George, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg

Count George of Nassau-Beilstein, later also Count of Nassau-Dillenburg, (1 September 1562 – 9 August 1623 in Dillenburg) was the third son of Count John VI "the Elder" of Nassau-Dillenburg (1536-1606) from his first marriage with Elisabeth of Leuchtenberg,

George, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg
Born	(1562-09-01)1 September 1562
Died	9 August 1623(1623-08-09) (aged 60) Dillenburg
Noble family	House of Nassau
Spouse(s)	Anna Amalia of Nassau-Saarbrücken Amalia of Sayn-Wittgenstein
Father	John VI, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg
Mother	Elisabeth of Leuchtenberg

In 1576, he studied at the University of Heidelberg. In 1578, he went to the Netherlands, to serve in the army, under Count of Günther XLI of Schwarzburg-Arnstadt. While in the Netherlands, he tried to be elected Bishop of Utrecht, but failed. From 1580, he attended the court of Margrave George Frederick of Brandenburg-Ansbach-Kulmbach.

In 1604, he purchased his first territory, the district and city of Driedorf from his father. After his father died in 1606, George and his brothers decided to divide Nassau-Dillenburg. When this division was implemented in 1607, William Louis received Nassau-Dillenburg; John VII received Nassau-Siegen; Ernst Casimir received Nassau-Diez; John Louis received Nassau-Hadamar and George received Nassau-Beilstein, which included the Lordships of Westerwald, Burbach and Hickengrund. In 1611, he purchased the Nassau share of the district of Wehrheim, which Nassau shared with Trier, from his brother John VII.

Until 1612, George resided in Dillenburg, as regent for his absent brother William Louis, who was in Holland. After his brother returned, George moved into Beilstein Castle, in his own territory.

In 1618, George reached an agreement with his brother John VII, in which John ceded to George the right to inherit Dillenburg if William Louis were to die childless. This came to happen in 1620. So George moved back to Dillenburg and became the founder of the younger Nassau-Dillenburg line. Nassau-Beilstein was divided, with George keeping Burbach and Hickengrund.

He ruled his territory well; like his brothers he issued court regulations, administrative and law enforcement regulations.

George died in Dillenburg in 1623.

Marriage and issue

George married twice. His first wife was Anna Amalia of Nassau-Saarbrücken (1565-1605), the only child of Philip IV of Nassau-Weilburg. They had 15 children:

1. John Philip (b. 1586)
2. Johan George (b. 1587)
3. unnamed son (b. 1588)
4. John Philip (1590-1607)
5. George (1591-1616)
6. Maria Juliana (1592-1645), married Count George II of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (1565-1631), son of Louis I, Count of Sayn-Wittgenstein, and thus half-brother of her stepmother
7. Louise (1593-1614)
8. Louis Henry (1594-1662), Count of Nassau-Dillenburg jointly with Albert from 1623 to 1626 and alone from 1626 until his death; raised to Prince in 1654
9. Wolfgang Philip (b. 1595)
10. Albert (1596-1626), ruled Nassau-Dillenburg jointly with Louis Henry from 1623 until his death in 1626
11. Amalia (1597-1598)
12. Elisabeth (1598-1599)
13. Erica (1600-1657)
14. Anna Elisabeth (1602-1651)
15. Maurice Louis (1603-1604)

After her death, George married Amalia (1585-1633), the daughter of Louis I, Count of Sayn-Wittgenstein. With her, he had one more daughter:

1. Margaret (1606-1661), married Count Otto of Lippe-Brake (1589-1657), a son of Simon VI of Lippe (1554-1613)

Ancestors

Ancestors of George, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg

16. Jan IV of Nassau 8. John V of Nassau-Dillenburg 17. Maria of Loon-Heinsberg 4. William I of Nassau-Dillenburg 18. Henry III, Landgrave of Upper Hesse 9. Elisabeth of Hesse-Marburg 19. Anna of Katzenelnbogen 2. John VI, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg 20. Henry IX of Stolberg 10. Bodo VIII, Count of Stolberg-Wernigerode 21. Matilda of Mansfeld 5. Juliana of Stolberg 22. Philip I of Eppstein-Königstein 11. Anna of Eppstein-Königstein 23. Louise de la Marck 1. George, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg 24. Frederick V of Leuchtenberg 12. John IV, Landgrave of Leuchtenberg 25. Dorothea of Rieneck 6. George III, Landgrave of Leuchtenberg 26. Günther XXXVIII, Count of Schwarzburg 13. Margaret of Schwarzburg 27. Catherine of Querfurt 3. Countess Elisabeth of Leuchtenberg 28. Albert III, Margrave of Brandenburg 14. Frederick I, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach 29. Anna of Saxony 7. Barbara of Brandenburg-Ansbach-Kulmbach 30. Casimir IV Jagiellon 15. Sophia Jagiellon 31. Elizabeth of Austria

References

• Joachim (1878), "Georg, Graf von Nassau-Beilstein", Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB) (in German), 8, Leipzig: Duncker & Humblot, pp. 682–

George, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg House of Nassau Born: 1 September 1562 Died: 9 August 1623
Preceded by John VI	Lord of Driedorf 1604-1607	Succeeded by himself as Count of Nassau-Beilstein
	Count of Nassau-Beilstein 1607-1620	Nassau-Beilstein divided
Preceded by William Louis	Count of Nassau-Dillenburg 1620-1623	Succeeded by Louis Henry and Albert