Eberhard III (16 December 1614,

Stuttgart Stuttgart (; ; Swabian German, Swabian: ; Alemannic German, Alemannic: ; Italian language, Italian: ; ) is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, largest city of the States of Germany, German state of ...

– 2 July 1674, Stuttgart) ruled as Duke of

Württemberg Württemberg ( ; ) is a historical German territory roughly corresponding to the cultural and linguistic region of Swabia. The main town of the region is Stuttgart. Together with Baden and Province of Hohenzollern, Hohenzollern, two other histo ...

from 1628 until his death in 1674. Eberhard III became the heir under guardianship in 1628 during the

Thirty Years' War The Thirty Years' War, fought primarily in Central Europe between 1618 and 1648, was one of the most destructive conflicts in History of Europe, European history. An estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians died from battle, famine ...

at the age of 14 after the death of his father, Johann Frederick, 7th Duke of Württemberg. His guardian at first was his father's brother Louis Frederick, Duke of Württemberg-Montbéliard and after his death in 1631

Julius Frederick, Duke of Württemberg-Weiltingen Duke Julius Frederick of Württemberg-Weiltingen (3 June 1588 in Montbéliard – 25 April 1635 in Strasbourg), was the first duke of Württemberg-Weiltingen. Early life Born into an illustrious House of Württemberg, Julius Frederick was t ...

. Württemberg lost around one third of its territory in 1629. Julius Frederick was removed as guardian in 1633 when Eberhard was declared of full age at which point he assumed full rule of the Duchy. Following a major defeat of Württemberg troops in the battle of Nördlingen on 6 September 1634, Württemberg was severely looted and plundered. Eberhard fled to

Strasbourg Strasbourg ( , ; ; ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est Regions of France, region of Geography of France, eastern France, in the historic region of Alsace. It is the prefecture of the Bas-Rhin Departmen ...

, where he married in 1637, returning to Württemberg in 1638 after long negotiations with Ferdinand III of the Holy Roman Empire. By this time many territories had already been passed on by the Emperor to other parties to push forward Catholicism in the region. The

Duchy of Württemberg The Duchy of Württemberg () was a duchy located in the south-western part of the Holy Roman Empire. It was a Imperial Estate, state of the Holy Roman Empire from 1495 to 1803. The dukedom's long survival for over three centuries was mainly du ...

was reinstated after long negotiations resulting in the

Peace of Westphalia The Peace of Westphalia (, ) is the collective name for two peace treaties signed in October 1648 in the Westphalian cities of Osnabrück and Münster. They ended the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) and brought peace to the Holy Roman Empire ...

of 1648, despite or maybe because of the effects of war, poverty, hunger and the

Bubonic plague Bubonic plague is one of three types of Plague (disease), plague caused by the Bacteria, bacterium ''Yersinia pestis''. One to seven days after exposure to the bacteria, flu-like symptoms develop. These symptoms include fever, headaches, and ...

all of which reduced the population from 350,000 in 1618 to 120,000 in 1648. Eberhard III entered into an inheritance agreement with his younger brother

Frederick Frederick may refer to: People * Frederick (given name), the name Given name Nobility = Anhalt-Harzgerode = * Frederick, Prince of Anhalt-Harzgerode (1613–1670) = Austria = * Frederick I, Duke of Austria (Babenberg), Duke of Austria fro ...

thereby handing over ownership of the Duchy of Württemberg-Neuenstadt and thus establishing a new branch line of the duchy. In 1651, Eberhard came to a similar agreement with another brother, Ulrich affecting the Castle of

Neuenbürg Neuenbürg is a town in the Enz district, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated on the river Enz, 10 km southwest of Pforzheim. History Neuenbürg originated as a village around a castle built by the in the 12th century. Between ...

Family and children

Eberhard III was the second son of John Frederick, 7th Duke of Württemberg and

Barbara Sophie of Brandenburg Barbara Sophia of Brandenburg (16 November 1584 – 13 February 1636) was duchess of Württemberg by marriage to Duke John Frederick of Württemberg and acted as regent of the Duchy of Württemberg for their minor son, Duke Eberhard III of Wür ...

. He married twice, first on 26 February 1637 with Anna Katharina Dorothea, Wild- and Rheingräfin of Salm-Kyrburg-Mörchingen (27 January 1614 – 27 June 1655). They had fourteen children in just seventeen years, nine of whom lived to adulthood: * John Frederick of Württemberg-Stuttgart (9 September 1637 – 2 August 1659). * Louis Frederick of Württemberg-Stuttgart (2 November 1638 – 18 January 1639), died in infancy. * Christian Eberhard of Württemberg-Stuttgart (29 November 1639 – 23 March 1640), died in infancy. * Eberhard of Württemberg-Stuttgart (12 December 1640 – 24 February 1641), died in infancy. * Sophie Louise of Württemberg-Stuttgart (19 February 1642 – 3 October 1702); married on 8 February 1671 to

Christian Ernst, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth Christian Ernst of Brandenburg-Bayreuth (6 August 1644 in Bayreuth – 20 May 1712 in Erlangen) was a member of the House of Hohenzollern and Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth. He was the only son of Erdmann August, Hereditary Margrave (''E ...

. * Dorothea Amalie of Württemberg-Stuttgart (13 February 1643 – 27 March 1650), died in childhood. * Christine Friederike of Württemberg-Stuttgart (28 February 1644 – 30 October 1674); married on 28 May 1665 to Prince Albert Ernest I of

Oettingen-Oettingen The House of Oettingen was a high-ranking noble Franconian and Swabian family. It ruled various estates that composed the County of Oettingen between the 12th century and the beginning of the 19th century. In 1674 the house was raised to the rank ...

and had issue, among which was the Duchess consort of Brunswick-Lüneburg. * Christine Charlotte of Württemberg-Stuttgart (21 October 1645 – 16 May 1699), married 8 May 1662 to Prince George Christian, Prince of East Frisia. * Duke William Louis of Württemberg (7 January 1647 – 23 June 1677). * Anna Katharine of Württemberg-Stuttgart (27 November 1648 – 10 November 1691). * Karl Christof of Württemberg-Stuttgart (28 January 1650 – 2 June 1650), died in infancy. * Eberhardine Katharine of Württemberg-Stuttgart (12 April 1651 – 19 August 1683); married on 30 April 1682 her brother in law, Prince Albert Ernest I of

. * Duke Frederick Charles of Württemberg-Winnental (September 1652 – December 1698). * Karl Maximilian of Württemberg-Stuttgart (28 September 1654 – 9 January 1689). Secondly, he married on 20 July 1656 with Countess Marie Dorothea Sofie of

(29 December 1639 – 29 June 1698). They had eleven children, only four of whom lived to adulthood: * George Frederick of Württemberg-Stuttgart (24 September 1657 – 18 October 1685), killed in the Battle of Kassa against the Ottomans. * Stillborn son (12 April 1659). * Albrecht Christian of Württemberg-Stuttgart (13 June 1660 – 20 January 1663), died in childhood. * Louis of Württemberg-Stuttgart (14 August 1661 – 30 November 1698). * Joachim Ernst of Württemberg-Stuttgart (28 August 1662 – 16 February 1663), died in infancy. * Philipp Siegmund of Württemberg-Stuttgart (6 October 1663 – 23 July 1669), died in childhood. * Karl Ferdinand of Württemberg-Stuttgart (13 October 1667 – 13 June 1668), died in infancy. * John Frederick of Württemberg-Stuttgart (10 June 1669 – 15 October 1693), died in a duel with count János Pálffy near

Herrenberg Herrenberg (; Swabian German, Swabian: ''Härrabärg'' or ''Haerebärg'') is a town in the middle of Baden-Württemberg, Germany, about 30 km south of Stuttgart and 20 km from Tübingen. After Sindelfingen, Böblingen, and Leonberg, it ...

. * Sophie Charlotte of Württemberg-Stuttgart (22 February 1671 – 11 September 1717); married on 20 September 1688 to John George II, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach. * Eberhard of Württemberg-Stuttgart (1 July 1672 – 27 November 1672), died in infancy. * Emanuel Eberhard of Württemberg-Stuttgart (posthumously, 11 October 1674 – 1 July 1675), died in infancy.

Ancestry

Notes

, - {{DEFAULTSORT:Eberhard 03, Duke of Wurttemberg 1614 births 1674 deaths 17th-century dukes of Württemberg Nobility from Stuttgart Child monarchs from Europe Burials at Stiftskirche, Stuttgart German people of the Thirty Years' War