Principality of Ansbach

Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach/Principality of Ansbach Markgrafschaft Brandenburg-Ansbach/Fürstentum Ansbach (German)
1398–1791
Coat of arms
The Principality of Brandenburg-Ansbach as of 1791, superimposed over modern borders.
Status	Principality
Capital	Ansbach
Common languages	East Franconian
Government	Principality
Historical era	Early modern period
• Nuremberg became imperial city	1219
• Partition of burgraviate	21 January 1398
• Personal union with Brandenburg	1415–40
• Reunion with Bayreuth	11 June 1420
• Repartition	21 September 1440
• Restoration of personal union	1470–86
• Margraviate sold to Prussia	2 December 1791
• Formal annexation	28 January 1792
Preceded by Succeeded by Burgraviate of Nuremberg Kingdom of Prussia
Today part of	Germany

The Principality or Margraviate of (Brandenburg) Ansbach (German: Fürstentum Ansbach or Markgrafschaft Brandenburg-Ansbach) was a free imperial principality in the Holy Roman Empire centered on the Franconian city of Ansbach. The ruling Hohenzollern princes of the land were known as margraves, as their ancestors were margraves (so the principality was a margraviate but not a march).

History

The principality was established at the death of Frederick V, Burgrave of Nuremberg, on 21 January 1398, when his lands were partitioned between his two sons. The younger son, Frederick VI, received Ansbach and the elder, John III, received Bayreuth. After John III's death on 11 June 1420, the two principalities were reunited under Frederick VI, who had become Elector Frederick I of Brandenburg in 1415.

Upon Frederick I's death on 21 September 1440, his territories were divided between his sons; John received the principality of Bayreuth (Brandenburg-Kulmbach), Frederick received Brandenburg, and Albert received Ansbach. Thereafter Ansbach was held by cadet branches of the House of Hohenzollern, and its rulers were commonly called Margraves of Brandenburg-Ansbach.

On 2 December 1791, the reigning Prince and Margrave of Ansbach, Charles Alexander, who had also succeeded to Bayreuth, sold the sovereignty of his principalities to King Frederick William II of Prussia. The Margrave was middle-aged and childless, and Frederick William was his kinsman as the head of the House of Hohenzollern. The Margrave moved to England with his English second wife. Ansbach was formally annexed on 28 January 1792.

Princes and Margraves of Ansbach

• 1398: Frederick VI, Burgrave of Nuremberg (from 1415 also Elector of Brandenburg)
• 1440: Albert Achilles (from 1470 also Elector of Brandenburg)
• 1486: Frederick I
• 1515: George the Pious
• 1543: George Frederick I
• 1603: Joachim Ernst
• 1625: Frederick III, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach
• 1634: Albert II
• 1667: John Frederick
• 1686: Christian Albrecht
• 1692: George Frederick II the Younger
• 1703: William Frederick (before 1686–1723)
• 1723: Charles William Frederick (1712–1757)
• 1757: Charles Alexander (to 1791)

See also

• Germans in the American Revolution § Ansbach-Bayreuth
• Wolf of Ansbach

External links

• The Ansbach-Bayreuth Army in America at Exulanten.com
• German States to 1918, A–E on WorldStatesmen.org
• Marek, Miroslav. "House of Hohenzollern (1 of 2)". Genealogy.EU.
• Marek, Miroslav. "House of Hohenzollern (2 of 2)". Genealogy.EU.
• Ansbach and Bayreuth on Tacitus Historical Atlas

This page was last edited on 20 March 2024, at 10:47