George III, Count of Erbach-Breuberg


George III, Count of Erbach-Breuberg, was Count of Erbach in Lauterbach and Breuberg.
Born in Erbach, he was the fifth and youngest child but only son of Eberhard XII, Count of Erbach-Freienstein and Margareta, a daughter of Count Philipp of Salm, Wild- and Rhinegrave of Dhaun.

Life

Around 1560, the Elector Palatine enfeoffed George III with the district of Wildenstein.
After the death of his uncle George II, Count of Erbach-Reichenberg in 1569, George III reunited all the Erbach family possessions. Among the properties that he inherited was noted Reichenberg Castle, which he converted into a Renaissance style fortress.
Between 1588 and 1590 he expanded Fürstenau Castle, which became in the seat of his government.
George III died in Erbach aged 56 and was buried in the Stadtkirche of Michelstadt, where in 1678 a family tomb for the Counts of Erbach would be constructed.
After his death, his sons divided the territory:
After Frederick Magnus's died without surviving male issue, in 1623 his brothers divided his share among themselves: John Casimir received Fürstenau, Louis received Michelstadt and Bad König and George Albert received Reichenberg.
When John Casimir died unmarried in 1627, Louis received Wildenstein and George Albert received Fürstenau. When Louis died in 1643 without surviving male issue, George Albert inherited his possessions, thereby reuniting the Erbach possessions once again.

Family

On 27 July 1567, George III married firstly with Anna Amalia, a daughter of Count Johann IX of Sayn and his second wife Anna of Hohenlohe-Waldenburg. This marriage remained childless.
On 15 July 1572, George III married secondly with Anna, a daughter of Frederick Magnus, Count of Solms-Laubach-Sonnenwalde and his wife Agnes of Wied.They had twelve children.
In Greiz on 11 November 1587, George III married thirdly with Dorothea, a daughter of Heinrich XV Reuss, Lord of Greiz-Obergreiz and his wife Marie Salome of Oettingen. They had three children.
In Korbach on 2 August 1592, George III married fourthly with Maria, widow of Count Josias I of Waldeck and a daughter of Count Albert X of Barby-Mühlingen and his wife Maria of Anhalt-Zerbst, the widow of Count Josiah of Waldeck-Eisenberg. They had six children.