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 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]
Andrea Jakob, Meininger Museen: Herzog Georg I. von Sachsen-Meiningen - Ein Präzedenzfall für den aufgeklärten Absolutismus 2005, Südthüringer Forschungen Heft 33, ISBN3-910114-06-7
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