Frederick IV, Elector Palatine

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

Frederick IV
Frederick IV, Elector Palatine
Elector Palatine
Reign	22 October 1583 – 19 September 1610
Predecessor	Louis VI
Successor	Frederick V
Born	(1574-03-05)5 March 1574 Amberg
Died	19 September 1610(1610-09-19) (aged 36) Heidelberg, Electorate of the Palatinate, Holy Roman Empire
Spouse	Louise Juliana of Nassau ​ ​ (m. 1593)​
Issue	Luise 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
House	Wittelsbach Palatinate-Simmern
Father	Louis VI, Elector Palatine
Mother	Elisabeth of Hesse
Religion	Calvinism

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. Thus, he supported Protestant interests in the War of the Julich Succession. He soon fell prey to alcoholism, leaving state matters largely to his chief minister Christian of Anhalt. Frederick IV died in 1610 in Heidelberg.

Family and children

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

• Luise Juliane of the Palatinate (Heidelberg, 16 July 1594 - Meisenheim, 28 April 1640), married in 1612 to Pfalzgraf John II, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken.
• Katharina Sofie of the Palatinate (Heidelberg, 10 June 1595 - Köln an der Spree, 28 June 1626).
• Frederick V, Elector Palatine (Jagdschloß Deinschwang, 16 August 1596 - Mainz, 29 November 1632); married in 1613 Princess Elizabeth of Great Britain (later Queen of Bohemia).
• Elisabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate (Neumarkt, 19 November 1597 - Crossen an der Oder, 26 April 1660); married in 1616 to Elector George William of Brandenburg
• Anna Eleonore of the Palatinate (Heidelberg, 4 January 1599 - Heidelberg, 10 October 1600).
• Louis William of the Palatinate (Heidelberg, 5 August 1600 - Heidelberg, 10 October 1600).
• Maurice Christian of the Palatinate (Heidelberg, 18 September 1601 - Heidelberg, 28 March 1605).
• Louis Philip, Count Palatine of Simmern-Kaiserslautern (Heidelberg, 23 November 1602 - Krossen, 6 January 1655).

Ancestors

Ancestors of Frederick IV, Elector Palatine

16. John I, Count Palatine of Simmern 8. John II, Count Palatine of Simmern 17. Joanna of Nassau-Saarbrücken 4. Frederick III, Elector Palatine 18. Christopher I of Baden-Baden 9. Beatrix of Baden 19. Ottilie of Katzenelnbogen 2. Louis VI, Elector Palatine 20. Frederick I of Brandenburg-Ansbach 10. Casimir, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth 21. Sophia Jagiellon 5. Marie of Brandenburg-Kulmbach 22. Albert IV, Duke of Bavaria 11. Susanna of Bavaria 23. Kunigunde of Austria 1. Frederick IV, Elector Palatine 24. Louis II, Landgrave of Hesse 12. William II, Landgrave of Hesse 25. Mathilde of Württemberg-Urach 6. Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse 26. Magnus II, Duke of Mecklenburg 13. Anna of Mecklenburg-Schwerin 27. Sophie of Pomerania-Stettin 3. Elisabeth of Hesse 28. Albert, Duke of Saxony 14. George, Duke of Saxony 29. Sidonie of Poděbrady 7. Christine of Saxony 30. Casimir IV Jagiellon 15. Barbara Jagiellon 31. Elizabeth of Austria

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.