Charles_I,_Count_Palatine_of_Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld
Charles I of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld (4 September 1560 – 16 December 1600), Count Palatine of the Rhine, Duke in Bavaria, Count to Veldenz and Sponheim was the Duke of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld from 1569 until 1600.
Charles I | |
|---|---|
| Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld | |
Charles I, Count Palatine by Rhine, Duke in Bavaria, Count to Veldenz and Sponheim | |
| Born | (1560-09-04)4 September 1560 Neuburg an der Donau |
| Died | 16 December 1600(1600-12-16) (aged 40) Birkenfeld |
| Buried | Meisenheim |
| Noble family | House of Wittelsbach |
| Spouse(s) | Dorothea of Brunswick-Lüneburg |
| Issue Detail | |
| Father | Wolfgang, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken |
| Mother | Anna of Hesse |
Charles was born in Neuburg in 1560 as the youngest son of Wolfgang, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken. 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, a small territory around Birkenfeld. Charles is the founder of the House of Palatinate-Birkenfeld.
Charles died in Birkenfeld in 1600 and was buried in Meisenheim. Charles was a prince of a relatively unimportant state, and his chief fame is that the Kings of Bavaria descended from him.
Charles married Dorothea of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1 January 1570 – 15 August 1649), daughter of Duke William VI, on 23 February 1590 and had the following children:
- George William (6 August 1591 – 25 December 1669)
- Sophie (29 March 1593 – 16 November 1676), married to Crato VII of Hohenlohe-Neuenstein (14 November 1582 – 11 October 1641)
- Frederick (29 October 1594 – 20 July 1626)
- Christian (3 November 1598 – 6 September 1654)
- Jahresbericht [afterw.] Trierer Jahresberichte, 1858, p. 50 (Digitalised)
| Preceded by | Duke of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld 1569–1600 |
Succeeded by |
| Succeeded by |