Born on 10 September 1547 in Kassel, he was the fourth son of Philip I the Magnanimous of Hesse and his wife, Christine of Saxony.

George I received the upper County of Katzenelnbogen and selected Darmstadt as his residence.

He died on 7 February 1596 and the Landgraviate was passed to his son Louis.

On 17 August 1572, he married Countess Magdalene of Lippe (1552–1587).

This article about a member of the German nobility is a stub.