Gisela Agnes of Anhalt-Köthen

Gisela Agnes of Anhalt-Köthen
Princess consort of Anhalt-Dessau

Born	(1722-09-21)21 September 1722 Köthen
Died	20 April 1751(1751-04-20) (aged 28) Dessau
Spouse	Leopold II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
House	Ascania
Father	Leopold, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen
Mother	Frederica Henriette of Anhalt-Bernburg

Gisela Agnes of Anhalt-Köthen (21 September 1722, Köthen – 20 April 1751, Dessau) was a princess of Anhalt-Köthen by birth and by marriage Duchess of Anhalt-Dessau.

Life

Gisela Agnes was the only surviving child of Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Köthen (1694–1728) from his first marriage to Frederica Henriette (1702–1723), daughter of Prince Charles Frederick of Anhalt-Bernburg.

When her father died without leaving a male heir, he was succeeded as Prince of Anhalt-Köthen by her uncle Augustus Louis of Anhalt-Köthen. However, Gisela Agnes claimed her allodial title and took the case to the Reichskammergericht. Prince John Augustus of Anhalt-Zerbst mediated and a compromise was reached. Gisela was compensated with a sum of 100000taler plus and annual pension until her marriage. She also received her father's collection of guns and coins and another 32000taler for the estates of Prosigk, Klepzig and Köthen.

She married on 25 May 1737 in Bernburg her cousin, Prince Leopold II Maximilian of Anhalt-Dessau (1700–1751). The marriage was described as very happy. The death of his wife hit Leopold II so hard that him, already in delicate health, died only eight months later. She was buried in the St. Mary's Church in Dessau.

Issue

From her marriage with Leopold II Maximilian, Gisela Agnes had the following children:

Leopold III Frederick Francis (1740–1817), Prince of Anhalt-Dessau

married in 1767 princess Henriette Louise of Brandenburg-Schwedt (1750-1811)

Louise (1742–1743)
Henriette Catherine Agnes (1744–1799)

married in 1779 with Baron John Jost of Loën (1737-1803)

John George (1748–1811)
Maria Leopoldine (1749–1769)

married 1765 Prince Simon August of Lippe-Detmold (1727-1782)

Casimire (1749–1778)

married in 1769 the Prince Simon August of Lippe-Detmold (1727-1782), the widow of her sister Maria Leopoldine

Albert Frederick (1750–1811)

married in 1774 Countess Henriette of Lippe-Weissfeld (1753-1795)

References and sources

Ferdinand Siebigk: Das Herzogthum Anhalt, Desbarats, 1867, p. 227 ff.
Gerhard Heine: Geschichte des Landes Anhalt und seiner Fürsten, Heine, 1866, p. 186

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