- John Casimir, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
John Casimir, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (b.
Dessau ,7 September 1596 - d.Dessau ,15 September 1660 ), was a German prince member of theHouse of Ascania and ruler of the Principality ofAnhalt-Dessau .He was the third but second surviving son of
John George I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau , and the first-born from his second marriage with Dorothea, daughter of John Casimir of Simmern.Life
After his instruction with tutors during his first years, John Casimir studied with his cousin Christian II of Anhalt-Bernburg in
Geneva from 1608 to 1609; his tutors were the "Hofmeisters"Markus Friedrich Wendelin andPeter von Sebottendorf .The death of his older brother, the Hereditary Prince Joachim Ernest in 1615 made him the new heir of Dessau. Two years later, in 1617, his uncle Louis of Anhalt-Köthen made him a member of the
Fruitbearing Society . In the Köthen society book he appears under the No 10.In 1618, after the death of his father, John Casimir succeeded him in Anhalt-Dessau; but the task of government were made by a group of representants of the Dessau court, because the new prince spend much of his time dedicated to hunt.
Precisely, a hunting accident on
4 October 1652 left him in bed several years. During this time, in order to distract him, the famous poet and writerPhilipp von Zesen was included in his household.Marriages and Issue
In
Dessau on18 May 1623 John Casimir married firstly with Agnes (b. Kassel,13 April 1606 - d. Dessau,28 May 1650 ), daughter ofMaurice, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel . They had six children:
#Maurice, Hereditary Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (b. Dessau,7 November 1624 - d. Dessau,30 December 1624 ).
#Dorothea (b. Dessau,24 October 1625 - d. Dessau,21 July 1626 ).
#Juliane (b. Dessau,17 September 1626 - d. Dessau,30 November 1652 ).
#John George II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (b. Dessau,7 November 1627 - d. Berlin,17 August 1693 ).
#Louise (b. Dessau,10 February 1631 - d. Wohlau,25 April 1680 ), married on24 November 1648 Christian, Duke of Liegnitz.
#Agnes (b. Dessau,12 March 1644 - d. Dessau,13 May 1644 ).In
Dessau on14 July 1651 John Casimir married secondly with his cousin Sophie Margarete (b. Amberg,16 September 1615 - d. Dessau,27 December 1673 ), daughter ofChristian I, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg . The union was childless.
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.