George August, Count of Nassau-Idstein
Encyclopedia
George August Samuel of Nassau-Idstein (26 February 1665, Idstein
– 26 October 1721, Biebrich), was from 1677 and Graf in 1688 until his death in Count
of Nassau-Idstein. He worked mainly in Wiesbaden
.
died in 1677. Two regents took up government: Count John Caspar of Leiningen-Dagsburg and Count John August of Solms. George August studied in Giessen, Strasbourg
and Paris
, and later in England
and Brabant
. During his Grand Tour
, he visited several European courts; he was particularly impressed by the Palace of Versailles
. In 1683, he participated in the defense of Vienna
during the siege and battle of Vienna
. One year later, he became the reigning count on his 18th birthday. On 4 August 1688, Emperor Leopold I
raised him to Prince as a reward for his services at Vienna, and also because he'd paid a large sum of money.
On 22 November, he married Princess Henriette Dorothea of Oettingen (born: 14 November 1672 in Oettingen in Bayern
; died: 23 May 1728 in Wiesbaden
) a daughter of Prince Albert Ernest I of Oettingen and Christiane Friederike of Württemberg. They had twelve children, three boys and nine girls. However, two of the girls and all three boys died in early childhood.
The city of Wiesbaden
and the whole county of Nassau-Idstein had suffered badly during the Thirty Years' War
and again during the plague in 1675. Only a few dozen of the original 1800 inhabitants were still alive. Under George August both experienced an enormous upswing. He initiated a number of construction projects. He completed the residential palace in Idstein, he constructed the Herrengarten park and the Pheasants Park in Wiesbaden, he constructed a French formal garden on thebanks of the Rhine at Biebrich
and he remodeled the City Palace at Wiesbaden. A garden house was the only part of the future Biebrich Palace
completed during his lifetime.
George died of smallpox
in August 1721, as did his two youngest daughters.
Idstein
Idstein is a town of about 25,000 inhabitants in the Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis in the Regierungsbezirk of Darmstadt in Hesse, Germany. Because of its well preserved historical Altstadt it is part of the Deutsche Fachwerkstraße , connecting towns with fine timber-frame buildings and...
– 26 October 1721, Biebrich), was from 1677 and Graf in 1688 until his death in Count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
of Nassau-Idstein. He worked mainly in Wiesbaden
Wiesbaden
Wiesbaden is a city in southwest Germany and the capital of the federal state of Hesse. It has about 275,400 inhabitants, plus approximately 10,000 United States citizens...
.
Life
Georg August was just 12 years old when his father JohnJohn, Count of Nassau-Idstein
Count John of Nassau-Idstein was Count of Nassau and Protestant Regent of Idstein.- Life :...
died in 1677. Two regents took up government: Count John Caspar of Leiningen-Dagsburg and Count John August of Solms. George August studied in Giessen, Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
and Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, and later in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Brabant
Brabant
Brabant may refer to:Historically:*The Duchy of Brabant, a duchy of the Holy Roman Empire between 1183–1648 covering parts of the Netherlands and Belgium, ruled over by the Dukes of Brabant...
. During his Grand Tour
Grand Tour
The Grand Tour was the traditional trip of Europe undertaken by mainly upper-class European young men of means. The custom flourished from about 1660 until the advent of large-scale rail transit in the 1840s, and was associated with a standard itinerary. It served as an educational rite of passage...
, he visited several European courts; he was particularly impressed by the Palace of Versailles
Palace of Versailles
The Palace of Versailles , or simply Versailles, is a royal château in Versailles in the Île-de-France region of France. In French it is the Château de Versailles....
. In 1683, he participated in the defense of Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
during the siege and battle of Vienna
Battle of Vienna
The Battle of Vienna took place on 11 and 12 September 1683 after Vienna had been besieged by the Ottoman Empire for two months...
. One year later, he became the reigning count on his 18th birthday. On 4 August 1688, Emperor Leopold I
Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
| style="float:right;" | Leopold I was a Holy Roman Emperor, King of Hungary and King of Bohemia. A member of the Habsburg family, he was the second son of Emperor Ferdinand III and his first wife, Maria Anna of Spain. His maternal grandparents were Philip III of Spain and Margaret of Austria...
raised him to Prince as a reward for his services at Vienna, and also because he'd paid a large sum of money.
On 22 November, he married Princess Henriette Dorothea of Oettingen (born: 14 November 1672 in Oettingen in Bayern
Oettingen in Bayern
Oettingen in Bayern is a town in the Donau-Ries district, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated northwest of Donauwörth, and northeast of Nördlingen.-Geography:...
; died: 23 May 1728 in Wiesbaden
Wiesbaden
Wiesbaden is a city in southwest Germany and the capital of the federal state of Hesse. It has about 275,400 inhabitants, plus approximately 10,000 United States citizens...
) a daughter of Prince Albert Ernest I of Oettingen and Christiane Friederike of Württemberg. They had twelve children, three boys and nine girls. However, two of the girls and all three boys died in early childhood.
The city of Wiesbaden
Wiesbaden
Wiesbaden is a city in southwest Germany and the capital of the federal state of Hesse. It has about 275,400 inhabitants, plus approximately 10,000 United States citizens...
and the whole county of Nassau-Idstein had suffered badly during the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
and again during the plague in 1675. Only a few dozen of the original 1800 inhabitants were still alive. Under George August both experienced an enormous upswing. He initiated a number of construction projects. He completed the residential palace in Idstein, he constructed the Herrengarten park and the Pheasants Park in Wiesbaden, he constructed a French formal garden on thebanks of the Rhine at Biebrich
Wiesbaden-Biebrich
Biebrich is a borough of the city of Wiesbaden, Hesse, Germany. With over 36,000 inhabitants, it is the most-populated of Wiesbaden's boroughs. It is located south of the city center on the Rhine River, opposite the Mainz borough of Mombach...
and he remodeled the City Palace at Wiesbaden. A garden house was the only part of the future Biebrich Palace
Biebrich Palace
Biebrich Palace is a Baroque residence in the borough of Biebrich in the city of Wiesbaden, Hesse, Germany. Built in 1702 by Prince Georg August Samuel of Nassau-Idstein, it served as the ducal residence for the independent Duchy of Nassau from 1816 until 1866.-History:Count Georg August Samuel...
completed during his lifetime.
George died of smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
in August 1721, as did his two youngest daughters.
Legacy
The Georgenthal manor was named after him; the Henriettenthaler Hof manor was named after his wife.Issue
- Frederick Ernest (born: 27 August 1689 in Idstein; died: 21 March 1690 ibid), Hereditary Prince of Nassau-Idstein
- Christine Louise (born: 31 March 1691 in Idstein; died: 13 April 1723 in AurichAurichAurich is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Aurich.-History:The history of Aurich dates back to the 13th century, when the settlement of Aurechove was mentioned in a Frisian document called the Brokmerbrief in 1276. In 1517, Count Edzard from the house of...
), Princess of Nassau-Idstein, married on 23 September 1709 Prince George Albert of East FrisiaGeorge Albert, Prince of East FrisiaGeorge Albert was a member of the family of the Cirksena and was the fourth Prince of East Frisia. He ruled from 1708 to 1734.- Life :He was the second son of Prince Christian Eberhard...
(born: 8 May 1689; died: 21 October 1734), son of Prince Christian Eberhard of East Frisia and Eberhardine Sophie of Oettingen-Oettingen - Charlotte Eberhardine (born: 16 July 1692 in Idstein; died: 6 February 1693 ibid), Princess of Nassau-Idstein
- Henriette Charlotte (born: 9 November 1693 in Idstein; died: 8 April 1734 in DelitzschDelitzschDelitzsch is a large district and also an important regional center in Saxony. With over 26,300 inhabitants Delitzsch is the largest city in the northern district of Saxony...
), Princess of Nassau-Idstein, married on 4 November 1711 with Duke Maurice Wilhelm of Saxe-MerseburgMaurice Wilhelm, Duke of Saxe-MerseburgMaurice Wilhelm, Duke of Saxe-Merseburg , was a duke of Saxe-Merseburg and member of the House of Wettin....
(born: 5 February 1688 in MerseburgMerseburgMerseburg is a town in the south of the German state of Saxony-Anhalt on the river Saale, approx. 14 km south of Halle . It is the capital of the Saalekreis district. It had a diocese founded by Archbishop Adalbert of Magdeburg....
; died: 21 April 1731 ibid) - Eleanor Charlotte (born: 28 November 1696 in Idstein; died: 8 December 1696 ibid), Princess of Nassau-Idstein
- Albertine Juliane (born: 29 March 1698 in Idstein; died: 9 October 1722 at Williamthal Castle in MarksuhlMarksuhlMarksuhl is a municipality in the Wartburgkreis district of Thuringia, Germany....
near EisenachEisenachEisenach is a city in Thuringia, Germany. It is situated between the northern foothills of the Thuringian Forest and the Hainich National Park. Its population in 2006 was 43,626.-History:...
), Princess of Nassau-Idstein, married on 14 February 1713 with Duke Wilhelm HeinrichWilhelm Heinrich, Duke of Saxe-EisenachWilhelm Heinrich, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach , was a duke of Saxe-Eisenach.He was the eldest and only surviving son of Johann Wilhelm, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach and his first wife Amalie of Nassau-Dietz....
of Saxe-Eisenach (born: 10 November 1691 in OranjewoudOranjewoudOranjewoud is a small village in Heerenveen in the province Friesland of the Netherlands and has around the 1062 citizens . It is known for Oranjewoud Palace. The village had one museum called Belvédère.-History:...
; died: 26 July 1741 at Williamthal Castle near Eisenach, son of Duke John William III of Saxe-EisenachJohn William III, Duke of Saxe-EisenachJohann Wilhelm, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach , was a duke of Saxe-Eisenach.He was the third son of Johann Georg I, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach and Johannetta of Sayn-Wittgenstein...
and Princess Amalia of Nassau-Dietz - Auguste Friederike (born: 17 August 1699 in Idstein; died: 8 June 1750 in Kirchheim unter TeckKirchheim unter TeckKirchheim unter Teck is a town in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, in the district of Esslingen. It is located on the small river Lauter, a tributary of the Neckar. It is situated near the Teck castle, approximatively 25 km southeast of Stuttgart...
), a Princess of Nassau-Idstein, married 17 August 1723 with Prince Charles August of Nassau-WeilburgCharles August, Prince of Nassau-WeilburgCharles August was from 1719 to 1753 Prince of Nassau-Weilburg.Karl August was the second son of John Ernst of Nassau-Weilburg and Maria Polyxena of Leiningen-Dagsburg-Hartenburg. In his youth, he works as a diplomat for Saxony; for a while he was the Saxon ambassador to Paris...
(born: 17 September 1685 in WeilburgWeilburgWeilburg is, with just under 14,000 inhabitants, the third biggest town in Limburg-Weilburg district in Hesse, Germany, after Limburg an der Lahn and Bad Camberg.- Location :...
; died: 9 November 1753 ibid), son of Count John Ernst of Nassau-Weilburg and Countess Maria Polyxena of Leiningen-Dagsburg-Hartenburg - Johannette Wilhelmine (born: 14 September 1700 in Idstein; died: 2 June 1756 at Brake Castle in LemgoLemgoLemgo is a city in the Lippe district of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, with a population of c. 42,000.It was founded in the 12th century by Bernhard II at the crossroad of two merchant routes. Lemgo was a member of the Hanseatic League, a medieval trading association of free cities in several...
), Princess of Nassau-Idstein, married on 16 October 1719 with Count Simon Heinrich Adolph of Lippe-DetmoldSimon Henry Adolph, Count of Lippe-DetmoldSimon Henry Adolph, Count of Lippe-Detmold was a ruler of the county of Lippe.- Life :He was the son of Frederick Adolph and his wife Johanna Elisabeth of Nassau-Dillenburg. His five siblings all died young, of his seven step-siblings, only three sisters lived into adulthood:* Amalia 1701-1754...
(born: 25 January 1694 in DetmoldDetmoldDetmold is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, with a population of about 74,000. It was the capital of the small Principality of Lippe from 1468 until 1918 and then of the Free State of Lippe until 1947...
, died: 12 October 1734 ibid), son of Count Frederick Adolph of Lippe-Detmold and Johanna Elisabeth of Nassau-Dillenburg-Schaumburg - Frederick August (born: 30 April 1702 in Idstein, died: 30 January 1703 ibid), Hereditary Prince of Nassau-Idstein
- William Samuel (born February 14, 1704 in Idstein, † May 4, 1704 ibid), Hereditary Prince of Nassau-Idstein
- Elisabeth Francisca (born: 17 September 1708 in Idstein; died: 7 November 1721 ibid), Princess of Nassau-Idstein
- Charlotte Louise (born: 17 March 1710 in Idstein; died: 4 November 1721 in Biebrich), Princess of Nassau-Idstein