Rudolph IV, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
Rudolf IV of Anhalt (c. 1466; † September 7, 1510 ) called " the Brave " from the house of Ascanians was a prince of Anhalt- Bernburg.
Life
Rudolf was a son of Prince Georg I of Anhalt -Zerbst (1390-1474) from his fourth marriage to Anna († 1513), daughter of Count Albrecht von Lindau - Ruppin. In contrast to the tradition of Rudolf Anhalt studied at the University of Mainz instead in Leipzig.
1470 Sigismund's father had placed the government in the hands of his sons, who divided the land in 1471. Sigismund III. and Ernst received Anhalt- Dessau, George II and Waldemar VI. Anhalt- Köthen and got Rudolph, the youngest of the brothers, should be reconciled with a sum of money. The part of the country Anhalt- Bernburg, 1468 passed to the house ware should govern all the brothers together.
Rudolf joined in 1486 that of the Roman-German King Maximilian I., who, however, the wages remained delinquent services he provides. Rudolf got into debt and therefore devoted his part of the country against 3,000 guilders to Elector Frederick of Saxony. Rudolf enjoyed the special favor of Maximilian I., who made him his advice and equerry. He lived his coronation, where he was made a Knight of the Holy Roman Empire and accompanied Maximilian in the Netherlands, where both men were captured later. Rudolf remained as a hostage so that Maximilian could be freed. For this, the emperor freed the house of Anhalt from the aid to the imperial war. Rudolf had acquired the dominion Grobbendonk in the Netherlands and received by Maximilian I. Kitzbühel to the present, which he did in 1507 ceded again.
In 1495, Rudolf received at the Diet of Worms on behalf of his brothers and cousins , the royal investiture with the fief of Anhalt. Rudolf suppressed by order of Maximilian I in 1506 an uprising in Hungary and was a year later in the war against Charles of Egmond commander in chief of the royal army. In this role, he was also involved in the campaign against the Republic of Venice and the conquest of Padua and Vicenza. He died unmarried and childless at the siege of Verona by the Venetians in a high fever or of poison.