Charles Paul Ernest of Bentheim-Steinfurt (30 August 1729 – 30 June 1780) was a Count of Steinfurt. He was the son of the reigning Count Frederick of Bentheim und Steinfurt (1703-1733) and his wife Countess Franziska Charlotte of

Lippe-Detmold Lippe (later Lippe-Detmold and then again Lippe) was a historical state in Germany, ruled by the House of Lippe. It was located between the Weser river and the southeast part of the Teutoburg Forest. It was founded in the 1640s under a separ ...

(1704-1738). His father died young and Charles Paul Ernest became Head of the

Bentheim-Steinfurt Bentheim-Steinfurt was a historical county located in northwestern North Rhine-Westphalia in the region surrounding Steinfurt, Germany. Bentheim-Steinfurt was a partition of Bentheim-Bentheim, itself a partition of the County of Bentheim. Bentheim- ...

family in 1733. Initially, he had to share power in the territories of Steinfurt and Alpen with his great-uncle Statius Philip (1668-1749). Under the guardianship of his great-uncle, he enjoyed an excellent education. His Hofmeister Johann Christoph Buch accompanied him on several long journeys to perfect his foreign language skills. In 1748, he married Princess Charlotte Sophia Louise of

Nassau-Siegen Nassau-Siegen was a principality within the Holy Roman Empire that existed between 1303 and 1328, and again from 1606 to 1743. From 1626 to 1734, it was subdivided into Catholic and Protestant parts. Its capital was the city of Siegen, found ...

, the eldest daughter of

Frederick William II, Prince of Nassau-Siegen Prince Frederick William II of Nassau-Siegen (11 November 1706 – 2 March 1734), german: link=no, Friedrich Wilhelm II. Fürst von Nassau-Siegen, official titles: ''Fürst zu Nassau, Graf zu Katzenelnbogen, Vianden, Diez, Lim ...

(1706-1734) and Countess Sophie Polyxena Concordia of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein (1709-1781). In 1749, his great-uncle and regent Statius Philip died, and Charles Paul Ernest took up the business of government. At times, he lived in Paris, where he became acquainted with

Voltaire François-Marie Arouet (; 21 November 169430 May 1778) was a French Enlightenment writer, historian, and philosopher. Known by his ''nom de plume'' M. de Voltaire (; also ; ), he was famous for his wit, and his criticism of Christianity—es ...

. Charles Paul Ernest had a strong interest in history an collected rare books, incunables, manuscripts, images, coins and natural history curiosities. In 1765, he began creating the Steinfurter Bagno Park. He had the welfare of his subjects at heart; his subjects liked and revered him. In 1770, he joined the Palatinate Academy of Sciences in

Mannheim Mannheim (; Palatine German: or ), officially the University City of Mannheim (german: Universitätsstadt Mannheim), is the second-largest city in the German state of Baden-Württemberg after the state capital of Stuttgart, and Germany's ...

.Acta Academiae Theodoro-Palatinae, vol. 3, Historical department, 1773, p. 14 His youngest daughter, Caroline of Bentheim-Steinfurt was active as a writer. Charles Paul Ernest died on 30 June 1780 and was succeeded by his son who became Prince

Louis William Geldricus Ernest of Bentheim and Steinfurt Louis William Geldricus Ernest of Bentheim and Steinfurt (1 October 1756 at Steinfurt Castle – 20 August 1817) was a member of the House of Bentheim-Steinfurt. He was an Imperial Count and was raised to Prince in 1817. He was the second ...

(1756-1817), who was described as highly educated, intellectual and interested in scientific and economical issues.

Footnotes

External links

Biography of Charles Paul Ernest
{{DEFAULTSORT:Charles Paul Ernest of Bentheim-Steinfurt House of Bentheim Counts of Bentheim Counts of Steinfurt 1729 births 1780 deaths People from Steinfurt