Frederick Erdmann, Prince of Anhalt-Pless


Frederick Erdmann of Anhalt-Pless was a German prince from the Anhalt-Köthen branch of the House of Ascania, and the first ruler of the Principality of Anhalt-Pless.

Life

As the youngest surviving son of Augustus Louis, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen, by his second wife, Christine Johanna Emilie, daughter of Count Erdmann II of Promnitz-Pless, Frederick Erdmann's prospects of inheriting or ruling jointly over Köthen were dim at birth. His situation changed in 1765, after the death of his infant cousin Count William of Promnitz, heir apparent of Pless, left his uncle Johann Erdmann, Count of Promnitz-Pless, without any heirs male; the child's uncle then decided to give Frederick Erdmann the county as an anticipated inheritance. The lordships of Jannowitz, Peterswaldau and Kreppelhof, however, Johann Erdmann gave to his great-nephew Christian Frederick of Stolberg-Wernigerode.
After receiving this inheritance, Frederick Erdmann moved to Pless and assumed the title "Prince of Anhalt-Pless".

Marriage and issue

In Wernigerode on 13 June 1766, Frederick Erdmann was married to his niece, Louise Ferdinande, daughter of Henry Ernest of Stolberg-Wernigerode and his wife, Christiane Anna Agnes of Anhalt-Köthen, Frederick Erdmann's older sister. They had nine children:
  1. Emmanuel Ernest Erdmann, Hereditary Prince of Anhalt-Pless. Mentally retarded, he was excluded from the succession.
  2. Frederick Ferdinand, Prince of Anhalt-Pless and from 1818 Duke of Anhalt-Köthen.
  3. Anna Emilie, married on 21 May 1791 Hans Henry VI, Imperial Count of Hochberg and Freiherr of Fürstenstein. She was the only one of Frederick Erdmann's six surviving children to have children, and her descendants eventually inherited Pless.
  4. Benedikte.
  5. Christiane.
  6. George.
  7. Henry, Duke of Anhalt-Köthen.
  8. Christian Frederick.
  9. Louis.