A compact territory lying entirely within the Brandenburg March, in eastern Germany southwest of Berlin and southeast of Magdeburg. The Anhalt Principalities (raised to Duchies in 1807) were established as a County in 1212 by a grandson Albert the Bear, margrave of Brandenburg and conqueror of the Wends. Raised to the status of a Principlity six years later, the district suffered the usual partitionments of German states. From the 16th century on, Anhalt was firmly within Prussian influence, but retained its own identity until the collapse of the Empire.