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Georg Wilhelm von Brandenburg

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Birth Date:
13.11.1595
Death date:
01.12.1640
Person's maiden name:
Hohenzollern
Extra names:
William, Georgs Vilhelms
Categories:
Count, Duke
Nationality:
 german
Cemetery:
Set cemetery

George William, of the Hohenzollern dynasty, was margrave and elector of Brandenburgand duke of Prussia from 1619 until his death. His reign was marked by ineffective governance during the Thirty Years' War.

He was the father of Frederick William, the "Great Elector".

Born in Cölln on the Spree, George William was the son of John Sigismund, Margrave of Brandenburg and Anna of Prussia. His maternal grandfather wasAlbert Frederick, Duke of Prussia.  

In 1616 George William married Elisabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate. Their only son Frederick William later became known as the "Great Elector".

Of his two daughters, the eldest, Louise Charlotte, married Jacob Kettler, Duke of Courland, and the younger, Hedwig Sophie, married William VI, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel.

 

In 1619 George William inherited the Margravate of Brandenburg and the Duchy of Prussia. He paid his feudal homage in person to the King of Poland,Zygmunt Waza, in September 1621 in Warsaw (the Duchy of Prussia was a fief of the Kingdom of Poland at the time). The homage was renewed in 1633 after the election of a new Polish king, Władysław IV Waza.

During the Thirty Years' War, George William tried to remain neutral between the Roman Catholic forces of the Holy Roman Empire and the Protestantprincipalities. As his sister Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg was queen of Sweden, George William had to maneuver between requests of assistance from his Protestant brother-in-law King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden and his own Protestant counsellors on one side and his Catholic chancellor Count Adam von Schwarzenberg on the other.

Despite his attempts at neutrality, George William was forced by Gustavus Adolphus to join the Protestant forces in 1631.

His rule was largely weak and ineffective, as much of government responsibilities in Brandenburg-Prussia was turned over to Schwarzenberg as the country suffered greatly during the war. Protestant and Catholic troops alike burned and plundered the region and the population was decimated there as it was throughout the German states.

With his brother-in-law Gustavus dead in 1632, George William maintained the Swedish alliance until after the Swedish defeat at the Battle of Nordlingen on 6 September 1634. At that point, George William withdrew Brandenburg from the war and signed the Peace of Prague with Emperor Ferdinand II on 30 May 1635.

Leaving Schwarzenberg in charge of the government, George William withdrew in 1637 to the relatively safe region of the Duchy of Prussia, where he lived in retirement until his death at Königsberg in 1640.

Source: wikipedia.org

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        Relation nameRelation typeBirth DateDeath dateDescription
        1Frederick William Elector of BrandenburgFrederick William Elector of BrandenburgSon16.02.162029.04.1688
        2Luīze KetlereLuīze KetlereDaughter13.09.161729.08.1676
        3Jacob KettlerJacob KettlerSon in-law28.10.161010.01.1682
        4Frederick Casimir  KettlerFrederick Casimir KettlerGrandson06.07.165022.01.1698
        5Frederick I  of PrussiaFrederick I of PrussiaGrandson11.07.165725.02.1713
        6Ferdinands KetlersFerdinands KetlersGrandson01.11.165504.05.1737
        7Elisabeth Sophie  of BrandenburgElisabeth Sophie of BrandenburgGranddaughter05.04.167422.11.1746
        8
        Louise Elisabeth von KurlandGranddaughter23.08.164616.12.1690
        9Maria Amalia of KurlandMaria Amalia of KurlandGranddaughter12.06.165316.06.1711
        10Wilhelm VIII von Hessen-KasselWilhelm VIII von Hessen-KasselGreat grandson10.03.168201.02.1760
        11Maximilian  von Hessen-KasselMaximilian von Hessen-KasselGreat grandson28.05.168908.05.1753
        12Albrehts Frīdrihs fon Branderburgs ŠvedtsAlbrehts Frīdrihs fon Branderburgs ŠvedtsGreat grandson24.01.167221.06.1731
        13Frederick I of SwedenFrederick I of SwedenGreat grandson17.04.167625.03.1751
        14Fridrihs III KetlersFridrihs III KetlersGreat grandson19.07.169221.01.1711
        15Marie Louise Hesse-Kassel, LandgravineMarie Louise Hesse-Kassel, LandgravineGreat granddaughter07.02.168809.04.1765
        16
        Marija Doroteja fon Brandenburga ŠvedteGreat granddaughter00.00.168400.00.1743

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