When both brothers were proclaimed adults, they decided to ruled jointly without a territorial division of their inheritance, but with separated residences: Waldemar I decided to live in Dessau and Albert in Zerbst or Köthen.
During the life of his father, Albert was made co-ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst; at the same time, his uncle Waldemar I was also co-ruler with his residence at Dessau.
It was created for a second time in 1603 with the partition of Anhalt-Zerbst.
On 8 November 1727 in Vechelde, Christian August married Johanna Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp (24 October 1712 - 30 May 1760), daughter of Prince Christian August of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp, Prince of Eutin and sister of King Adolf Frederick of Sweden.
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In 1711 Christian August was awarded the Order De la Générosité, later renamed in Pour le Mérite, and on 1 March 1713 was elevated to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel.
Dorothea von Anhalt-Zerbst (25 September 1607, Zerbst – 26 September 1634, Hitzacker) was a member of the House of Askanier and a princess of Anhalt-Zerbst and by marriage Duchess of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel.
The dominion of Jever (which was anexed to Zerbst by the marriage of Prince Rudolph with Magdalene of Oldenburg, heiress of that land) was ruled under the Semi-Salic Law; for this, was given to the Empress Catherine II of Russia, born Princess Sophie Auguste Fredericka of Anhalt-Zerbst and Frederick Augustus's only surviving sibling.
Friederike Auguste Sophie of Anhalt-Bernburg (28 August 1744, Bernburg – 12 April 1827, Coswig), was a princess consort of Anhalt-Zerbst.
#Sigismund I, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst, later Anhalt-Dessau (d. Coswig, 19 January 1405).
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 (which was finally inaugurated in 1736).
#John Louis I, Prince of Anhalt(-Zerbst)-Dornburg (b. Zerbst, 4 May 1656 – d. Dornburg, 1 November 1704).
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Political instability caused by warfare during the Thirty Years War caused John to be educated in Zerbst, Coswig, and Wittenberg at various times.
The principality lasted until 1742 when Princes Christian August and John Louis II inherited Anhalt-Zerbst.
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It was created in 1667 following the death of Prince John VI and the partition of Anhalt-Zerbst with Anhalt-Mühlingen being created along with Anhalt-Dornburg for the younger sons of Prince John VI.
Sophie Auguste Fredericke (Empress Catherine II of Russia) 1793–1796 (only in Jever)
#Dorothea (b. Zerbst, 25 September 1607 - d. Hitzacker, 26 September 1634), married on 26 October 1623 to Augustus, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg.
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In Oldenburg on 31 August 1612 Rudolph married for a second time to Magdalene (b. Oldenburg, 6 October 1585 - d. Coswig, 14 April 1657), heiress of Jever and daughter of John VII, Count of Oldenburg; only when Rudolph met her did he find a way out of his depression.
From 1603 to 1793 Zerbst was the Residence Town of the Zerbst Principality, whose rule included among others also Jever.
Albert IV, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen (d. Coswig, 24 November 1423), was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst until 1396, when he became the first ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Köthen.
The territories of Anhalt-Bernburg were augmented one year later with the formal division of Anhalt-Zerbst in 1797; Alexius Frederick Christian received the towns of Coswig and Mühlingen, which represented 1/3 of the defunct principality.
#John V, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau, later Anhalt-Zerbst (b. Dessau, 4 September 1504 - d. Zerbst, 4 February 1551).
The towns Ziesar, Bad Belzig, Niemegk, Treuenbrietzen, Jüterbog, Baruth/Mark, Dahme/Mark, Wittenberg, Loburg, Möckern, and Zerbst, as well as the municipalities Wiesenburg (Mark) and Rabenstein/Fläming, are situated in or at the border of the Fläming Heath.
Before his death, Henry divided Anhalt between his sons: Henry inherited Aschersleben, Bernhard received Bernburg, and Siegfried took Zerbst.
Sigismund assumed the title "Lord of Zerbst," but established the town of Dessau as his main residence and capital of his newly created principality of Anhalt-Dessau.
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Sigismund I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (d. Coswig, 19 January 1405), was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Zerbst until 1396, when he became the first ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau.