Anhalt-Bernburg

Principality (Duchy) of Anhalt-Bernburg
Fürstentum (Herzogtum) Anhalt-Bernburg  (German)
State of the Holy Roman Empire (until 1806) State of the Confederation of the Rhine (1806–13) State of the German Confederation (from 1815)
1252–1468 1603–1863
19th century flag of Anhalt duchies 19th century arms of Anhalt duchies
Anhalt territories in 1853, Anhalt-Bernburg in green
Capital		Bernburg
Languages		Upper Saxon
Government		Principality
Historical era		Middle Ages
•	Partitioned from Anhalt	1252
•	Inherited by Anhalt-Dessau	1468
•	Repartitioned from Anhalt	1603
•	Anhalt-Zeitz-Hoym partitioned away	1718–1812
•	Raised to duchy	1803
•	Anhalt re-united	1863
Preceded by Succeeded by Principality of Anhalt Duchy of Anhalt
Today part of		Saxony-Anhalt, Germany

Anhalt-Bernburg was a principality of the Holy Roman Empire and a duchy of the German Confederation ruled by the House of Ascania with its residence at Bernburg in present-day Saxony-Anhalt. It emerged as a subdivision from the Principality of Anhalt from 1252 until 1468, when it fell to the Ascanian principality of Anhalt-Dessau. Recreated in 1603, Anhalt-Bernburg finally merged into the re-unified Duchy of Anhalt upon the extinction of the line in 1863.

It was created in 1252, when the Principality of Anhalt was partitioned among the sons of Henry I into Anhalt-Aschersleben, Anhalt-Bernburg and Anhalt-Zerbst. Bernburg was allotted to Henry's second son Bernhard I. When the line of Anhalt-Aschersleben became extinct in 1315, Prince Bernhard II of Anhalt-Bernburg claimed their territory, he could however not prevail against his cousin Albert, Bishop of Halberstadt.

After the ruling family became extinct upon the death of Prince Bernhard VI in 1468, Anhalt-Bernburg was inherited by Prince George I of Anhalt-Dessau. With Anhalt-Dessau it was inherited by Prince Joachim Ernest of Anhalt-Zerbst in 1561, who unified all Anhalt lands under his rule in 1570.