Reign 1583-1610 Name Frederick Elector Mother Elisabeth of Hesse | Successor Frederick V | |
 | ||
Spouse Countess Louise Juliana of Nassau (m. 1593–1610) Children Frederick V, Elector Palatine, Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate Parents Elisabeth of Hesse, Electress Palatine, Louis VI, Elector Palatine Grandchildren Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg Similar People Frederick V - Elector Palatine, Elizabeth Stuart - Queen of, Charlotte of Bourbon, George William - Elector of, Elisabeth of the Palatinate | ||
Frederick IV, Elector Palatine of the Rhine (German: Kurfürst Friedrich IV. von der Pfalz; 5 March 1574 – 19 September 1610), only surviving son of Louis VI, Elector Palatine and Elisabeth of Hesse, called "Frederick the Righteous" (German: Friedrich Der Aufrichtige; French: Frédéric IV le juste).
Contents
Life
Born in Amberg, 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 Electorate 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. He soon fell prey to alcoholism, leaving state matters largely to his chief minister Christian of Anhalt. Frederick IV died in 1610 in Heidelberg.
Family and children
In 1593 he married Louise Juliana of Nassau, the daughter of William I of Orange and Charlotte de Bourbon-Monpensier. They had eight children: