John II, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst

John I Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst (died 11 April 1382) was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst.

Sometimes he's remembered as John II, pr. of Anhalt-Zerbst, but in this case the number refers to the name and not to the title (for example: Frederick IV Wettin of Meissen, I duke of Saxony). For this reason, John was the 2nd ruler of Anhalt with this name, but the 1st of the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst.

He was the youngest son of Albert II, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst, by his second wife Beatrix, daughter of Rudolf I, Elector of Saxony and Duke of Saxe-Wittemberg.

Life

The death of his older brother Albert III in 1359 made John his father's sole heir; his older brother Rudolf was an ordained priest. In 1362 John inherited the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst, but first had to rule jointly with his uncle Waldemar I until his death in 1368, then with his cousin Waldemar II, who died without issue four years later (in 1371). Following his cousin's death, John became the sole ruler of Anhalt-Zerbst.

Marriage and issue

In 1366 John married Elisabeth (died Dessau, after 20 January 1420), daughter of John I, Count of Henneberg-Schleusingen. They had four children:

1. Agnes (d. bef. 5 July 1392), married bef. 23 September 1382 to Burchard of Schraplau.
2. Sigismund I, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst, later Anhalt-Dessau (d. Coswig, 19 January 1405).
3. Albert IV, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst, later Anhalt-Köthen (d. Coswig, 24 November 1423).
4. Waldemar III, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst (d. 1391).