Frederick Ferdinand, Duke of Anhalt-Köthen
Encyclopedia
Frederick Ferdinand of Anhalt-Köthen (Pless, 25 June 1769 – Köthen, 23 August 1830), was a German prince of the House of Ascania, ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Pless
, and from 1818 ruler of the duchy of Anhalt-Köthen
.
He was the second son of Frederick Erdmann, Prince of Anhalt-Pless
, by his wife Louise Ferdinande, daughter of Henry Ernest, Count of Stolberg-Wernigerode.
, where he obtained the rank of Generalmajor
. From 1792 to 1794, he fought in military campaigns on the Rhine.
After the death of his father and his older brother's renunciation of his succession rights (1797), Frederick Ferdinand inherited Pless, but in 1803 he returned to the Prussian army.
In Lindenau bei Heiligenbeil
on 20 August 1803 Frederick Ferdinand married Maria Dorothea Henriette Louise (b. Lindenau, 28 September 1783 - d. Pless, 24 November 1803), daughter of Friedrich Karl Ludwig, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck
, and by birth a princess of Denmark
as a descendant in the male line of King Christian III
. The union only lasted three months until Louise's death.
After the Battle of Jena, he commanded his own regiment at Zehdenick
near the enemy lines, but was forced to withdraw to Bohemia
in order to ensure the disarmament of the Austrians
. Soon afterwards he retired from the military and made a trip to Holland and France
before his return to Pless. During the War of the Sixth Coalition
in 1813, he was Commander of the Silesian countryside.
In Berlin
on 20 May 1816 Frederick Ferdinand married for a second time to Countess Julie of Brandenburg (b. Neuchâtel, 4 January 1793 - d. Vienna
, 29 January 1848), illegitimate daughter of King Frederick William II of Prussia
.
When the young Duke Louis Augustus died without direct heirs in 1818, Frederick Ferdinand, as his closest male relative, succeeded him in the duchy. Shortly after, he ceded Anhalt-Pless to his brother Henry
.
During a trip to Paris
in 1825, Frederick Ferdinand and his wife converted to Catholicism
. His attempts to convert Köthen to the Catholic faith encountered stiff resistance. As confessor, the duke chose the Belgian Jesuit Peter Jan Beckx
.
In Grimschleben near Nienburg
he brought in the classicist architect Gottfried Bandhauer to realize some remodeling of his palace. By 1828 he founded a colony in South Ukraine
called "Askania-Nova
," located in the steppes of Tauri, in the northern peninsula of Crimea
.
Under his government, Bandhauer also built (between 1823 and 1828) the Ferdinandsbau in Schloss Köthen, the monastery and hospital of the Brothers of Mercy (German: Barmherzigen Brüder) in 1829, and the Catholic Church of St. Mary (German: Kirche St. Maria) in 1830, in whose crypt Frederick Ferdinand was buried shortly after.
On his death without issue, he was succeeded by his brother Henry.
Duchy of Pless
The Duchy of Pless The Duchy of Pless The Duchy of Pless (or the Duchy of Pszczyna ^ Tadeusz Walichnowski, (Przynaleznosc terytorialna archiwaliow Panstwa Polskiego w stosunkach miedzynarodowych), Polish Scientific Publishers, Warsaw, 1977. Polish State Archives. ^Nagel's Encyclopedia Guide,...
, and from 1818 ruler of the duchy of Anhalt-Köthen
Anhalt-Köthen
Anhalt-Köthen has existed on two separate occasions. The first state was created in 1396 when the Anhalt-Zerbst was partitioned between Anhalt-Dessau and Anhalt-Köthen. The first creation lasted until 1552 when it was inherited by Anhalt-Dessau....
.
He was the second son of Frederick Erdmann, Prince of Anhalt-Pless
Frederick Erdmann, Prince of Anhalt-Pless
Frederick Erdmann of Anhalt-Pless , was a German prince of the House of Ascania from the Anhalt-Köthen branch and the first ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Pless....
, by his wife Louise Ferdinande, daughter of Henry Ernest, Count of Stolberg-Wernigerode.
Life
In 1786 he joined the Prussian armyPrussian Army
The Royal Prussian Army was the army of the Kingdom of Prussia. It was vital to the development of Brandenburg-Prussia as a European power.The Prussian Army had its roots in the meager mercenary forces of Brandenburg during the Thirty Years' War...
, where he obtained the rank of Generalmajor
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
. From 1792 to 1794, he fought in military campaigns on the Rhine.
After the death of his father and his older brother's renunciation of his succession rights (1797), Frederick Ferdinand inherited Pless, but in 1803 he returned to the Prussian army.
In Lindenau bei Heiligenbeil
Lipowina
Lipowina is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Braniewo, within Braniewo County, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, in northern Poland, close to the border with the Kaliningrad Oblast of Russia...
on 20 August 1803 Frederick Ferdinand married Maria Dorothea Henriette Louise (b. Lindenau, 28 September 1783 - d. Pless, 24 November 1803), daughter of Friedrich Karl Ludwig, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck
Friedrich Karl Ludwig, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck
Friedrich Karl Ludwig of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck was the fifth and penultimate Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck...
, and by birth a princess of Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
as a descendant in the male line of King Christian III
Christian III of Denmark
Christian III reigned as king of Denmark and Norway. He was the eldest son of King Frederick I and Anna of Brandenburg.-Childhood:...
. The union only lasted three months until Louise's death.
After the Battle of Jena, he commanded his own regiment at Zehdenick
Zehdenick
Zehdenick is a town in the Oberhavel district, in Brandenburg, Germany. It is situated on the river Havel, 26 km southeast of Fürstenberg/Havel, and 51 km north of Berlin .-Subdivision:Zehdenick includes the following villages:...
near the enemy lines, but was forced to withdraw to Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
in order to ensure the disarmament of the Austrians
Austrians
Austrians are a nation and ethnic group, consisting of the population of the Republic of Austria and its historical predecessor states who share a common Austrian culture and Austrian descent....
. Soon afterwards he retired from the military and made a trip to Holland and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
before his return to Pless. During the War of the Sixth Coalition
War of the Sixth Coalition
In the War of the Sixth Coalition , a coalition of Austria, Prussia, Russia, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Sweden, Spain and a number of German States finally defeated France and drove Napoleon Bonaparte into exile on Elba. After Napoleon's disastrous invasion of Russia, the continental powers...
in 1813, he was Commander of the Silesian countryside.
In Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
on 20 May 1816 Frederick Ferdinand married for a second time to Countess Julie of Brandenburg (b. Neuchâtel, 4 January 1793 - d. Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, 29 January 1848), illegitimate daughter of King Frederick William II of Prussia
Frederick William II of Prussia
Frederick William II was the King of Prussia, reigning from 1786 until his death. He was in personal union the Prince-Elector of Brandenburg and the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel.-Early life:...
.
When the young Duke Louis Augustus died without direct heirs in 1818, Frederick Ferdinand, as his closest male relative, succeeded him in the duchy. Shortly after, he ceded Anhalt-Pless to his brother Henry
Henry, Duke of Anhalt-Köthen
Henry of Anhalt-Köthen , was a German prince of the House of Ascania, ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Pless, and the last ruler of the duchy of Anhalt-Köthen....
.
During a trip to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1825, Frederick Ferdinand and his wife converted to Catholicism
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
. His attempts to convert Köthen to the Catholic faith encountered stiff resistance. As confessor, the duke chose the Belgian Jesuit Peter Jan Beckx
Peter Jan Beckx
Peter Jan Beckx Peter Jan Beckx Peter Jan Beckx (also Pieter Jan Beckx, in French Pierre Jean Beckx, (8 February 1795, Zichem, Belgium - 4 March 1887, Rome, Italy) was a Belgian Jesuit, elected 22nd Superior-General of the Society of Jesus.-Early Years and Formation:...
.
In Grimschleben near Nienburg
Nienburg
There are two towns named Nienburg in Germany.*Nienburg, Lower Saxony*Nienburg, Saxony-AnhaltThe Name Nienburg means "Neue Burg" ....
he brought in the classicist architect Gottfried Bandhauer to realize some remodeling of his palace. By 1828 he founded a colony in South Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
called "Askania-Nova
Askania-Nova
Askania-Nova is a biosphere reserve located in Kherson Oblast, Ukraine, within the dry Taurida steppe near Oleshky Sands. The reserve consists of a zoological park, a botanical garden, and an open territory of virgin steppes....
," located in the steppes of Tauri, in the northern peninsula of Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
.
Under his government, Bandhauer also built (between 1823 and 1828) the Ferdinandsbau in Schloss Köthen, the monastery and hospital of the Brothers of Mercy (German: Barmherzigen Brüder) in 1829, and the Catholic Church of St. Mary (German: Kirche St. Maria) in 1830, in whose crypt Frederick Ferdinand was buried shortly after.
On his death without issue, he was succeeded by his brother Henry.