Background
Johanna Charlotte was the youngest daughter of John George II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (1627-1693), from his marriage to Henriette Catherine of Nassau (1637-1708), daughter of Prince Frederick Henry of Orange.
Johanna Charlotte was the youngest daughter of John George II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (1627-1693), from his marriage to Henriette Catherine of Nassau (1637-1708), daughter of Prince Frederick Henry of Orange.
From 1729 until her death she was Abbess of Herford Abbey. The princess was able to take advantage of a careful and comprehensive education. Although the couple had their own palace in Berlin, they lived mostly in Schwedt.
In 1729, she had herself elected abbess of Herford Abbey, which stood under Prussian protection.
She was sworn in as the new abbess on 10 October 1729, but lived at first in Buchholz, Schaumburg. lieutenant was not until 1735 that she took up permanent residence in Herford.
Later in 1729, she added a secular order to her abbey and accepted 17 canonesses. She appointed Hedwig Sophie of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp as her coadjutor.
Hedwig Sophie later became her successor.
Johanna Charlotte died of an "apoplexy", without being ill, in the night of 30 to 31 March 1750. She was buried in the crypt of the Collegiate Chapel of Herford, which had just been renovated. Frederick William (1700-1771), Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt
married in 1734 princess Sophie of Prussia (1719-1765)
Friederike Dorothea Henriette (1700-1701)
Henriette Marie (1702-1782)
married in 1716 Prince Frederick Louis of Württemberg (1698-1731)
George William (1704-1704)
Frederick Henry (1709-1788), Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt
married in 1739 princess Leopoldine Marie of Anhalt-Dessau (1716-1782)
Charlotte (1710-1712).