Bernhard VII, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst

Bernhard VII von Anhalt ( born March 17, 1540 in Dessau, † March 1, 1570 in Dessau ) from the house of Ascanians was a prince of Anhalt.

Life

Bernhard was the youngest son of Prince Johann II von Anhalt (1504-1551) from his marriage to Margaret (1511-1577), daughter of the Elector Joachim I of Brandenburg. A godfather of Prince was Martin Luther. Bernhard went to his training in 1561 while traveling through Italy. After the death of his father he took over the government together with his brothers Charles and Joachim Ernst, but still a minor under the guardianship of their uncle George III. and Joachim I stood.

Bernhard resided later in Dessau, Joachim Ernst in Roßlau and Karl in Zerbst. Karl died the first of the brothers 1561st After the death of his uncle, and the renunciation of his cousin Wolfgang of Anhalt- Köthen in 1562 he and his brother Joachim Ernst had fallen the whole country Anhalt. In 1563 he shared the land with his brother and received this Dessau, Zerbst, Plötzkau, Lippene, Lindau, Warmsdorf and later Coswig and Wörlitz.

On May 18, 1565 Bernard married in Dessau Clare ( 1550-1598 ), daughter of Duke Francis of Brunswick -Lüneburg. The only son of this marriage, Franz Georg, who was born in 1567, died a year later. After Bernard's death, his territory fell to his brother Joachim Ernst, who was able to unite the whole country Anhalt so in his hand.