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. The princess was able to take advantage of a careful and comprehensive education. On 25 January 1699 she married
Philip William, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt (1669–1711), in
Oranienbaum. Although the couple had their own palace in Berlin, they lived mostly in
Schwedt. After the death of her husband, Johanna Charlotte went back to Berlin and looked after the education of her children. 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. It 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. == Issue ==