Anna Eleonore of Stolberg-Wernigerode
Anna Eleonore of Stolberg-Wernigerode (26 March 1651 - 27 January 1690), was a German regent; Princess of Anhalt-Köthen by marriage to Emmanuel, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen, and regent of Anhalt-Köthen during the minority of her son from 1671 until 1690. Life. Born in Ilsenburg, she was the second child of Henry Ernest, Count of Stolberg-Wernigerode and Anna Elisabeth of Stolberg. In Ilsenburg on 23 March 1670, Anna Eleonore married Emmanuel, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen. The marriage lasted only eight months, until Emmanuel's death on 8 November. Regency. Three months pregnant at  the time of her husband's death, Anna Eleonore was named regent of the Principality of Anhalt-Köthen until the birth of her child: if it was a boy, he immediately became the new Prince and she kept the regency, but if she gave birth to a girl, the other Anhalt principalities would divided Köthen between them. On 20 May 1671, Anna Eleonore gave birth a son, Emmanuel Lebrecht who became in the new Prince. Anna Eleonore remained a regent until her death. Anna Eleonore died in Köthen aged 38. She was buried next to her husband at St. Jakob , Köthen. Because her son was still underage, John George II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau succeeded her in the regency until 1692, when Emmanuel Lebrecht finally attained his majority and began his independent government.