenburg, and at the same time received command of about 5000 Brandenburg Hülfstruppen who had acted in the service of the Dutch Republic
Dutch Republic
The Dutch Republic — officially known as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands , the Republic of the United Netherlands, or the Republic of the Seven United Provinces — was a republic in Europe existing from 1581 to 1795, preceding the Batavian Republic and ultimately...
. In this position he was present at the siege of Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
and was wounded by a mat ball in the chest. After the taking of Bonn he went to Brabant and took Huy
Huy
Huy is a municipality of Belgium. It lies in the country's Walloon Region and Province of Liege. Huy lies along the river Meuse, at the mouth of the small river Hoyoux. It is in the sillon industriel, the former industrial backbone of Wallonia, home to about two-thirds of the Walloon population...
. Nonetheless, his health was severely weakened by so many wounds and shortly after resigned his command.
After a visit to the Aachen
Aachen
Aachen has historically been a spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany. Geographically, Aachen is the westernmost town of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, ...
baths, he returned from Berlin to Zerbst. In 1705 King Frederick I appointed him General-Lieutenant.
Marriage and issue
Around 1680, Anthony Günther began an affair with the delicate and beautiful Auguste Antonie Marschall of Bieberstein (b. Zerbst, 3 March 1659 – d. CalbeCalbe
Calbe is a town in the district of Salzlandkreis, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.It is situated on the Saale River, approx. north of Bernburg, and southeast of Magdeburg. It is known as Calbe an der Saale, to distinguish it from the smaller town of Kalbe on the Milde in the same state. Pop...
, 28 December 1736), a lady-in-waiting of his mother. She lived under the name of "Madame Güntherode" in Naumburg
Naumburg
Naumburg is a town in Germany, on the Saale River. It is in the district Burgenlandkreis in the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt. It is approximately southwest of Leipzig, south-southwest of Halle, and north-northeast of Jena....
, where the prince regularly visited her in the short intervals between his long trips. The union only produced a daughter:
- Antoinette ["von Günthersfeld" from 1705] (b. Naumburg, 27 October 1681 – d. Calbe, 16 November 1754), married first to Ernest Sigismund of Mergenthal (d. 1708), secondly on 24 September 1714 to Burchard Vollrath of Erlach (d. 1716), and thirdly on 24 May 1720 to Christian Albrecht of Platen (d. aft. 1754).
After his definitive return home, Anthony Günther formally married his beloved Auguste in Zerbst
Zerbst
Zerbst is a town in the district of Anhalt-Bitterfeld, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Until the administrative reform of 2007, Zerbst was the capital of the Anhalt-Zerbst district. Since the 1 January 2010 local government reform, Zerbst has about 24,000 inhabitants.It is not clear when was it founded;...
on 1 January 1705; shortly after, she was created "Frau von Günthersfeld." Because Auguste was born into the lesser nobility, the marriage was morganatic and their daughter Antoinette, legitimized by the wedding, could only assume the surname "von Günthersfeld," her mother's new title.
The couple lived quietly at times in Zerbst and at times in Schloss Mühlingen. Dedicating himself during his last years to religion, Anthony Günther died in Zerbst without male issue, and his principality was merged again into Anhalt-Zerbst.