Background
He was the eldest son of Karl George Lebrecht, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen, by his wife Louise Charlotte, daughter of Frederick, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg.
He was the eldest son of Karl George Lebrecht, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen, by his wife Louise Charlotte, daughter of Frederick, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg.
After the death of his father in 1789, Augustus Christian Frederick inherited Anhalt-Köthen Like him, he pursued a military career in the Prussian army, where he became a Generalmajor. In Frankfurt-am-Main on 9 February 1792 Augustus Christian Frederick married Fredericka (b Usingen, 30 August 1777 - d Hochheim, 28 August 1821), daughter of Frederick Augustus, Prince of Nassau-Usingen and later (1806) Duke of Nassau.
On 18 April 1806 Napoleon granted him the title "Monsieur d"Anhalt" and with this officially elevated him to the Ducal diginity.