Frederick IV, Elector Palatine

Frederick IV, Elector Palatine of the Rhine (German: Kurfürst Friedrich IV. von der Pfalz; 5 March 1574 19 September 1610), only surviving son of Louis VI, Elector Palatine and Elisabeth of Hesse,[1] called "Frederick the Righteous" (German: Friedrich Der Aufrichtige; French: Frédéric IV le juste).

Frederick IV
Frederick IV, Elector Palatine
Elector Palatine
Reign22 October 1583 – 19 September 1610
PredecessorLouis VI
SuccessorFrederick V
Born(1574-03-05)5 March 1574
Amberg
Died19 September 1610(1610-09-19) (aged 36)
Heidelberg, Electorate of the Palatinate, Holy Roman Empire
SpouseLouise Juliana of Nassau
IssueLuise Juliane, Countess Palatine of Zweibrücken
Katharina Sofie
Frederick V, Elector Palatine
Elisabeth Charlotte, Electress of Brandenburg
Anna Eleonore
Louis William
Maurice Christian
Louis Philip, Count Palatine of Simmern-Kaiserslautern
HouseWittelsbach
Palatinate-Simmern
FatherLouis VI, Elector Palatine
MotherElisabeth of Hesse
ReligionCalvinism

Life

Born in Amberg, his father died in October 1583 and Frederick came under the guardianship of his uncle, John Casimir, an ardent Calvinist, who ruled as regent until his death. The Calvinist mathematician and astronomer Bartholemaeus Pitiscus served as Frederick's tutor and later became court preacher.

In January 1592, John Casimir died and the 17 year old Frederick assumed control of the government of the Electorate of the Palatinate. Frederick continued John Casimir's anti-Catholic measures and in 1608 became the head of the Protestant military alliance known as the Protestant Union. He soon fell prey to alcoholism, leaving state matters largely to his chief minister Christian of Anhalt.[2] Frederick IV died in 1610 in Heidelberg.

Family and children

In 1593, Frederick married Louise Juliana of Nassau,[1] the daughter of William I of Orange and Charlotte de Bourbon-Monpensier. They had eight children:

Ancestors


References

  1. Thomas 2010, Appendix B.
  2. Parker 1997, p. 23.

Sources

  • Parker, Geoffrey (1997). The Thirty Years' War (2nd ed.). Routledge.
  • Thomas, Andrew L. (2010). A House Divided: Wittelsbach Confessional Court Cultures in the Holy Roman Empire, c. 1550-1650. Brill.
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