Louis VI, Elector Palatine
Encyclopedia
In the history of the Holy Roman Empire
, Louis VI, Elector Palatine (Simmern
, 4 July 1539 – 22 October 1583, Heidelberg
) 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
. Unlike his father, he gave preference to Lutheranism
over Calvinism
, purging Calvinists from positions at the University of Heidelberg.
(13 February 1539 – 14 March 1582). They had the following children:
Second, he married on 12 July 1583 Countess Anne of Ostfriesland
(26 June 1562 – 21 April 1621), but they had no children.
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
, Louis VI, Elector Palatine (Simmern
Simmern
Simmern is a town of 8,000 inhabitants in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, the district seat of the Rhein-Hunsrück-Kreis, and the seat of the like-named Verbandsgemeinde...
, 4 July 1539 – 22 October 1583, 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...
) was an Elector
Prince-elector
The Prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire were the members of the electoral college of the Holy Roman Empire, having the function of electing the Roman king or, from the middle of the 16th century onwards, directly the Holy Roman Emperor.The heir-apparent to a prince-elector was known as an...
from the Palatinate-Simmern
Palatinate-Simmern
Palatinate-Simmern was one of the collateral lines of the Palatinate line of the House of Wittelsbach.The Palatinate line of the House of Wittelsbach was divided into four lines after the death of Rupert III in 1410, including the line of Palatinate-Simmern with its capital in Simmern. This line...
branch of the house of Wittelsbach
Wittelsbach
The Wittelsbach family is a European royal family and a German dynasty from Bavaria.Members of the family served as Dukes, Electors and Kings of Bavaria , Counts Palatine of the Rhine , Margraves of Brandenburg , Counts of Holland, Hainaut and Zeeland , Elector-Archbishops of Cologne , Dukes of...
. He was the first-born son of Frederick III, Elector Palatine
Frederick III, Elector Palatine
Frederick III of Simmern, the Pious, Elector Palatine of the Rhine was a ruler from the house of Wittelsbach, branch Palatinate-Simmern-Sponheim. He was a son of John II of Simmern and inherited the Palatinate from the childless Elector Otto-Henry, Elector Palatine in 1559...
and Marie of Brandenburg-Kulmbach
Marie of Brandenburg-Kulmbach
Marie of Brandenburg-Kulmbach was a Princess of Brandenburg-Kulmbach and by marriage Electress Palatine.- Biography :...
. Unlike his father, he gave preference to Lutheranism
Lutheranism
Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
over Calvinism
Calvinism
Calvinism is a Protestant theological system and an approach to the Christian life...
, purging Calvinists from positions at the University of Heidelberg.
Family and children
Louis VI was married twice. First, on July 8, 1560, he married Elisabeth of HesseElisabeth 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...
(13 February 1539 – 14 March 1582). They had the following children:
- Anna MarieMaria of Palatinate-SimmernMaria of the Palatinate-Simmern, , was a German Princess and a Swedish Princess and Duchess of Södermanland by marriage, the first spouse of the future King Charles IX of Sweden. She died before he became king and was therefore never queen.Maria was born to Louis VI, Elector Palatine and Elisabeth...
(b. Heidelberg, 24 July 1561 - d. Eskilstuna, 29 July 1589), married Charles IX of SwedenCharles IX of SwedenCharles IX of Sweden also Carl, was King of Sweden from 1604 until his death. He was the youngest son of King Gustav I of Sweden and his second wife, Margaret Leijonhufvud, brother of Eric XIV and John III of Sweden, and uncle of Sigismund III Vasa king of both Sweden and Poland...
. - Elisabeth (b. Heidelberg, 15 June 1562 - d. Heidelberg, 2 November 1562).
- Dorothea Elisabeth (b. Jagdschloß Deinschwang, 12 January 1565 - d. Jagdschloß Deinschwang, 7 March 1565).
- Dorothea (b. Amberg, 4 August 1566 - d. Amberg, 10 March 1568).
- Frederick Philip (b. Amberg, 19 October 1567 - d. Amberg, 14 November 1568).
- Johann Friedrich (b. Amberg, 17 February 1569 - d. Amberg, 20 March 1569).
- Ludwig (b. Amberg, 30 December 1570 - d. Amberg, 7 May 1571).
- Katharina (b. Amberg, April 1572 - d. Amberg, 16 October 1586).
- Christine (b. Schloß Hirschwald, 6 January 1573 - d. Zweibrücken, 21 July 1619).
- Frederick IV, Elector PalatineFrederick IV, Elector PalatineFrederick IV, Elector Palatine of the Rhine , only surviving son of Louis VI, Elector Palatine and Elisabeth of Hesse, called "Frederick the Righteous" .-Life:Born in Amberg, his father died in October 1583 and...
(b. Amberg, 5 March 1574 - d. Heidelberg, 9 September 1610). - Philip (b. Amberg, 4 May 1575 - d. Amberg, 9 August 1575).
- Elisabeth (b. Amberg, 24 November 1576 - d. Heidelberg, 10 April 1577).
Second, he married on 12 July 1583 Countess Anne of Ostfriesland
Anne of Ostfriesland
Anne of Ostfriesland was the eldest daughter of Edzard II, Count of East Frisia and his wife, Katarina Vasa, daughter of Gustav I of Sweden.Anne married three times:...
(26 June 1562 – 21 April 1621), but they had no children.