George Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach
Encyclopedia
George Frederick of Brandenburg-Ansbach (April 5, 1539, Ansbach
– April 25, 1603) was Margrave
of Ansbach
and Bayreuth
, as well as Regent of Prussia. He was the son of George, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach
and a member of the House of Hohenzollern
. He married Sophie of Brunswick-Lüneburg
(October 30, 1563 - 1639), daughter of William of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Dorothea of Denmark.
George Frederick reigned in his native Ansbach
, Franconia
and Jägerndorf
, Upper Silesia
since 1556 and, after the death of his cousin Albert Alcibiades
in 1557, also in Kulmbach
. He took over the administration of the Duchy of Prussia in 1577, when the then-reigning Duke Albert Frederick
became ill.
He was the last of the older Franconia
line of the House of Hohenzollern. Upon his death Ansbach and Kulmbach
were inherited by younger princes of the Brandenburg line according to the House Treaty of Gera
of 1598.
George Frederick rebuilt the palace and fortress Plassenburg
, which was destroyed after the second margravian war (1552–1554), as one of the most impressive residences of the renaissance in the German empire. He also built the fortress Wülzburg and the old palace in Bayreuth.
During his reign between 1557 and 1603 in the Franconian territories of the Hohenzollern (Brandenburg-Ansbach and Brandenburg-Kulmbach) he kept peace, rebuilt cities and Castles, founded several schools and a University.
Ansbach
Ansbach, originally Onolzbach, is a town in Bavaria, Germany. It is the capital of the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Ansbach is situated southwest of Nuremberg and north of Munich, on the Fränkische Rezat, a tributary of the Main river. As of 2004, its population was 40,723.Ansbach...
– April 25, 1603) was Margrave
Margrave
A margrave or margravine was a medieval hereditary nobleman with military responsibilities in a border province of a kingdom. Border provinces usually had more exposure to military incursions from the outside, compared to interior provinces, and thus a margrave usually had larger and more active...
of Ansbach
Principality of Ansbach
The Principality of Ansbach or Brandenburg-Ansbach was a reichsfrei principality in the Holy Roman Empire centered on the Bavarian city of Ansbach...
and Bayreuth
Principality of Bayreuth
The Principality of Bayreuth or Brandenburg-Bayreuth was a reichsfrei principality in the Holy Roman Empire centered on the Bavarian city of Bayreuth. Until 1604 its capital city was Kulmbach; then the margraves used their palaces in Bayreuth as their residence...
, as well as Regent of Prussia. He was the son of George, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach
George, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach
George of Brandenburg-Ansbach was a Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach from the House of Hohenzollern.- Early life :...
and a member of the House of Hohenzollern
House of Hohenzollern
The House of Hohenzollern is a noble family and royal dynasty of electors, kings and emperors of Prussia, Germany and Romania. It originated in the area around the town of Hechingen in Swabia during the 11th century. They took their name from their ancestral home, the Burg Hohenzollern castle near...
. He married Sophie of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Sophie of Brunswick-Lüneburg
thumb | 235px | Show gate of Wülzburg Castle with the coats of arms of Sophie and her husbandSophie of Brunswick-Lüneburg was a member of the House of Brunswick-Lüneburg and margravine of Brandenburg-Ansbach and Brandenburg-Kulmbach and Duchess of Krnov by marriage.- Life :Sophie was the eldest...
(October 30, 1563 - 1639), daughter of William of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Dorothea of Denmark.
George Frederick reigned in his native Ansbach
Ansbach
Ansbach, originally Onolzbach, is a town in Bavaria, Germany. It is the capital of the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Ansbach is situated southwest of Nuremberg and north of Munich, on the Fränkische Rezat, a tributary of the Main river. As of 2004, its population was 40,723.Ansbach...
, Franconia
Franconia
Franconia is a region of Germany comprising the northern parts of the modern state of Bavaria, a small part of southern Thuringia, and a region in northeastern Baden-Württemberg called Tauberfranken...
and Jägerndorf
Krnov
Krnov is an Upper Silesian city in the northeastern Czech Republic, in the Moravian-Silesian Region, the District of Bruntál, on the Opava River, near the Polish border....
, Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia is the southeastern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia. Since the 9th century, Upper Silesia has been part of Greater Moravia, the Duchy of Bohemia, the Piast Kingdom of Poland, again of the Lands of the Bohemian Crown and the Holy Roman Empire, as well as of...
since 1556 and, after the death of his cousin Albert Alcibiades
Albert Alcibiades, Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach
Albert Alcibiades was a Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach, also known as Brandenburg-Bayreuth.Because of his bellicose nature Albert received the cognomen Alcibiades after his death; during his lifetime Albert was known as Bellator .He was a member of the Franconian branch of the House of...
in 1557, also in Kulmbach
Kulmbach
Kulmbach is the capital of the district of Kulmbach in Bavaria in Germany. The town is famous for Plassenburg Castle, which houses the largest tin soldier museum in the world, and for its famous sausages, or Bratwürste.-Location:...
. He took over the administration of the Duchy of Prussia in 1577, when the then-reigning Duke Albert Frederick
Albert Frederick, Duke of Prussia
Albert Frederick was duke of Prussia from 1568 until his death. He was a son of Albert of Prussia and Anna Marie of Brunswick-Lüneburg. He was the second and last Prussian duke of the Ansbach branch of the Hohenzollern family.-Duke of Prussia:...
became ill.
He was the last of the older Franconia
Franconia
Franconia is a region of Germany comprising the northern parts of the modern state of Bavaria, a small part of southern Thuringia, and a region in northeastern Baden-Württemberg called Tauberfranken...
line of the House of Hohenzollern. Upon his death Ansbach and Kulmbach
Kulmbach
Kulmbach is the capital of the district of Kulmbach in Bavaria in Germany. The town is famous for Plassenburg Castle, which houses the largest tin soldier museum in the world, and for its famous sausages, or Bratwürste.-Location:...
were inherited by younger princes of the Brandenburg line according to the House Treaty of Gera
House Treaty of Gera
The House Treaty of Gera was a House law of the House of Hohenzollern on the succession in Brandenburg and in the Franconian territories at the end of the 16th Century binding rules. The Treaty and came about because Elector John George of Brandenburg had violated the requirements made in...
of 1598.
George Frederick rebuilt the palace and fortress Plassenburg
Plassenburg
Plassenburg is a castle in the city of Kulmbach in Bavaria. It is one of the most impressive castles in Germany and a symbol of the city. It was first mentioned in 1135. The Plassenberg family were ministerial of the counts of Andechs and used as their seat the Plassenburg...
, which was destroyed after the second margravian war (1552–1554), as one of the most impressive residences of the renaissance in the German empire. He also built the fortress Wülzburg and the old palace in Bayreuth.
During his reign between 1557 and 1603 in the Franconian territories of the Hohenzollern (Brandenburg-Ansbach and Brandenburg-Kulmbach) he kept peace, rebuilt cities and Castles, founded several schools and a University.