If you love history, you must have certainly heard of the great Russian Empress, Catherine II the Great. She was country’s last empress regnant and longest-ruling female leader. She had a family back in the Province of Anhalt-Zerbst as her mother was a princess consort of Anhalt-Zerbst by marriage, and the regent of Anhalt-Zerbst from 1747 to 1752 on behalf of her minor son. She had several siblings, and one of them is Elisabeth Ulrike of Anhalt-Zerbst.
Read on to know more about the personal life, parents, siblings and more about Elisabeth Ulrike of Anhalt-Zerbst.
Table of Contents
Personal Life
Elisabeth Ulrike of Anhalt-Zerbst was born on 17 December, 1742 to mother Joanna Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp and father Christian August, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst. However, due to some unfortunate events, she lost her life on 5 March, 1745, when he had not even completed three years of age. She may have died due to some natural causes, or due to some mishap. Since there have been no records of foulplay, historians often disregard that. During those days, young children and ailing people often contracted incurable diseases, that often resulted in death.
Parents
Elisabeth Ulrike of Anhalt-Zerbst was the youngest daughter of Joanna Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp and Christian August, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst. Her mother Joanna Elisabeth was a member of the German House of Holstein-Gottorp but from a minor branch family. Her father, Christian August, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp, Prince of Eutin and Prince-Bishop of Lübeck was not a rich man, Joanna Elisabeth had 10 siblings. At the age of fifteen, Johanna was married to the thirty-seven-year old Prince Christian August of Anhalt-Zerbst (1690–1747), who was an heir to the Principality of Anhalt-Zerbst and a general in the Prussian army under Frederick William I of Prussia.
Christian August, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst was a German prince of the House of Ascania and the ruler of the Principality of Anhalt-Dornburg. In 1742, he became the ruler of the entire Principality of Anhalt-Zerbst. The third son of John Louis I, Prince of Anhalt-Dornburg and Christine Eleonore of Zeutsch, he was also a Prussian Generalfeldmarschall. After a series of misfortunate events involving the death of his father, brothers and cousin, he became the ruler of the Principality of Anhalt-Zerbst. However, he could only rule for four months before he died. He has quite a lot of achievements as a member of the Prussian army and had been awarded the Order De la Générosité in 1711.
Siblings
Elisabeth Ulrike of Anhalt-Zerbst had four siblings – Sophie Auguste Fredericka, William Christian Frederick, Frederick Augustus and Auguste Christine Charlotte. Sophie Auguste Fredericka later grew up to be Catherine II the Great, Empress of Russia and lived a successful and famous life. William Christian Frederick was only a young boy of 12 years when he died.
Frederick Augustus was the last ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst but due to a quarrel with the Kingdom of Prussia, he was forced to flee into exile in Basel. He died some time later in Luxembourgh. Auguste Christine Charlotte met an unfortunate death only a few days after being born.
Conclusion
Elisabeth Ulrike of Anhalt-Zerbst had died at a very young age, when she was barely three years old. There may have been some foul play associated with her death, but it is not documented. Then again, she might have lost her life due to diseases or due to some accident.
