Edward, Prince Palatine of the Rhine (''Eduard, Prinz von der Pfalz'') (5 October 1625 – 10 March 1663), was the sixth son of

Frederick V, Elector Palatine 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 ...

(of the

House of Wittelsbach The House of Wittelsbach () is a former Bavarian dynasty, with branches that have ruled over territories including the Electorate of Bavaria, the Electoral Palatinate, the Electorate of Cologne, County of Holland, Holland, County of Zeeland, ...

), the "Winter King" of

Bohemia Bohemia ( ; ; ) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. In a narrow, geographic sense, it roughly encompasses the territories of present-day Czechia that fall within the Elbe River's drainage basin, but historic ...

, by his consort, the English princess Elizabeth Stuart.

Birth

Edward was born in

The Hague The Hague ( ) is the capital city of the South Holland province of the Netherlands. With a population of over half a million, it is the third-largest city in the Netherlands. Situated on the west coast facing the North Sea, The Hague is the c ...

, where his parents lived in exile after his father lost the

Battle of White Mountain The Battle of White Mountain (; ) was an important battle in the early stages of the Thirty Years' War. It led to the defeat of the Bohemian Revolt and ensured Habsburg control for the next three hundred years. It was fought on 8 November 16 ...

and was driven from the thrones of both Bohemia and the Palatinate. His father, a

Calvinist Reformed Christianity, also called Calvinism, is a major branch of Protestantism that began during the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. In the modern day, it is largely represented by the Continental Reformed Protestantism, Continenta ...

, died on 29 November 1632, when Edward was seven years old.

Marriage

On 24 April 1645, in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

, Edward married a French princess of Italian extraction,

Anne Gonzaga Anna Gonzaga (Anna Marie; 1616 – 6 July 1684) was an Italian French noblewoman and salonist. The youngest daughter of Charles Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua and Montferrat, Charles Gonzaga, Duchy of Mantua, Duke of Mantua Duke of Montferrat, and Montf ...

(1616–1684). Nine years older than Edward, she was a daughter of Carlo I, Duke of Mantua and Catherine de Lorraine-Guise-Mayenne. She had been raised in France, where her father held the dukedom of Nevers prior to inheriting the Italian duchy. She had raised a scandal by her obsessive pursuit of her second cousin, the fifth Duke of Guise, whom she claimed to have married (which he denied). Edward had no money and was a Protestant, but Edward's prompt conversion vindicated the couple at the French royal court, despite his mother's threats to disown any of her children who embraced the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

. The couple took up residence in Paris, where they were referred to as the ''Prince and Princess Palatine''. Her inheritance and the king's generosity enabling them to live according to their rank as '' princes étrangers''. Elizabeth soon resumed correspondence with her son. In 1649, he received the

Order of the Garter The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an order of chivalry founded by Edward III of England in 1348. The most senior order of knighthood in the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British honours system, it is outranked in ...

from the exiled King

Charles II of England Charles II (29 May 1630 – 6 February 1685) was King of Scotland from 1649 until 1651 and King of England, Scotland, and King of Ireland, Ireland from the 1660 Restoration of the monarchy until his death in 1685. Charles II was the eldest su ...

. Montgomery-Massingberd, Hugh (editor). ''Burke's Guide to the Royal Family'',

Burke's Peerage Burke's Peerage Limited is a British genealogical publisher, considered an authority on the order of precedence of noble families and information on the lesser nobility of the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1826, when the Anglo-Irish genea ...

, London, 1973, p. 207.

Children

Edward and Anna Gonzaga were parents of three daughters: # Luise Marie (23 July 1647 – 11 March 1679). Married Charles Theodore, Prince of Salm, had issue. # Anne Henriette (23 July 1648 – 23 February 1723). Married

Henri Jules, Prince of Condé Henri is the French form of the masculine given name Henry, also in Estonian, Finnish, German and Luxembourgish. Bearers of the given name include: People French nobles * Henri I de Montmorency (1534–1614), Marshal and Constable of France * ...

, had issue. # Benedicta Henrietta (14 March 1652 – 12 August 1730). Married

John Frederick, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg John Frederick (; 25 April 1625 in Herzberg am Harz – 18 December 1679 in Augsburg) was duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. He ruled over the Principality of Calenberg, a subdivision of the duchy, from 1665 until his death. The third son of George, ...

, had issue.

Death

Prince Edward died in Paris on 10 March 1663, aged 37.

Ancestry

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Edward, Count Palatine Of Simmern House of Palatinate-Simmern Simmern, Edward, Count Palatine of Knights of the Garter German Roman Catholics Simmern, Edward, Count Palatine of Simmern, Edward, Count Palatine of Simmern, Edward, Count Palatine of Sons of kings Children of Frederick V of the Palatinate Sons of prince-electors