George, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg

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

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), the 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

Family 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

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