Leopold III, Duke of Anhalt-Dessau
Encyclopedia
Leopold III Frederick Franz, Duke of Anhalt-Dessau (10 August 1740 – 9 August 1817), known as "Prince Franz" or "Father Franz", was a German
prince
of the House of Ascania. From 1751 until 1807 he was Reigning prince of the Principality
of Anhalt-Dessau
and from 1807 the first Duke
of the Duchy
of Anhalt-Dessau.
He was the eldest son of Leopold II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau, by his wife Gisela Agnes, daughter of Leopold, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen.
.
After having lost both parents in 1751 (his mother on 20 April and his father on 16 December), the eleven-year-old Leopold inherited Anhalt-Dessau under the regency of his uncle, Prince Dietrich.
Following in the footsteps of his grandfather and father, Leopold joined the Prussian army
. After the Battle of Kolín
(18 June 1757), he was impressed so negatively by the spectacle of warfare that he resigned from the army and declared the neutrality of Anhalt-Dessau.
An Anglophile and strong supporter of the Enlightenment
, Leopold took special interest in the education of the population of his principality in science and nature. His numerous reforms in the areas of education, health care, social services, roads, agriculture, forestry, and industry made Anhalt-Dessau one of the most modern and prosperous of the small German states.
He engaged Friedrich Wilhelm von Erdmannsdorff to build Wörlitz Palace (1769–1773), the first Neoclassical
building in Germany. In 1774 Leopold engaged von Erdmannsdorff to construct a small residence with a small English park as a gift to his wife; in her honor, the castle took the name Schloss Luisium.
Leopold also extended and altered the old gardens of Oranienbaum
that were laid out in Dutch style to create the first and largest of the English park
s of his time, renamed the Dessau-Wörlitz Garden Realm
.
In 1782 Leopold was tried by the Fürstenbund
for his opposition to Prussian hegemony. In 1806 he was invited to Paris by Napoleon, who was impressed by his reputation. Leopold was one of the last princes to join the Confederation of the Rhine
on 18 April 1807. On the other hand, despite his differences with the Prussian crown, he offered the Prussian official Ferdinand von Schill
an honorable reception in Dessau
in 1809.
Leopold was elevated to the rank of duke in 1807. As the head of the senior Anhalt branch, he could not earlier by etiquette receive his kinsmen, the Princes of Anhalt-Köthen
and Anhalt-Bernburg
, who were raised to that rank before him. He received the title by paying a considerable sum of money to the Emperor shortly before the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire
in 1806, just as the prince of Anhalt-Bernburg had done before him.
In 1812 Leopold became regent of the duchy of Anhalt-Köthen during the minority of Duke Louis Augustus Karl Frederick Emil
.
Leopold died after a fall from his horse at Schloss Luisium, near Dessau, in 1817. He was succeeded by his eldest grandson Leopold IV, because his son, the Hereditary Prince Frederick, had predeceased him.
on 25 July 1767 Leopold married his cousin Louise Henriette Wilhelmine (b. Stolzenberg, Berlin
, 24 September 1750 - d. Dessau, 21 December 1811), daughter of Henry Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt, by his wife Leopoldine Marie of Anhalt-Dessau, a sister of his father. They had two children:
Also, he had several illegitimate children:
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
prince
Prince
Prince is a general term for a ruler, monarch or member of a monarch's or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in the nobility of some European states. The feminine equivalent is a princess...
of the House of Ascania. From 1751 until 1807 he was Reigning prince of the Principality
Principality
A principality is a monarchical feudatory or sovereign state, ruled or reigned over by a monarch with the title of prince or princess, or by a monarch with another title within the generic use of the term prince....
of Anhalt-Dessau
Anhalt-Dessau
Anhalt-Dessau was a principality and later a duchy located in Germany. It was created in 1396 following the partition of the Principality of Anhalt-Zerbst. The capital of the state was Dessau. Anhalt-Dessau experienced a number of partitions throughout its existence with Anhalt-Köthen being...
and from 1807 the first Duke
Duke
A duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...
of the Duchy
Duchy
A duchy is a territory, fief, or domain ruled by a duke or duchess.Some duchies were sovereign in areas that would become unified realms only during the Modern era . In contrast, others were subordinate districts of those kingdoms that unified either partially or completely during the Medieval era...
of Anhalt-Dessau.
He was the eldest son of Leopold II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau, by his wife Gisela Agnes, daughter of Leopold, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen.
Early life
Leopold was born at DessauDessau
Dessau is a town in Germany on the junction of the rivers Mulde and Elbe, in the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt. Since 1 July 2007, it is part of the merged town Dessau-Roßlau. Population of Dessau proper: 77,973 .-Geography:...
.
After having lost both parents in 1751 (his mother on 20 April and his father on 16 December), the eleven-year-old Leopold inherited Anhalt-Dessau under the regency of his uncle, Prince Dietrich.
Following in the footsteps of his grandfather and father, Leopold joined the Prussian army
Prussian 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...
. After the Battle of Kolín
Battle of Kolin
-Results:The battle was Frederick's first defeat in this war. This disaster forced him to abandon his intended march on Vienna, raise his siege of Prague, and fall back on Litoměřice...
(18 June 1757), he was impressed so negatively by the spectacle of warfare that he resigned from the army and declared the neutrality of Anhalt-Dessau.
Rule
In 1758 he was declared of age and assumed the government of his lands.An Anglophile and strong supporter of the Enlightenment
Age of Enlightenment
The Age of Enlightenment was an elite cultural movement of intellectuals in 18th century Europe that sought to mobilize the power of reason in order to reform society and advance knowledge. It promoted intellectual interchange and opposed intolerance and abuses in church and state...
, Leopold took special interest in the education of the population of his principality in science and nature. His numerous reforms in the areas of education, health care, social services, roads, agriculture, forestry, and industry made Anhalt-Dessau one of the most modern and prosperous of the small German states.
He engaged Friedrich Wilhelm von Erdmannsdorff to build Wörlitz Palace (1769–1773), the first Neoclassical
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
building in Germany. In 1774 Leopold engaged von Erdmannsdorff to construct a small residence with a small English park as a gift to his wife; in her honor, the castle took the name Schloss Luisium.
Leopold also extended and altered the old gardens of Oranienbaum
Oranienbaum
Oranienbaum may refer to:Germany:* Oranienbaum, Germany, a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany* Oranienbaum-WörlitzRussia:* Oranienbaum, Russia , a Russian royal residence* Lomonosov , the former name of the adjacent town...
that were laid out in Dutch style to create the first and largest of the English park
English Park
English Park is a multi-use stadium in Christchurch, New Zealand. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home stadium of Canterbury United. The stadium has a capacity of 9,000 people....
s of his time, renamed the Dessau-Wörlitz Garden Realm
Dessau-Wörlitz Garden Realm
The Dessau-Wörlitz Garden Realm, also known as the English Grounds of Wörlitz, is one of the first and largest English parks in Germany and continental Europe...
.
In 1782 Leopold was tried by the Fürstenbund
Fürstenbund
The Fürstenbund was a union of German minor princes in the Holy Roman Empire. It was formed in 1785 under the leadership of Frederick II of Prussia, to oppose the ambition of Emperor Joseph II to add Bavaria to the Habsburg domains....
for his opposition to Prussian hegemony. In 1806 he was invited to Paris by Napoleon, who was impressed by his reputation. Leopold was one of the last princes to join the Confederation of the Rhine
Confederation of the Rhine
The Confederation of the Rhine was a confederation of client states of the First French Empire. It was formed initially from 16 German states by Napoleon after he defeated Austria's Francis II and Russia's Alexander I in the Battle of Austerlitz. The Treaty of Pressburg, in effect, led to the...
on 18 April 1807. On the other hand, despite his differences with the Prussian crown, he offered the Prussian official Ferdinand von Schill
Ferdinand von Schill
Ferdinand Baptista von Schill was a Prussian officer who revolted unsuccessfully against French domination in May 1809.-Life:...
an honorable reception in Dessau
Dessau
Dessau is a town in Germany on the junction of the rivers Mulde and Elbe, in the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt. Since 1 July 2007, it is part of the merged town Dessau-Roßlau. Population of Dessau proper: 77,973 .-Geography:...
in 1809.
Leopold was elevated to the rank of duke in 1807. As the head of the senior Anhalt branch, he could not earlier by etiquette receive his kinsmen, the Princes 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....
and Anhalt-Bernburg
Anhalt-Bernburg
Anhalt-Bernburg was a principality of the Holy Roman Empire and a duchy of the German Confederation ruled by the House of Ascania with its residence at Bernburg in present-day Saxony-Anhalt...
, who were raised to that rank before him. He received the title by paying a considerable sum of money to the Emperor shortly before the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
in 1806, just as the prince of Anhalt-Bernburg had done before him.
In 1812 Leopold became regent of the duchy of Anhalt-Köthen during the minority of Duke Louis Augustus Karl Frederick Emil
Louis Augustus Karl Frederick Emil, Duke of Anhalt-Köthen
Louis Augustus Karl Frederick Emil, Duke of Anhalt-Köthen , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the duchy of Anhalt-Köthen....
.
Leopold died after a fall from his horse at Schloss Luisium, near Dessau, in 1817. He was succeeded by his eldest grandson Leopold IV, because his son, the Hereditary Prince Frederick, had predeceased him.
Marriage and issue
In CharlottenburgCharlottenburg
Charlottenburg is a locality of Berlin within the borough of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, named after Queen consort Sophia Charlotte...
on 25 July 1767 Leopold married his cousin Louise Henriette Wilhelmine (b. Stolzenberg, 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...
, 24 September 1750 - d. Dessau, 21 December 1811), daughter of Henry Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt, by his wife Leopoldine Marie of Anhalt-Dessau, a sister of his father. They had two children:
- A daughter (b. and d. Dessau, 11 February 1768).
- Frederick, Hereditary Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (b. Dessau, 27 December 1769 - d. Dessau, 27 May 1814).
Also, he had several illegitimate children:
- With Johanna Eleonore Hoffmeyer (b. 12 November 1739 - d. 3 May 1816), by marriage von Neitschütz since 1765:
- Wilhelmine Eleonore Fredericka (b. Dessau, 14 June 1762 - d. Dessau, 23 September 1762).
- Count Franz John George of Waldersee (b. Dessau, 5 September 1763 - d. Dessau, 30 May 1823), married in Dessau on 20 May 1787 to Countess Louise of Anhalt (morganatic granddaughter of the Hereditary Prince William GustavWilliam Gustav of Anhalt-DessauWilliam Gustav of Anhalt-Dessau , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and heir to the principality of Anhalt-Dessau....
, eldest son and heir of Prince Leopold I of Anhalt-Dessau). They had six children, three sons (Franz Henry, Eduard and Frederick Gustav) and three daughters (Louise, Amalie Agnes and Marie). Their descendants through the eldest son Franz Henry are still alive. - Louise Eleonore Fredericka (b. Dessau, 30 August 1765 - d. 1804).
- With Leopoldine Luise Schoch, daughter of his Master Gardener, who was ennobled with the surname "von Beringer":
- Wilhelmine Sidonie von Beringer (b. WörlitzWörlitz' is a town and a former municipality in the district of Wittenberg, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 January 2011, it is part of the town Oranienbaum-Wörlitz. It is situated on the left bank of the Elbe, east of Dessau...
, 5 January 1789 - d. Halle, 20 April 1860), married in Wörlitz on 20 June 1815 to Wilhelm von Goerne. - Louise Adelheid von Beringer (b. Dessau, 16 October 1790 - d. Halle, 5 June 1870), married in Wörlitz on 19 August 1812 to Friedrich Ludwig Wilhelm Georg von Glafey.
- Franz Adolf von Beringer (b. Wörlitz, 2 June 1792 - d. 28 February 1834), married to Auguste Wilhelmine Roeser (b. 2 June 1793 - d. 25 August 1855). They had one son Wilhelm, and one granddaughter, Magda, with the line apparently becoming extinct.
- With Johanna Magdalena Luise Jäger (b. 1763 - d. ?):
- Franziska (b. 1789 - d. young?).
- Leopoldine (b. 1791 - d. 1847).
- Amalie (b. 1793 - d. 1841).
- With Fredricka Wilhelmine Schulz (b. 1772 - d. 1843), by marriage Favreau:
- Louis Ferdinand Schulz (b. 1800 – d. 1893).