Louis Augustus Karl Frederick Emil, Duke of Anhalt-Köthen

Louis Augustus Karl Frederick Emil, Duke of Anhalt-Köthen (b. Köthen, 20 September 1802 - d. Leipzig, 18 December 1818), was a German prince member of the House of Ascania and ruler of the Duchy of Anhalt-Köthen.

He was the second but only surviving son of Prince Louis of Anhalt-Köthen by his wife Louise Karoline Theodora Amalie, daughter of the later (1806) Louis I, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine.

Life

Louis Augustus was born posthumously, four days after the death of his father, on 16 September 1802. One year later, his uncle, the reign Prince (and later Duke) Augustus Christian Frederick of Anhalt-Köthen divorced of his wife after eleven years of childless union, and show any interest in married again; this put Louis Augustus as heir apparent of his uncle.

When Augustus Christian Frederick died in 1812, Louis Augustus succeeded him with only ten years. The Duke Leopold III of Anhalt-Dessau, as Head of the whole House of Anhalt, asumed the regency on his behalf until his death in 1817, when his grandson and heir, Leopold IV, also took the guardianship of the Duke.

Louis Augustus died with only sixteen years and because was still a minor, he never ruled by his own. With him, the main line of Anhalt-Köthen became extinct, and was succeeded by his uncle Frederick Ferdinand, member of the branch of Anhalt-Köthen-Pless.