Waldemar I, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst

Waldemar I, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst (d. 7 January 1368), was a German prince member of the House of Ascania and ruler of the Principality of Anhalt-Zerbst.

He was the youngest son of Albert I, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst by his second wife Agnes, daughter of Conrad, Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal.

Life

After the death of his father in 1316, the young Waldemar and his older brother Albert II were put under the custody of their maternal uncle Waldemar, Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal. When both brothers reached adulthood, they co-ruled the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst. Waldemar made his residence in Dessau and Albert in Zerbst-Köthen.

In 1359 her nephew Albert III was also made co-ruler by his father, but he soon died. Three years later (1362), Albert II died and Waldemar was now a co-ruler of his youngest nephew John II.

Six years later, Waldemar died, leaving his only son Waldemar II as the new co-ruler of John II.

Marriages and Issue

In 22 June 1344 Waldemar married firstly with Elisabeth (d. aft. 30 May 1351), daughter of Rudolf I, Elector of Saxony and Duke of Saxe-Wittemberg. Her paternal grandmother Agnes of Habsburg was a daughter of Rudolph I, Holy Roman Emperor. In addition, both spouses are distant related: Elisabeth's great-grandfather Albert I, Duke of Saxony was a brother of Henry I, Count of Anhalt, Waldemar's great-great-grandfather. They had six children:
#Waldemar II, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst (d. bef. 24 August 1371).
#Beate (d. ca. 1379), a nun at Coswig (1375).
#Sophie (d. aft. 6 January 1412), a nun at Coswig (1375).
#Agnes (d. aft. 1375), a nun at Coswig (1375).
#Judith (d. aft. 1375), a nun at Coswig (1375).
#(?) Gertrude (d. ca. 1371).

In 1365 Waldemar married secondly with Beatrice (d. 1387), legitimated daughter of Obizzo III d'Este, Lord of Ferrara and Modena by his second wife and former mistress Lippa Ariosto. This union was childless.