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Duke of Saxe-Meiningen From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
George I (German: Georg Friedrich Karl; 4 February 1761 – 24 December 1803), was Duke of Saxe-Meiningen from 21 July 1782 until his death in 1803. He was known as a reformer and considered a model prince by many of his peers.
| George I | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||
| Duke of Saxe-Meiningen | |||||
| Reign | 21 July 1782 – 24 December 1803 | ||||
| Predecessor | Karl Wilhelm | ||||
| Successor | Bernhard II | ||||
| Born | 4 February 1761 Meiningen, Saxe-Meiningen, Holy Roman Empire | ||||
| Died | 24 December 1803 (aged 42) Meiningen, Saxe-Meiningen, Holy Roman Empire | ||||
| Spouse | Luise Eleonore of Hohenlohe-Langenburg | ||||
| Issue | Adelaide, Queen of the United Kingdom Ida, Princess Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach Bernhard II | ||||
| |||||
| House | Saxe-Meiningen | ||||
| Father | Anton Ulrich, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen | ||||
| Mother | Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Philippsthal | ||||
| Religion | Lutheranism | ||||
George was born on 4 February 1761 in Frankfurt as the fourth but second surviving son of Anton Ulrich, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen and Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Philippsthal. His father was 73 years old at the time and died two years later in 1763.[1]
George succeeded his older and childless brother, Karl Wilhelm in the Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen in 1782. He ruled based on the principles of "enlightened absolutism" emphasizing in particular the importance of education. He initiated the building of the Gymnasium later named Bernhardinum after his son. George I also opened the ducal library to the public, reformed the (Protestant) church practices in his princedom and initiated new social policies. Under a pen name, he published philosophical treatises. As a result, many of his fellow princes considered him a model ruler and his duchy as the German state where enlightened absolutism reached its apogee.[1]
In Langenburg on 27 November 1782, George married Luise Eleonore of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. After ten years they began to have children, finally having four:
George I died of a fever on 24 December 1803 at Meiningen.[1]
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