Frederick (german: Friedrich) (5 April 1616 – 9 July 1661) was the Duke of Zweibrücken from 1635 until 1661.

Life

Frederick was born in

Zweibrücken Zweibrücken (; french: Deux-Ponts, ; Palatinate German: ''Zweebrigge'', ; literally translated as "Two Bridges") is a town in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, on the Schwarzbach river. Name The name ''Zweibrücken'' means 'two bridges'; olde ...

in 1616 as the elder son of

John II, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken John II the Younger (german: Johann II. der Jüngere) (26 March 1584 – 9 August 1635) was the Duke of Zweibrücken from 1604 until 1635. Life John was born in Bergzabern in 1584 as the eldest son of John I, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken ...

. He succeeded his father in 1635. During his reign, Palatinate-Zweibrücken was devastated during the

Thirty Years' War The Thirty Years' War was one of the longest and most destructive conflicts in European history, lasting from 1618 to 1648. Fought primarily in Central Europe, an estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians died as a result of battle ...

. The population of the duchy had decreased to a mere tenth of the population during the turn of the Century. Most of his castles were destroyed and he spent most of his reign moving between residences. In 1650 he settled for a few years in Castle Kirkel after its reconstruction. He carefully attempted to rebuild his shattered duchy. Frederick died in Veldenz Castle in 1661 and is buried alongside other counts/dukes of the house's line, in the crypt of Alexander's Church (') in Zweibrücken, built in 1493 by his ancestor Alexander, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken. Without any male heirs, the elder branch of the

House of Palatinate-Zweibrücken The House of Palatinate-Zweibrücken, a branch of the Wittelsbach dynasty, was the ruling dynasty of Sweden from 1654 to 1720. By this point it had splintered into several different houses. The Royal House of Sweden was represented by the bra ...

became extinct. Palatinate-Zweibrücken was inherited by Frederick Louis.

Marriage

Frederick married Anna Juliane of Nassau-Saarbrücken (1617–1667), daughter of Count William Louis, on 6 April 1640 and had the following children: #William Louis (23 March 1641 – 9 May 1642) #

Elizabeth Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to: People * Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name) * Elizabeth (biblical figure), mother of John the Baptist Ships * HMS ''Elizabeth'', several ships * ''Elisabeth'' (sch ...

(1 April 1642 – 17 April 1677) – married to

Victor Amadeus, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg Victor Amadeus of Anhalt-Bernburg (6 October 1634 in Harzgerode – 14 February 1718 in Bernburg), was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Bernburg. He was the sixth (but second surviving) son of Chri ...

#Christine Louise Juliana (18 April 1643 – 21 July 1652) #Frederick Louis (23 November 1644 – 12 June 1645) # Sophie Amalie (15 December 1646 – 30 December 1695), married

John Charles, Count Palatine of Gelnhausen John Charles, Count Palatine of Birkenfeld at Gelnhausen (17 October 1638 – 21 February 1704), was a German prince and ancestor of the cadet branch of the King of Bavaria, royal family of Bavaria known, from the early 19th century, as Duke in ...

. #Eleanore Augusta (15 March 1648 – 16 November 1658) #Charles Gustavus (23 May 1649 – 15 February 1650) #Catherine Charlotte (22 February 1651 – 10 July 1652) # Charlotte Fredericka (2 December 1653 – 27 October 1712) #''unnamed son'' (18 April 1656)

Ancestors

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Frederick, Count Palatine of Zweibrucken House of Palatinate-Zweibrücken House of Wittelsbach Zweibrucken, Frederick, Count Palatine of Zweibrucken, Frederick, Count Palatine of Burials at the Alexanderkirche, Zweibrücken Counts Palatine of Zweibrücken