His wife and first cousin was the famous poet and hymn writer Emilie Juliane, née Countess of Barby-Mühlingen.

His main reason was his religious modesty, focussed on piety, which became more pronounced after the sudden death of his favourite sister Ludmilla Elisabeth.

He also wanted to avoid a confrontation with his neighbours, the Dukes from the Ernestine lines of the House of Wettin, who had opposed his elevation.

His son and successor Louis Frederick I published the elevation in 1711, and began using the style Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt on 15 April 1711.

He died on 15 December 1710 in Rudolstadt, and was succeeded by his son Louis Frederick I. Albert Anton married Emilie Juliane in 1665.