Henry II, Prince of Anhalt-Aschersleben facts for kids

Seal of Prince Henry II

Henry II, Prince of Anhalt-Aschersleben (born 1215, died 12 June 1266), was a German prince. He belonged to the House of Ascania, a very old and important family. Henry ruled the principality of Anhalt-Aschersleben.

He was the oldest son of Henry I, Count of Anhalt. His father became a prince in 1218. Henry II's mother was Irmgard, who was the daughter of Hermann I, Landgrave of Thuringia.

Life as a Prince

Henry started ruling Anhalt with his father in 1244. After his father passed away in 1252, the land of Anhalt was split. It was divided among Henry and his brothers. Henry received the older family lands. These included areas like Aschersleben, Hecklingen, Ermsleben, and Wörbzig.

Wars and Claims

Henry's mother was related to the rulers of Thuringia. Because of this, in 1247, Henry got involved in the War of the Thuringian Succession. This was a big fight over who would rule Thuringia next. Henry supported an alliance with Albert I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. Albert was his brother-in-law. In return, Albert promised Henry some lands in Thuringia.

However, Henry was defeated in a battle near Besenstedt in 1263. He was even captured, but he was released soon after. He quickly started fighting against Thuringia again. In 1265, he was captured once more. This time, he had to give up all his claims to lands in Thuringia.

Other Conflicts and Achievements

In 1257, Henry supported King Alfonso X of Castile. Alfonso wanted to be the German King. Henry led military actions against powerful groups. These included monasteries and archbishops in Magdeburg. He also fought bishops in Halberstadt. Sometimes, he even had conflicts with his own brothers and cousins. In 1266, Henry made Aschersleben an official city. This was an important step for the town.

Family and Successors

In 1245, Henry married Matilda. She was the daughter of Otto the Child, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. Matilda's mother was Matilda of Brandenburg. This made Matilda a great-granddaughter of Otto I, Margrave of Brandenburg. Otto I was the older brother of Bernhard of Anhalt, who was Henry's grandfather.

Henry and Matilda had two sons:

• Otto I, Prince of Anhalt-Aschersleben (died 25 June 1304)
• Henry III, Prince of Anhalt-Aschersleben (died 9 November 1307)

When Henry II died, his sons were still too young to rule. So, his wife Matilda became the ruler for them. She governed the principality until 1270, when her sons became adults. Soon after, Matilda became a nun. She served as the Abbess of Gernrode for almost twenty years, from 1275 to 1296.