Henry II, Prince of Anhalt-Aschersleben
Encyclopedia
Henry II, Prince of Anhalt-Aschersleben (1215 – 12 June 1266) was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Aschersleben.
He was the eldest son of Henry I, Count of Anhalt
(who was raised to the rank of prince in 1218), by his wife Irmgard, daughter of Hermann I, Landgrave of Thuringia.
, Hecklingen
, Ermsleben and Wörbzig.
Through his mother, Henry was related to the Landgraves of Thuringia; in 1247 he intervened in the War of the Thuringian Succession
and spoke out in support of an alliance with Albert I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
(his brother-in-law), who in return promised to give him some Thuringian lands. He was defeated and captured in battle near Besenstedt in 1263, but was released shortly after. He soon renewed his war against Thuringia. In 1265 was captured again and forced to renounce completely his claims to lands in Thuringia.
In 1257, Henry supported King Alfonso X of Castile
as German King and led military actions against the monasteries and archbishops of Magdeburg
and bishops of Halberstadt
as well as his brothers and cousins. In 1266 he raised Aschersleben to the rank of a city.
and great-granddaughter of Otto I of Brandenburg
, older brother of Bernhard of Anhalt
, Henry's grandfather.
They had two sons:
On Henry's death his sons were still minors and his widow Matilda assumed the regency of the principality until 1270, when they reached adulthood. Shortly after, Matilda took the veil and became Abbess of Gernrode
for almost twenty years, from 1275 to 1296.
He was the eldest son of Henry I, Count of Anhalt
Henry I, Count of Anhalt
Henry I, Count of Anhalt was a German prince of the House of Ascania and Count of Anhalt.He was the oldest son of Bernhard III, Duke of Saxony and Count of Anhalt, by his wife Brigitte a daughter of Canute V of Denmark....
(who was raised to the rank of prince in 1218), by his wife Irmgard, daughter of Hermann I, Landgrave of Thuringia.
Life
Henry was co-ruler of the principality of Anhalt with his father from 1244. After his father's death in 1252 the Anhalt state was divided between him and his brothers. Henry took over the old family areas of AscherslebenAschersleben
Aschersleben is a town in the Salzlandkreis district, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is situated approx. 22 km east of Quedlinburg, and 45 km northwest of Halle .-Pre-20th century:...
, Hecklingen
Hecklingen
Hecklingen is a town in the Salzlandkreis district, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is situated on the river Bode, approx. 4 km west of Staßfurt, and 12 km northeast of Aschersleben.-International relations:Hecklingen is twinned with:...
, Ermsleben and Wörbzig.
Through his mother, Henry was related to the Landgraves of Thuringia; in 1247 he intervened in the War of the Thuringian Succession
War of the Thuringian Succession
The War of the Thuringen Succession was a military battle over a successor to the last Landgrave of Thuringia in present-day Germany.- Source of the conflict :...
and spoke out in support of an alliance with Albert I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Albert I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Albert the Tall , of the House of Welf, was Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg from 1252 to 1269 and the first ruler of the newly created Principality of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel from 1269 until his death.-Life:...
(his brother-in-law), who in return promised to give him some Thuringian lands. He was defeated and captured in battle near Besenstedt in 1263, but was released shortly after. He soon renewed his war against Thuringia. In 1265 was captured again and forced to renounce completely his claims to lands in Thuringia.
In 1257, Henry supported King Alfonso X of Castile
Alfonso X of Castile
Alfonso X was a Castilian monarch who ruled as the King of Castile, León and Galicia from 1252 until his death...
as German King and led military actions against the monasteries and archbishops of Magdeburg
Magdeburg
Magdeburg , is the largest city and the capital city of the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Magdeburg is situated on the Elbe River and was one of the most important medieval cities of Europe....
and bishops of Halberstadt
Halberstadt
Halberstadt is a town in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt and the capital of the district of Harz. It is located on the German Half-Timbered House Road and the Magdeburg–Thale railway....
as well as his brothers and cousins. In 1266 he raised Aschersleben to the rank of a city.
Marriage and issue
In 1245 Henry married Matilda (d. Gernrode?, 25 October / 1 December? 1297), daughter of Otto the Child, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, and Matilda of BrandenburgMathilde von Brandenburg
Matilda of Brandenburg was a daughter of Albert II, Margrave of Brandenburg, and Matilda of Lusatia. In 1228 she married Duke Otto I of Lüneburg, a son of William of Winchester. She died on 10 June 1261 in Lüneburg...
and great-granddaughter of Otto I of Brandenburg
Otto I, Margrave of Brandenburg
Otto I was the second Margrave of Brandenburg, from 1170 until his death.-Life:Otto I was born into the House of Ascania as the eldest son of Albert I , who founded the Margraviate of Brandenburg in 1157, and his wife Sophie von Winzenburg...
, older brother of Bernhard of Anhalt
Bernhard, Count of Anhalt
Bernhard, Count of Anhalt was a German prince of the House of Ascania, Count of Anhalt and Ballenstedt, and Lord of Bernburg through his paternal inheritance...
, Henry's grandfather.
They had two sons:
- Otto I, Prince of Anhalt-AscherslebenOtto I, Prince of Anhalt-AscherslebenOtto I, Prince of Anhalt-Aschersleben was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Aschersleben....
(d. 25 June 1304). - Henry III, Prince of Anhalt-AscherslebenHenry III, Prince of Anhalt-AscherslebenHenry III, Prince of Anhalt-Aschersleben was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Aschersleben....
(d. 9 November 1307).
On Henry's death his sons were still minors and his widow Matilda assumed the regency of the principality until 1270, when they reached adulthood. Shortly after, Matilda took the veil and became Abbess of Gernrode
Gernrode
Gernrode is a town and a former municipality in Germany, in the district of Harz, Saxony-Anhalt. The town was first mentioned in 961 and became a city in 1539. Since 1 January 2011, it is part of the town Quedlinburg...
for almost twenty years, from 1275 to 1296.