William Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach William Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach William Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach (8 January 1686 – 7 January 1723), was Margrave of the Principality of Brandenburg-Ansbach from 1703 until his death in 1723. He was the younger brother of Caroline of Ansbach and thus brother-in-law of George II of Great Britain. William Frederick was born in Ansbach in 1686 to John Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach, and his second wife, Eleonore Erdmuthe of Saxe-Eisenach. His two surviving half-brothers, Margraves Christian Albert and George Frederick II, both died unmarried and without legitimate issue. He married his first cousin, Christiane Charlotte of Württemberg-Winnental. He died
Caroline of Ansbach hundred years, the last one being Catherine of Aragon. As George I had repudiated his wife Sophia Dorothea of Celle in 1694 prior to his becoming King of Great Britain, there was no queen consort, and Caroline was the highest-ranking woman in the kingdom. George Augustus and Caroline made a concerted effort to "anglicise" by acquiring knowledge of England's language, people, politics and customs. Two separate courts developed with strong contrasts; the old king's had German courtiers and government ministers, while the Wales's court attracted English nobles out of favour with the King, and was considerably more popular with the