BRANDENBURG-ANSBACH
The Principality of Ansbach (German: Fürstentum Ansbach) or Brandenburg-Ansbach was a reichsfrei principality in the Holy Roman Empire centered on the Bavarian city of Ansbach. The ruling Hohenzollern princes of the land were known as margraves, as the principality was a margravate (but not a march).
The principality was established at the death of Burgrave Frederick V 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 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, Christian Frederick, who had also succeeded to Bayreuth, sold the sovereignty of his principalities to King Frederick William II of Prussia, and Ansbach was formally annexed on 28 January 1792.
| Princes and Margraves of Ansbach |
* 1625: Frederick II * 1634: Albert * 1667: John Frederick * 1686: Christian Albrecht * 1692: George Frederick II * 1703: William Frederick (before 1686-1723) * 1723: Charles William Frederick (1712-1757) * 1757: Charles Alexander (to 1791) |
Key identification notes: Brandenburg-Ansbach and Bayreuth were margravates, so the word "MARCH" appears in the ruler's titles. Some smaller coins have "ONOLZB", a reference to Onolzbach, the old name of Ansbach. Differentiating the smaller and older coins from Ansbach and Bayreuth can be difficult and relies on checking ruler monograms and mintmarks.
An interesting numismatic/heraldric note: The grand arms of Brandenburg-Ansbach shown above display the most helms, fifteen, of any coin ever minted. It may even be the most helms any state ever displayed at once anywhere. I have never seen a drawing or painting with more than 13. It is a fantastic engraving and minting achievement for an 18th century coin.
Thaler
20 Kreuzer
2½ Kreuzer
