John Louis II, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst


John Louis II, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst, was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dornburg. After 1742 he became ruler over the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst.
He was the eldest son of John Louis I, Prince of Anhalt-Dornburg, by his wife Christine Eleonore of Zeutsch.

Life

He succeeded his father as prince of Anhalt-Dornburg in 1704 and ruled jointly with his brothers John Augustus, Christian Augustus, Christian Louis and John Frederick, but he had the Senoriat over all of them as first-born.
In 1720 he was appointed Oberlanddrostes of Jever and remained there for the next twenty-two years; during this time, he ordered the building of the Stadtkirche in Jever. After the death in 1742 of his cousin Prince John Augustus of Anhalt-Zerbst without heirs, he and his only surviving brother, Christian Augustus, took over the rule of the entire principality of Anhalt-Zerbst. In order to administer the principality, he had to return to Zerbst.
John Louis never married and died after only four years of rule. On his death, he was succeeded by his brother and co-ruler.