Augustus Christian Frederick, Duke of Anhalt-Köthen

Augustus Christian Frederick, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen (b. Köthen, 18 November 1769 - d. Schloss Geuz, 5 May 1812), was a German prince member of the House of Ascania, ruler of the Principality of Anhalt-Köthen and since 1806, the first Duke of Anhalt-Köthen.

He was the eldest son of Karl George Lebrecht, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen by his wife Louise Charlotte, daughter of Frederick, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg.

Life

After the death of his father in 1789, Augustus Christian Frederick inherited Anhalt-Köthen. Like him, he follow a military career in the Prussian army, where he became in "Generalmajor".

On 15 May 1803 he was appointed "Generalfeldmarschallleutnant" and two years later, on 31 January 1805 he was made a knight of the Order of the Black Eagle.

In Frankfurt-am-Main on 9 February 1792 Augustus Christian Frederick married with Fredericka (b. Usingen, 30 August 1777 - d. Hochheim, 28 August 1821), daughter of Frederick Augustus, Prince of Nassau-Usingen and later (1806) Duke of Nassau. After eleven years of an unhappy and childless marriage, they were divorced in 1803.

On 18 April 1806 Napoleon gave him the title of "Monsieur d'Anhalt" and with this officially elevated him to the Ducal diginity.

At his death six years later without male issue, Augustus Christian Frederick was succeeded by his infant nephew Louis Augustus Karl Frederick Emil, the son of his deceased younger brother Louis.