George Albert I, Count of Erbach-Schönberg
George Albert I, Count of Erbach-Schönberg (16 December 1597 – 25 November 1647), was a German prince member of the House of Erbach and ruler over Schönberg, Seeheim, Reichenberg, Fürstenau and since 1643 over all the Erbach family lands.
Early life and ancestry
[edit]Born in Erbach, he was the fourth child and second (but eldest surviving) son of George III, Count of Erbach-Breuberg by his fourth wife, Countess Maria of Barby-Mühlingen (1563-1619), a daughter of Count Albert X of Barby-Mühlingen (1534-1588).
Biography
[edit]After the death of their father, George Albert I and his surviving elder half-brothers divided the Erbach domains in 1606: he received the districts of Schönberg and Seeheim.
In 1617 he was captured by pirates and taken to Tunis, but shortly after he was ransomed.[1]
In 1623, after the death of his eldest half-brother Frederick Magnus without surviving issue, the remaining brothers divided his domains: George Albert I received the district of Reichenberg.
In 1627, with the death of another half-brother, John Casimir, unmarried and without issue, was made another land division; this time George Albert I received Fürstenau. Finally, the death of his last surviving half-brother Louis I in 1643 without living sons, allowed George Albert I to reunite all the Erbach family possessions.
George Albert I died in Erbach aged 49 and was buried in Michelstadt.
Marriages and Issue
[edit]In Erbach on 29 May 1624 George Albert I married firstly with Countess Magdalena of Nassau-Dillenburg (13 November 1595 – 31 July 1633), a daughter of Johann VI, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg by his third wife, Countess Johannetta of Sayn-Wittgenstein. They had six children:
- Ernest Louis Albert (6 October 1626 – 10 May 1627).
- Louise Albertine (5 October 1628 – 20 October 1645).
- George Ernest, Count of Erbach-Wildenstein (7 October 1629 – 25 August 1669).
- Maria Charlotte (24 March 1631 – 8 June 1693), married on 15 June 1650 to Count Johann Ernest of Isenburg-Büdingen-Wächtersbach.
- Anna Philippina (15 July 1632 – 16 March 1633).
- Stillborn son (31 July 1633).
On 23 February 1634 George Albert I married secondly with Countess Anna Dorothea of Limpurg-Gaildorf (1612 – 23 June 1634), a daughter of Albert, Schenk of Limpurg-Gaildorf (1658-1619) and his wife, Emilie of Rogendorf (b. 1650). They had no children.
In Frankfurt am Main on 26 July 1635 George Albert I married thirdly with Countess Elisabeth Dorothea of Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Schillingsfürst (27 August 1617 – 12 November 1655), a daughter of George Frederick II, Count of Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Schillingsfürst (1595-1625) and his wife, Countess Dorothea Sophie of Solms-Hohensolms (1595-1660). They had nine children:
- George Frederick, Count of Erbach-Breuberg (6 October 1636 – 23 April 1653).
- William Louis (born and died 7 December 1637).
- Sophie Elisabeth (13 May 1640 – 18 June 1641).
- Juliana Christina Elisabeth (10 September 1641 – 26 November 1692), married on 12 December 1660 to Count Salentin Ernest of Manderscheid-Blankenheim.
- George Louis I, Count of Erbach-Erbach (8 May 1643 – 30 April 1693).
- George Albert (14 May 1644 – 27 March 1645).
- Mauritia Susanna (30 March 1645 – 17 November 1645).
- George IV, Count of Erbach-Fürstenau (12 May 1646 – 20 June 1678).
- George Albert II, Count of Erbach-Fürstenau (posthumously 26 February 1648 – 23 March 1717).[2]
Notes
[edit]- ^ Bernhard Peter: Die Entwicklung der Erbacher Wappen (in German) Archived 2015-09-23 at the Wayback Machine [retrieved 24 May 2015].
- ^ https://worldhistory.de/wnf/navbar/wnf.php?oid=8121
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