Frederick IV, Elector Palatine of the Rhine (in German, Kurfürst Friedrich IV von der Pfalz) (March 5, 1574 – September 19, 1610), only surviving son of Louis VI, Elector Palatine

Louis VI, Elector Palatine

In the history of the Holy Roman Empire, Louis VI, Elector Palatine was an Elector from the Palatinate-Simmern branch of the house of Wittelsbach. He was the first-born son of Frederick III, Elector Palatine and Marie of Brandenburg-Kulmbach...

 and Elisabeth of Hesse

Elisabeth of Hesse

Elisabeth of Hesse was a German noblewoman.She was a daughter of Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse and Christine of Saxony, daughter of George, Duke of Saxony.On 8 July 1560 she married Louis VI, Elector Palatine...

, called "Frederick the Righteous" (in German, Friedrich Der Aufrichtige; in French Frédéric IV le juste).

Life

Born in Amberg

Amberg

Amberg is a town in Bavaria, Germany. It is located in the Upper Palatinate, roughly halfway between Regensburg and Bayreuth. Population: 44,756 .- History :...

, his father died in October 1583 and Frederick came under the guardianship of his uncle John Casimir, an ardent Calvinist. The Calvinist mathematician and astronomer Bartholemaeus Pitiscus served as Frederick's tutor and later became court preacher.

In January 1592, Frederick assumed control of the government of the Palatinate upon the death of John Casimir. Frederick continued John Casimir's anti-Catholic measures and in 1608 became the head of the Protestant military alliance known as the Protestant Union

Protestant Union

The Protestant Union or Evangelical Union was a coalition of Protestant German states that was formed in 1608 to defend the rights, lands and person of each member....

. He soon fell prey to alcoholism

Alcoholism

Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...

, leaving state matters largely to his chief minister Christian of Anhalt

Christian of Anhalt

Christian I, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg, also known as Christian of Anhalt, was a German prince of the House of Ascania. He was ruling prince of Anhalt and, from 1603, ruling prince of the revived principality of Anhalt-Bernburg...

. Frederick IV died in 1610 in Heidelberg

Heidelberg

-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...

.

Family and children

In 1593 he married Louise Juliana of Nassau

Louise Juliana of Nassau

Louise Juliana of Orange-Nassau was the eldest daughter of prince William of Orange and his third spouse Charlotte of Bourbon.-Biography:...

, the daughter of William I of Orange and Charlotte de Bourbon-Monpensier. They had eight children:

1. Luise Juliane (b. Heidelberg, 16 July 1594 - d. Meisenheim,28 April 1640), married in 1612 to Pfalzgraf John II, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken
   John II, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken
   John II the Younger 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 and his wife, Magdalene. He succeeded his father in 1604. In 1606 he acquired the County of Bischweiler in Alsace...
   
   .
2. Katharina Sofie (b. Heidelberg, 10 June 1595 - d. Köln an der Spree, 28 June 1626).
3. Frederick V, Elector Palatine
   Frederick V, Elector Palatine
   Frederick V was Elector Palatine , and, as Frederick I , King of Bohemia ....
   
    (b. Jagdschloß Deinschwang, 16 August 1596 - d. Mainz, 29 November 1632).
4. Elisabeth Charlotte
   Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate (1597-1660)
   Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate was the wife of George William, Elector of Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia, and the mother of Frederick William of Brandenburg, the "Great Elector".- Biography :...
   
    (b. Neumarkt, 19 November 1597 - d. Crossen a.O, 26 April 1660), married in 1616 to Elector George William of Brandenburg.
5. Anna Eleonore (b. Heidelberg, 4 January 1599 - d. Heidelberg, 10 October 1600).
6. Ludwig Wilhelm (b. Heidelberg, 5 August 1600 - d. Heidelberg, 10 October 1600).
7. Moritz Christian (b. Heidelberg, 18 September 1601 - d. Heidelberg, 28 March 1605).
8. Ludwig Philipp of Pfalz-Simmern-Kaiserslautern (b. Heidelberg, 23 November 1602 - d. Krossen, 6 January 1655).

Ancestors