Anna Sophie of Anhalt

Anna Sophie of Anhalt (15 June 1584 – 9 June 1652) was by birth a member of the House of Ascania and princess of Anhalt. After her marriage, she became Countess of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt.

Anna Sophie of Anhalt
Countess of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
Tenure	1613–1652
Born	(1584-06-15)15 June 1584 Dessau
Died	9 June 1652(1652-06-09) (aged 67) Oberkranichfeld
Spouse	Charles Günther, Count of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
House	Ascania
Father	Joachim Ernest, Prince of Anhalt
Mother	Eleonore of Württemberg

Anna Sophie was born in Dessau, the eighth and youngest daughter of Joachim Ernest, Prince of Anhalt, but fourth-born daughter of his second wife Eleonore,^[1] daughter of Christoph, Duke of Württemberg.

Life

In Rudolstadt on 13 June 1613 she married Charles Günther, Count of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt.^[1] Their union was childless.

Anna Sophie was considered as one of the most educated women of her time. After the death of her husband in 1630 she moved her residence to Kranichfeld and founded there a performative literary culture society called the Virtuous Society.^[2] This society followed the example of the Fruitbearing Society, which was co-founded by her brother, Louis of Anhalt-Köthen.^[3]

At the same time, she took the famous educational reformer Wolfgang Ratke under her protection.^{[citation needed]}

Anna Sophie died in Oberkranichfeld.