Issue See issue link Name Christian Count | House House of Wittelsbach | |
Died 3 February 1735
Zweibrucken Burial Alexander Church in Zweibrucken Spouse Caroline of Nassau-Saarbrucken Father Christian II of Zweibrucken-Birkenfeld | ||
Christian III, Count Palatine of Zweibrucken-Birkenfeld (Strassburg, 7 November 1674 – Zweibrucken, 3 February 1735) was a German nobleman. He was a member of the House of Palatinate-Zweibrucken-Birkenfeld, a cadet branch of the House of Wittelsbach. He was the son of Christian II of Zweibrucken-Birkenfeld and Katharina Agathe, Countess of Rappoltstein. He was Duke and Count Palatine of Zweibrucken-Birkenfeld from 1717 to 1731. In 1731, he inherited the sovereign duchy of Palatinate-Zweibrucken and thus became Count Palatine and Duke of Zweibrucken. He was also Count of Rappoltstein from 1699 until his death.
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Life
Christian was born in Strasbourg in 1674. He was the only son of Christian II, Count Palatine of Zweibrucken-Birkenfeld to survive into adulthood.
He began his career in the French military in 1697 and took over the Alsatian regiment. In 1699, he inherited the County of Rappoltstein from his mother. In 1702 he became Field marshal and in 1704 he was promoted to Lieutenant General. He excelled militarily at the Battle of Oudenaarde in 1708.
In 1717, his father died. He left the army and took up administration of Zweibrucken-Birkenfeld, which was a small part of the County of Sponheim. In 1731, Count Palatine Gustavus Samuel Leopold of Zweibrucken died childless and Christian III inherited his territory. His relatives objected, but in a treaty with Elector Palatine Charles III Philip concluded in Mannheim on 24 December 1733, it was agreed that Christian would receive Palatinate-Zweibrucken.
He died in Zweibrucken in1735 and was buried in the Alexander Church in Zweibrucken.
Marriage and issue
In 1719, at Schloss Lorentzen, he married Caroline of Nassau-Saarbrucken (1704–1774) and had four children.