TherewereplentyofAscanierCousinsstillextantinthoseparts，Saxondignitaries，Anhaltdignitaries，linealdescendantsofAlberttheBear；tosomeofwhom，inusualtimes，Albert’sinheritancewouldnaturallyhavebeengranted。Butthetimeswereofbattle，uncertainty，contestedelection:andtheAscaniers，Iperceive，hadrathertakenFriedrichofAustria’sside，whichprovedthelosingone。KaiserLudwigDERBAIERwouldappointnoneofthese；Anti—KaiserFriedrich’sappointments，ifhemadeany，couldbeonlynominal，inthosedistantNorthernparts。Ludwig，afterhisvictoryofMuhldorf，preferredtoconsidertheElectorateofBrandenburgaslapsed，lyingvacant，ungovernedthesethreeyears；andnowbecometheKaiser’sagain。Kaiser，inconsequence，gaveittohisSon；whosenamealsoisLudwig:
thedateoftheInvestitureis1323（yearafterthatvictoryofMuhldorf）；adateunfortunatetoBrandenburg。WecomenowintoaLineofBAVARIANMarkgraves，andthenofLUXEMBURGones；bothofwhichareoffatalsignificancetoBrandenburg。
TheAscanierCousins，highSaxondignitariessomeofthem，gloomedmeredisappointment，andprotestedhard；butcouldnotmendthematter，noworafterwards。TheirLinewentoutinSaxonytoo，incourseoftime；gaveplacetotheWETTINS，whoarestillthere。
TheAscanierhadtobecontentwiththemorepristinestateofacquisitions，——highpedigrees，oldcastlesofAscanienandBallenstadt，territoriesofAnhaltorwhatelsetheyhad；——andneverroseagaintothelostheight，thoughtheracestilllives，andhasqualitiesbesidesitspedigree。Wesaidthe\"OldDessauer，\"LeopoldPrinceofAnhalt—Dessau，wastheheadofitinFriedrichWilhelm’stime；andtothisdayhehasdescendants。
CatharineII。ofRussiawasofAnhalt—Zerbst，ajuniorbranch。