John VI, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
| John VI, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst | |
|---|---|
John VI, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
|
|
| Spouse(s) | Sophie Augusta of Holstein-Gottorp |
| Noble family | House of Ascania |
| Father | Rudolph, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst |
| Mother | Magdalene of Oldenburg |
| Born |
24 March 1621 Zerbst |
| Died | 4 July 1667 (aged 46) Zerbst |
John VI of Anhalt-Zerbst (Zerbst, 24 March 1621 – Zerbst, 4 July 1667), was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst.
He was the only son of Rudolph, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst, by his second wife Magdalene, daughter of John VII, Count of Oldenburg.
John VI is also an ancestor of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry, for his great-great-grandson Paul I of Russia is a great-great-grandfather of Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark, great-grandfather of the Princes through his only son Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. He is also their ancestor through Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha, Princess of Wales.
John succeeded his father in Anhalt-Zerbst at only four months of age; during his long minority, his paternal uncle Augustus of Anhalt-Plötzkau acted as regent in the principality.
John's education was supervised primarily by his mother. Political instability caused by warfare during the Thirty Years War caused John to be educated in Zerbst, Coswig, and Wittenberg at various times. From 1633 he continued his education at the court of his maternal uncle Anthony Günther, Count of Oldenburg.
Immediately after he reached adulthood and formally assumed the government of his state, John made Lutheranism the official religion of Zerbst. He increased the size of his principality noticeably by acquiring various fiefs.
...
Wikipedia