George William, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth
Encyclopedia
George William of Brandenburg-Bayreuth (German: Georg Wilhelm; Bayreuth, 26 November 1678 – Bayreuth, 18 December 1726) was a member of the House of Hohenzollern
and Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth.
by his second wife, Sophie Louise of Württemberg-Stuttgart
, the fifth of six children. Two sisters died in infancy before his own birth, and his only brother, born in 1679, lived only five months. Of his two surviving sisters, the eldest, Christiane Eberhardine
, became the wife of August the Strong, Elector of Saxony and King of Poland, and the youngest, Eleonore Magdalene, married a distant kinsman, Hermann Frederick, Count of Hohenzollern-Hechingen.
, a wound that never healed completely. In his youth, before acceding to the margraviate, he created the suburb Saint George in The Lake (German: St. Georgen am See). It was intended to be a self-contained city (today in the district of Bayreuth) built in baroque style with a castle in the lake. In the artificially-created Brandenburg Pond (German: Brandenburger Weiher), fed by the Steinach
tributary, he installed a ski jump and organized naval battles with real ships. On 17 November 1705, he created the Order of the Red Eagle
(German: Roter Adlerorden), then known as the Ordre de la Sincérité, and celebrated the anniversary of its foundation every year with splendid festivities. The Order of the Red Eagle also possessed its own church, the Sophienkirche. 18th-century coats of arms of the Order are displayed there to this day.
The margrave was an enthusiastic hunter who built the Emperor's Hunting Seat (German: Kaiserhammer) and the Thiergarten. In addition, he is considered the builder of the Hermitage Museum
and Schloss Neustädtlein. As margrave, he expanded the armed forces substantially.
on 16 October 1699 George William married Sophie of Saxe-Weissenfels
. They had five children:
Devastated by the tragedy surrounding his beloved daughter, George William suffered a fatal decline in his health and died only two years later. Without surviving male issue, he was succeeded by his cousin George Frederick Charles, Margrave of Kulmbach.
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...
and Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth.
Family
He was the first son of Christian Ernst, Margrave of Brandenburg-BayreuthChristian Ernst, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth
Christian Ernst of Brandenburg-Bayreuth was a member of the House of Hohenzollern and Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth....
by his second wife, Sophie Louise of Württemberg-Stuttgart
Eberhard III, Duke of Württemberg
Eberhard III, Duke of Württemberg ruled as Duke of Württemberg from 1628 until his death in 1674....
, the fifth of six children. Two sisters died in infancy before his own birth, and his only brother, born in 1679, lived only five months. Of his two surviving sisters, the eldest, Christiane Eberhardine
Christiane Eberhardine of Brandenburg-Bayreuth
Christiane Eberhardine of Brandenburg-Bayreuth was Electress of Saxony from 1694 to 1727 and titular Queen of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1697 to 1727 as the wife of Augustus II the Strong. Not once throughout the whole of her thirty-year queenship did she set foot in Poland, instead...
, became the wife of August the Strong, Elector of Saxony and King of Poland, and the youngest, Eleonore Magdalene, married a distant kinsman, Hermann Frederick, Count of Hohenzollern-Hechingen.
Life
George William succeeded his father as margrave of Bayreuth when he died on 20 May 1712. He pursued a military career due to a lack of academic aptitude and participated successfully on the imperial side in numerous battles. In this connection, he was seriously hit by a musket ball near LandauLandau
Landau or Landau in der Pfalz is an autonomous city surrounded by the Südliche Weinstraße district of southern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is a university town , a long-standing cultural centre, and a market and shopping town, surrounded by vineyards and wine-growing villages of the...
, a wound that never healed completely. In his youth, before acceding to the margraviate, he created the suburb Saint George in The Lake (German: St. Georgen am See). It was intended to be a self-contained city (today in the district of Bayreuth) built in baroque style with a castle in the lake. In the artificially-created Brandenburg Pond (German: Brandenburger Weiher), fed by the Steinach
Steinach
-Places and rivers:Steinach may refer to several places and streams in German speaking countries:*in Germany:**Steinach, Baden-Württemberg, a municipality in the Ortenaukreis district**Steinach, Bavaria, a municipality in the Straubing-Bogen district...
tributary, he installed a ski jump and organized naval battles with real ships. On 17 November 1705, he created the Order of the Red Eagle
Order of the Red Eagle
The Order of the Red Eagle was an order of chivalry of the Kingdom of Prussia. It was awarded to both military personnel and civilians, to recognize valor in combat, excellence in military leadership, long and faithful service to the kingdom, or other achievements...
(German: Roter Adlerorden), then known as the Ordre de la Sincérité, and celebrated the anniversary of its foundation every year with splendid festivities. The Order of the Red Eagle also possessed its own church, the Sophienkirche. 18th-century coats of arms of the Order are displayed there to this day.
The margrave was an enthusiastic hunter who built the Emperor's Hunting Seat (German: Kaiserhammer) and the Thiergarten. In addition, he is considered the builder of the Hermitage Museum
Hermitage Museum (Bayreuth)
The State Hermitage Museum in Bayreuth was created from a 1715 historical park with fountains and remains one of the major town attractions. Notible buildings include the Old Palace, a New Castle with sun temple and other smaller buildings. The Hermitage is within the district of the independent...
and Schloss Neustädtlein. As margrave, he expanded the armed forces substantially.
Marriage and issue
In LeipzigLeipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
on 16 October 1699 George William married Sophie of Saxe-Weissenfels
Johann Adolf I, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels
Johann Adolf I, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels , was a duke of Saxe-Weissenfels-Querfurt and member of the House of Wettin....
. They had five children:
- Christiane Sophie Wilhelmine (b. Bayreuth, 6 January 1701 - d. Kulmbach, 15 July 1749). The only surviving child of her parents, she was involved in a scandal that led to the birth of twins born out of wedlock. Both died shortly after their birth in 1724. For her indiscretion, she was banished to her uncle's court in KulmbachKulmbachKulmbach 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:...
, where she died, unmarried and childless, twenty-five years later. Before her departure from her father's court, was allowed to imbed her petschaft (a necklace with a seal) in the wall of her room in the Schloss Himmelkron. In 1977 this object was finally found and is now displayed in the Museum of the Collegiate Church of Bayreuth (Stiftskirchenmuseum). - Eberhardine Elisabeth (b. Bayreuth, 13 January 1706 - d. Bayreuth, 3 October 1709).
- Christian William (b. Bayreuth, 14 November 1706 - d. Bayreuth, 16 November 1706).
- Christian Frederick William (b. Bayreuth, 7 June 1709 - d. Bayreuth, 9 June 1709).
- Francis Adolph William (b. and d. Bayreuth, 7 June 1709), Christian's twin.
Devastated by the tragedy surrounding his beloved daughter, George William suffered a fatal decline in his health and died only two years later. Without surviving male issue, he was succeeded by his cousin George Frederick Charles, Margrave of Kulmbach.