He received the title by paying a considerable sum of money to the Emperor shortly before the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, just as the prince of Anhalt-Bernburg had done before him.
Han modtog titlen ved at betale en betragtelig sum penge til kejseren kort før opløsningen af det Tysk-romerske rige i 1806, ligesom hans slægtning, fyrsten af Anhalt-Bernburg, havde gjort før ham.