Ascanian Dynasties

Ascanian Dynasties, branches of a German family influential from the 12th century to 1918. The name, adopted during the first quarter of the 12th century, was derived from Aschersleben, where the counts of Ballenstedt had a castle in the midst of possessions northeast of the Harz mountains. Albert the Bear (see Albert I under Albert [Brandenburg]) was the first to raise the family’s rank from that of count to margrave. Having been invested with the...