Henry II, Prince of Anhalt-Aschersleben

He was the eldest son of Henry I, Count of Anhalt (who was raised to the rank of prince in 1218), by his wife Irmgard, daughter of Hermann I, Landgrave of Thuringia.

Henry took over the old family areas of Aschersleben, Hecklingen, Ermsleben and Wörbzig.

Through his mother, Henry was related to the Landgraves of Thuringia; in 1247 he intervened in the War of the Thuringian Succession and spoke out in support of an alliance with Albert I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (his brother-in-law), who in return promised to give him some Thuringian lands.

In 1265 he was captured again and forced to renounce completely his claims to lands in Thuringia.

Shortly after, Matilda took the veil and became Abbess of Gernrode for almost twenty years, from 1275 to 1296.