Ascanian Dynasties, branches of a German family influential from the 12th century to 1918. The name, adopted during the first quarter of the 12th century, was derived from Aschersleben, where the counts of Ballenstedt had a castle in the midst of possessions northeast of the Harz mountains.
Albert the Bear (see Albert I under Albert [Brandenburg]) was the first to raise the family’s rank from that of count to margrave. Having been invested with the North Mark in 1134, he extended it east of the Elbe River to form the Mark of Brandenburg. These lands remained under the senior branch of ... (100 of 281 words)