Charles I of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld (German: Karl I.) (4 September 1560 – 16 December 1600), Count Palatine of the Rhine, Duke in Bavaria

Duke in Bavaria

Duke in Bavaria was a title used among others since 1506, when primogeniture was established, by all members of the House of Wittelsbach, with the exception of the Duke of Bavaria which began to be a unique position...

, Count to Veldenz and Sponheim

County of Sponheim

The County of Sponheim was an independent territory in the Holy Roman Empire which lasted from the 11th century until the early 19th century...

 was the Duke of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld

Palatinate-Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld

Palatinate-Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld was a state of the Holy Roman Empire based around Birkenfeld in modern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.Palatinate-Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld was created in 1569 in the partition of Palatinate-Zweibrücken after the death of Wolfgang for his youngest son Charles I...

 from 1569 until 1600.

Life

Charles was born in Neuburg

Neuburg an der Donau

Neuburg an der Donau, literally Neuburg on the Danube River, is a town which is the capital of the Neuburg-Schrobenhausen district in the state of Bavaria in Germany.-Divisions:The municipality has 16 divisions:-History:...

 in 1560 as the youngest son of Wolfgang, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken

Wolfgang, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken

Count Palatine Wolfgang of Zweibrücken was member of the Wittelsbach family of the Counts Palatine and Duke of Zweibrücken 1532–1559.-Biography:...

. After his father's death in 1569, Charles and his brothers partitioned his territories: Charles received the Palatine share on the Rear County of Sponheim

County of Sponheim

The County of Sponheim was an independent territory in the Holy Roman Empire which lasted from the 11th century until the early 19th century...

, a small territory around Birkenfeld

Birkenfeld

Birkenfeld is a town and the district seat of the Birkenfeld district in southwest Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is also the seat of the like-named Verbandsgemeinde.-Location:...

. Charles is the founder of the House of Palatinate-Birkenfeld

House of Palatinate-Birkenfeld

Palatinate-Birkenfeld , later Palatinate-Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld, was the name of a collateral line of the Palatine Wittelsbachs. The Counts Palatine from this line initially ruled over only a relatively unimportant territory, namely the Palatine share of the Rear County of Sponheim; however, their...

.

Charles died in Birkenfeld in 1600 and was buried in Meisenheim

Meisenheim

Meisenheim is a town in the district of Bad Kreuznach, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated on the river Glan, approx. 25 km south-west of Bad Kreuznach.Meisenheim is the seat of the Verbandsgemeinde Meisenheim....

. Charles was a prince of a relatively unimportant state, and his chief fame is that the Kings

Kingdom of Bavaria

The Kingdom of Bavaria was a German state that existed from 1806 to 1918. The Bavarian Elector Maximilian IV Joseph of the House of Wittelsbach became the first King of Bavaria in 1806 as Maximilian I Joseph. The monarchy would remain held by the Wittelsbachs until the kingdom's dissolution in 1918...

 of Bavaria

Bavaria

Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...

 descended from him.

Marriage

Charles married Dorothea of Brunswick-Lüneburg

Dorothea of Brunswick-Lüneburg

Dorothea of Brunswick-Lüneburg was a daughter of Duke William "the younger" of Brunswick-Lüneburg and his wife, Dorothea of Denmark, Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg....

 (1 January 1570 – 15 August 1649), daughter of Duke William VI, on 23 February 1586 and had the following children:

1. George William
   George William, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld
   George William , Count Palatine of the Rhine, Duke in Bavaria, Count to Veldenz and Sponheim was the Duke of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld from 1600 until 1669.-Life:...
   
    (6 August 1591 – 25 December 1669)
2. Sophie (29 March 1593 – 16 November 1676)
3. Frederick (29 October 1594 – 20 July 1626)
4. Christian
   Christian I, Count Palatine of Birkenfeld-Bischweiler
   Christian I was the Duke of Birkenfeld-Bischweiler from 1600 until 1654.- Life :Christian was born in Birkenfeld in 1598 as the youngest son of Charles I, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld. His father's lands were partitioned after his death and Christian received the territory around...
   
    (3 November 1598 – 6 September 1654)

Ancestors

Preceded by:	Charles I	Succeeded by:
Wolfgang Wolfgang, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken Count Palatine Wolfgang of Zweibrücken was member of the Wittelsbach family of the Counts Palatine and Duke of Zweibrücken 1532–1559.-Biography:...  of Palatinate-Zweibrücken Palatinate-Zweibrücken Palatinate-Zweibrücken is a former state of the Holy Roman Empire. Its capital was Zweibrücken.-Overview:→ History before 1394 see main article County of Zweibrücken→ History before 1444 see main article County of Veldenz...	Duke of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld Palatinate-Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld Palatinate-Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld was a state of the Holy Roman Empire based around Birkenfeld in modern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.Palatinate-Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld was created in 1569 in the partition of Palatinate-Zweibrücken after the death of Wolfgang for his youngest son Charles I... 1569–1600	George William George William, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld George William , Count Palatine of the Rhine, Duke in Bavaria, Count to Veldenz and Sponheim was the Duke of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld from 1600 until 1669.-Life:...  of Palatinate-Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld Palatinate-Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld Palatinate-Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld was a state of the Holy Roman Empire based around Birkenfeld in modern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.Palatinate-Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld was created in 1569 in the partition of Palatinate-Zweibrücken after the death of Wolfgang for his youngest son Charles I...
		Christian I Christian I, Count Palatine of Birkenfeld-Bischweiler Christian I was the Duke of Birkenfeld-Bischweiler from 1600 until 1654.- Life :Christian was born in Birkenfeld in 1598 as the youngest son of Charles I, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld. His father's lands were partitioned after his death and Christian received the territory around...  of Palatinate-Birkenfeld-Bischweiler Palatinate-Birkenfeld-Bischweiler Palatinate-Birkenfeld-Bischweiler was a state of the Holy Roman Empire based around Bischwiller in the far northeast of France.Palatinate-Birkenfeld-Bischweiler was partitioned from Palatinate-Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld in 1600 for Christian I, the youngest son of Count Palatine Charles I. The state...