Palatinate-Zweibrücken
Encyclopedia
Palatinate-Zweibrücken is a former state of the Holy Roman Empire
. Its capital was Zweibrücken
.
→ History before 1444 see main article County of Veldenz
→ History before 1444 see main article Pfalz-Simmern and Zweibrücken
Palatinate-Zweibrücken became a separate principality in 1444 when Stefan, Count Palatine of Simmern-Zweibrücken
divided his territory Pfalz-Simmern and Zweibrücken between two sons. The younger son, Louis I
, received the County of Zweibrücken
and the County of Veldenz.
The Duchy of Palatinate-Zweibrücken ceased to exist in 1801, when it was annexed by France
. After the Congress of Vienna
, in 1815, it was returned to the last Duke, King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria, who joined it with other Bavaria
n territories on the left bank of the Rhine to form the Rhenish Palatinate.
. which had been created in 1410 for Stephen
, the third son of Count Palatine Rupert III or the Rhine. In 1444, Stephen inherited the County of Veldenz from his father-in-law, Count Frederick III of Veldenz. This enabled him to divide his possessions between his sons, Frederick I and Louis I
. In 1453, Stephen abdicated and divided his country between his sons. The elder son Frederick I received the County of Sponheim
and the title of Count of Sponheim; he also received the northern half of the Principality of Palatinate-Simmern and Zweibrücken
. The younger son, Louis I, received the County of Veldenz and the title of Count of Veldenz from his grandfather's inheritance and the southern half of Palatinate-Zweibrücken-Simmern. Louis's half included the fromer County of Zweibrücken
, which the Palatinate had acquired in 1385. Among Stefan's titles were "Count Palatine of the Rhine" and "Duke in Bavaria". Both sons inherited the right to use theses titles, which is why the two newly formed principalities of Palatinate Simmern and Palatinate Zweibrücken were usually describes as Duchies
or Counties Palatine
.
, Landsburg, Lauterecken
, Burg Lichtenberg
, Meisenheim
and Veldenz
from the County of Veldenz. In 1459, the districts Falkenburg Castle
, Guttenberg, Haßloch
, Kirkel
, Lambsheim
, Oggersheim, Wachenheim, Wegelnburg and Zweibrücken
from Paltinate-Simmern were added.
Guttenberg, Seltz and Hagenbach and Bischwiller were French fiefs, the others were German.
, the districts of Lambsheim, Wachenheim and Waldböckelheim
were lost to the Palatinate. Emperor Frederick III
, who was also in conflict with the Electoral Palatinate, appointed Louis I as his field marshall and recognized Palatinate Zweibrücken as a duchy. Louis I stimulated mining and simplified the administration of the duchy.
Initially Meisenheim
was the capital
. In 1477, the Electoral Palatinate threatened Meisenheim and the capital
had to be moved to Zweibrücken
, where it remained until 1793.
and Kaspar
to rule the duchy jointly. However, Alexander declared his older brother mentally ill, locked him up and ruled the duchy alone. Alexander also waged war on the Electoral Palatinate; his troops looted the Palatinate during the Landshut War of Succession
. In 1505, when the war ended with an imperial decision, some territory was transferred from the Electoral Palatinate to Palatinate Zweibrücken. Alexander concluded an inheritance treary with the new Elector Philip
, which considerably improved relations between the two countries.
Alexander and Louis II introduced primogeniture
, the rule that the whole of the principality would henceforth be inhertited by the oldest son. Bischweiler was acquired in 1542, during the regency of Count Palatine Ruper
of Veldenz. In 1544, the cadet branch of Palatinate-Veldenz split off. In 1553, the County of Lützelstein (now in Alsace
) was purchased from the Electoral Palatinate. Count Palatine Wolfgang dissolved the monasteries in his territory and thereby increased his revenues and acquired the territory of Disibodenberg
Abbey. In 1557, he inherited Palatinate-Neuburg
, half of the Rear County of Sponheim
and half of the Lordship of Guttenberg from the Palatinate under the Treaty of Heidelberg; this more than doubled his territory. In 1558, he dissolved Hornbach Abbey an took its territory and half the County of Molsheim. In 1559, the Electoral line died out and Wolfgang inherited a share in the Front County of Sponheim. He used these large gains to give each of his five sons some territory: the sovereign Palatinate-Neuburg
and Palatinate-Zweibrücken, which fell to John I's second son in 1569, and the non-sovereign collateral lines Palatinate-Sulzbach
, Palatinate-Vohenstrauß-Parkstein
and Palatinate-Birkenfeld.
, the Duchy was occupied by imperial forces and Count Palatine John II had to flee to Metz
. His son and successor Frederick
returned in 1645. When Frederick died without a male heir in 1661, he was succeed by his cousin Frederick Louis
. During his reign, the country was occupied by France in 1676. Zweibrücken was a fief of the Bishopric of Metz
, which had been annexed by France. In 1680, France therefore annexed Zweibrücken as well. In 1618, Frederick Louis died in exile, without a male heir.
The 1697 Treaty of Ryswick
returned the Duchy to its rightful owner. Since Frederick Louis had died without a male heir, the Duchy was returned to his first cousin once removed Charles II
of Palatinate-Kleeburg
, who was also King of Sweden as Charles XI
.
with Sweden lasted until the death of Charles XII of Sweden
in 1718. When Charles XII died without a son, Sweden was inherited by his daughter Ulrika Eleonora and Zweibrücken was inherited by his cousin, Gustav, Duke of Zweibrücken
.
From 1725 to 1778, the counts palatine resided in Zweibrücken Palace; they then moved to Karlsberg Castle
near Homburg
, to emphasize their claim to inherit the Duchy of Bavaria
. Members of the ruling family were buried in the Castle Church in Meisenheim and later in the Alexander Church in Zweibrücken (which was badly damaged in World War II
).
Gustav was the last Count Palatine of the Palatinate-Kleeburg line; when he died in 1731 without a male heir, the duchy was impounded by the Empire. In 1734, the Emperor invested Count Palatine Christian III
of Palatinate-Birkenfeld with Zweibrücken. His duchy had been split off from Zweibrücken in 1584. His son Christian IV
turned Catholic
in 1758.
During Christian IV, the fragmentation of the area was reduced by swapping territories. For example, in 1768, Odernheim and half of Molsheim where transferred to the Electoral Palatinate, in exchange for Neuburg, the district of Hagenbach, district of Selz
and Selz Abbey
. In 1776, the Rear County of Sponheim was divided between Zweibrücken and Baden, with Zweibrücken receiving Kastellaun, Traben-Trarbach with Starkenburg and Allenbach, and Baden receiving Birkenfeld, Frauenburg and Herrstein.
The duchy was conquered in 1793 by French revolutionary troops. On 4 November 1797, the occupied territory was incorporated into the newly founded French département of Mont-Tonnerre
(capital: Mainz) legally part of France
.
The annexation by France was recognized internationally by the Treaty of Luneville
. In 1799, the last Count Palatine of Zweibrücken, Maximilian Joseph, became Elector of Bavaria
, as Maximilian IV Joseph, as well as Elector Palatine, as Maximilian II Joseph.
ceased to exist.
After the Congress of Vienna
, the Palatinate territory was returned to the Wittelsbach
family, except the Alsatian part of the country, which remained French. Maximilian Joseph then combined Zweibrücken with his other Palatinate possessions, forming the Rheinkreis.
on 21 April 1571, although the situation in the city of Zweibrücken had already been somewhat eased by decrees from the years 1352 and 1483. Young men were required to serve six years in the militia.
The highest administrative body was the cabinet; the Duke participated in its meetings. The Treasury was responsible for finance, mining and forestry. There was no separation between the judiciary and the administration. Justice was meted out by officials with the rank of Schultheiß
. The highest court in the land was the Court of Appeals in Zweibrücken; its traditions are continued today by the Oberlandesgericht
in Zweibrücken. After 1774, appeals from the court in Zweibrücken to the Reichskammergericht
were no longer possible. In the Alsatian parts of the country, however, appeals to the Conseil souverain d’ Alsace in Colmar
were possible from about 1680. Important statutes were the Court Jucicial Order of 1605, the Lower Court Order of 1657, and later the Criminal Procedure of 1724 and Marriage and Guardianship Regulations. In areas where no state law was available, imperial law was used.
Administratively, the country was divided into eight districts: Zweibrücken, Homburg, Lichtenberg, Meisenheim, Trarbach, Kastellaun, Bergzabern and Guttenberg.
was introduced in Palatinate Zweibrücken in 1533 by the chaplain and later parish priest of Johann Schwebel and Count Palatine Rupert
of Veldenz, who was acting as regent for Wolfgang
, who was still a minor. Theologocally, Schwebel followed the loead of Martin Bucer
in Strasbourg
. After Schwebel died in 1540 and Wolfgang took over in 1544, however, Zweibrücken came under Lutheran influence, which was settled in 1577 in a Church Order
by chancellor Ulrich Sitzinger.
After Wolfgang's death, his son John I joined the Reformed confession in 1588. In the year 1624, Zweibrücken was still ruled by a Reformed prince, so under the rules of the 1648 Peace of Westphalia
, this became the established religion. In the period of the French Reunion
(1680–1697), Catholic churches were again admitted and in 1697 under the Swedish administration after the Treaty of Ryswick
, Lutheran congragations were re-established as well.
Administratively, the Reformed Church was organized similar to the secular authorities: each secular district corresponded with a church district headed by a superintendent
, or an insprector (during the Reformed period). The priests were state officials and were regularly visited
by a commission consisting of the district superintendent, the secular bailiff and a representative of the central administration in Zweibrücken. There was no bishop or church president, although the superintendaent of Zweibrücken had a more prominent position than his colleagues. The parish churches of the individual districts convened regularly; sometimes all clergy in the duchy convened in a national synod. There was no institutionalized national church council; initially this function was exercised by the secular cabinet college, assisted by the superintendent of Zweibrücken. In the 18th Century, however, a national church council was created; its membership consisting of secular councillors.
From the beginning, the lay element
played a special role in the church in Zweibrücken. The Reformation revived the ancient office of the Elder
, lay people chosen by the community, who would supervise the lifestyle of the congregation and the pastor and the funds and property of the parish.
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...
. Its capital was Zweibrücken
Zweibrücken
Zweibrücken is a city in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, on the Schwarzbach river.- Name :Zweibrücken appears in Latin texts as Geminus Pons and Bipontum, in French texts as Deux-Ponts. The name derives from Middle High German Zweinbrücken...
.
Overview
→ History before 1394 see main article County of ZweibrückenCounty of Zweibrücken
The County of Zweibrücken was a territory in the Holy Roman Empire named for Zweibrücken in the contemporary Land Rhineland-Palatinate...
→ History before 1444 see main article County of Veldenz
→ History before 1444 see main article Pfalz-Simmern and Zweibrücken
Palatinate-Zweibrücken became a separate principality in 1444 when Stefan, Count Palatine of Simmern-Zweibrücken
Stefan, Count Palatine of Simmern-Zweibrücken
Stephen of Simmern-Zweibrücken was Count Palatine of Simmern and Zweibrücken from 1410.He was the son of King Rupert of Germany and his wife Elisabeth of Nuremberg. After the death of Rupert the Palatinate was divided between four of his surviving sons...
divided his territory Pfalz-Simmern and Zweibrücken between two sons. The younger son, Louis I
Louis I, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken
Louis I of Zweibrücken was Count Palatine and Duke of Zweibrücken and of Veldenz in 1444–1489.He was the younger son of Stefan, Count Palatine of Simmern-Zweibrücken and his wife Anna, heiress of the County of Veldenz, whom he had wed in 1409. Although Anne died in 1439, her widower did not...
, received the County of Zweibrücken
County of Zweibrücken
The County of Zweibrücken was a territory in the Holy Roman Empire named for Zweibrücken in the contemporary Land Rhineland-Palatinate...
and the County of Veldenz.
The Duchy of Palatinate-Zweibrücken ceased to exist in 1801, when it was annexed by France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. After the Congress of Vienna
Congress of Vienna
The Congress of Vienna was a conference of ambassadors of European states chaired by Klemens Wenzel von Metternich, and held in Vienna from September, 1814 to June, 1815. The objective of the Congress was to settle the many issues arising from the French Revolutionary Wars, the Napoleonic Wars,...
, in 1815, it was returned to the last Duke, King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria, who joined it with other Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
n territories on the left bank of the Rhine to form the Rhenish Palatinate.
Origins
The principality was conceived in 1444 and realized in 1453 by a division of Palatinate-Simmern and ZweibrückenPalatinate-Simmern and Zweibrücken
Palatinate-Simmern and Zweibrücken was a state of the Holy Roman Empire based in the Simmern and Zweibrücken in modern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany....
. which had been created in 1410 for Stephen
Stephen, Count Palatine of Simmern-Zweibrücken
Stephen of Simmern-Zweibrücken was Count Palatine of Simmern and Zweibrücken from 1410.He was the son of King Rupert of Germany and his wife Elisabeth of Nuremberg. After the death of Rupert the Palatinate was divided between four of his surviving sons...
, the third son of Count Palatine Rupert III or the Rhine. In 1444, Stephen inherited the County of Veldenz from his father-in-law, Count Frederick III of Veldenz. This enabled him to divide his possessions between his sons, Frederick I and Louis I
Louis I, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken
Louis I of Zweibrücken was Count Palatine and Duke of Zweibrücken and of Veldenz in 1444–1489.He was the younger son of Stefan, Count Palatine of Simmern-Zweibrücken and his wife Anna, heiress of the County of Veldenz, whom he had wed in 1409. Although Anne died in 1439, her widower did not...
. In 1453, Stephen abdicated and divided his country between his sons. The elder son Frederick I received the County of Sponheim
County of Sponheim
The County of Sponheim was an independent territory in the Holy Roman Empire which lasted from the 11th century until the early 19th century...
and the title of Count of Sponheim; he also received the northern half of the Principality of Palatinate-Simmern and Zweibrücken
Palatinate-Simmern and Zweibrücken
Palatinate-Simmern and Zweibrücken was a state of the Holy Roman Empire based in the Simmern and Zweibrücken in modern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany....
. The younger son, Louis I, received the County of Veldenz and the title of Count of Veldenz from his grandfather's inheritance and the southern half of Palatinate-Zweibrücken-Simmern. Louis's half included the fromer County of Zweibrücken
County of Zweibrücken
The County of Zweibrücken was a territory in the Holy Roman Empire named for Zweibrücken in the contemporary Land Rhineland-Palatinate...
, which the Palatinate had acquired in 1385. Among Stefan's titles were "Count Palatine of the Rhine" and "Duke in Bavaria". Both sons inherited the right to use theses titles, which is why the two newly formed principalities of Palatinate Simmern and Palatinate Zweibrücken were usually describes as Duchies
Duchy
A duchy is a territory, fief, or domain ruled by a duke or duchess.Some duchies were sovereign in areas that would become unified realms only during the Modern era . In contrast, others were subordinate districts of those kingdoms that unified either partially or completely during the Medieval era...
or Counties Palatine
County palatine
A county palatine or palatinate is an area ruled by an hereditary nobleman possessing special authority and autonomy from the rest of a kingdom or empire. The name derives from the Latin adjective palatinus, "relating to the palace", from the noun palatium, "palace"...
.
Extent
When Palatinate-Zweibrücken was created in 1444, it consisted of the districts of ArmsheimArmsheim
Armsheim is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Alzey-Worms district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany...
, Landsburg, Lauterecken
Lauterecken
Lauterecken is a municipality in the district of Kusel, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated on the rivers Glan and Lauter, approx. 20 km north-east of Kusel, and 25 km north-west of Kaiserslautern....
, Burg Lichtenberg
Burg Lichtenberg (Palatinate)
Lichtenberg Castle has a length of 425m and is the biggest castle ruin of Germany. It is located near Thallichtenberg in the district of Kusel in Rhineland-Palatinate.- History :...
, Meisenheim
Meisenheim
Meisenheim is a town in the district of Bad Kreuznach, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated on the river Glan, approx. 25 km south-west of Bad Kreuznach.Meisenheim is the seat of the Verbandsgemeinde Meisenheim....
and Veldenz
Veldenz
Veldenz is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Bernkastel-Wittlich district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany...
from the County of Veldenz. In 1459, the districts Falkenburg Castle
Falkenburg Castle
Falkenburg Castle is a castle ruin overlooking Wilgartswiesen in the Palatinate Forest in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Like almost all castles in this region it was built on sandstone.-History:...
, Guttenberg, Haßloch
Haßloch
Haßloch is a municipality in the Bad Dürkheim district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Unlike most municipalities in the district, it does not belong to any Verbandsgemeinde – a kind of collective municipality. It lies near the Mannheim/Ludwigshafen built-up area...
, Kirkel
Kirkel
Kirkel is a municipality in the Saarpfalz district, in Saarland, Germany. It is situated approximatively 8 km southeast of Neunkirchen, and 20 km east/northeast of Saarbrücken.-Overview:...
, Lambsheim
Lambsheim
Lambsheim is a municipality in the Rhein-Pfalz-Kreis, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.It is situated approx. 6 km southwest of Frankenthal, and 11 km west of Ludwigshafen.-Wineries:In Lambsheim there are 3 wineries....
, Oggersheim, Wachenheim, Wegelnburg and Zweibrücken
Zweibrücken
Zweibrücken is a city in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, on the Schwarzbach river.- Name :Zweibrücken appears in Latin texts as Geminus Pons and Bipontum, in French texts as Deux-Ponts. The name derives from Middle High German Zweinbrücken...
from Paltinate-Simmern were added.
Territories held in 1784
An Amt was an administrative district; an Oberamt was a larger district, subdivided into Unterämter.- Oberamt Zweibrücken
- Oberamt HomburgHomburg, SaarlandHomburg is a town in Saarland, Germany, the administrative seat of the Saarpfalz district. With a population of c. 44,000 inhabitants, is the third city in its federal state. The medical department of the University of Saarland is situated here. The city is also home to the Karlsberg beer brewery...
(acquired in 1755 in a territorial exchange with Nassau-Saarbrücken) - Oberamt Lichtenberg at KuselKuselKusel is a municipality in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, capital of the district of Kusel. It is situated approx. 30 km north-west of Kaiserslautern....
(originally part of the County of Veldenz) - Oberamt MeisenheimMeisenheimMeisenheim is a town in the district of Bad Kreuznach, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated on the river Glan, approx. 25 km south-west of Bad Kreuznach.Meisenheim is the seat of the Verbandsgemeinde Meisenheim....
(originally part of the County of Veldenz) - Oberamt TrarbachTraben-TrarbachTraben-Trarbach on the Middle Moselle is a town in the Bernkastel-Wittlich district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is the seat of the like-named Verbandsgemeinde and a state-recognized climatic spa .- Location :...
, including Imperial Kröv (originally part of the County of Sponheim) - Amt AllenbachAllenbachAllenbach is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Birkenfeld district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany...
(originally part of the County of Sponheim) - Oberamt KastellaunKastellaun-Climate:Yearly precipitation in Kastellaun amounts to 755 mm, which falls into the middle third of the precipitation chart for all Germany. At 53% of the German Weather Service’s weather stations, lower figures recorded. The driest month is April. The most rainfall comes in June. In that...
including the VogteiVogteiVogtei could be:* The residenz or domain of a Vogt* Vogtei , a municipal association in the Unstrut-Hainich district of Thuringia, Germany....
of SenheimSenheimSenheim is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Cochem-Zell district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde of Cochem, whose seat is in the like-named town.-Location:The municipality lies on both...
and 1/3 of the bailiwick of VeltheimVeltheimVeltheim is a municipality in the district of Wolfenbüttel, in Lower Saxony, Germany....
and Strümmich (originally part of the County of Sponheim) - Oberamt BergzabernBad BergzabernBad Bergzabern is a municipality in the Südliche Weinstraße district, on the German Wine Route in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated near the border with France, on the south-eastern edge of the Palatinate forest, approximately southwest of Landau....
including the Vogtei of KleeburgCleebourgCleebourg is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.-References:*...
, Annweiler am TrifelsAnnweiler am TrifelsAnnweiler am Trifels, or Annweiler is a town in the Südliche Weinstraße district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated on the river Queich, 12 km west of Landau, and on the railway from Landau to Pirmasens....
, Wegelnburg - Amt NohfeldenNohfeldenNohfelden is a municipality in the district of Sankt Wendel, in Saarland, Germany. It is situated approx. 15 km north of Sankt Wendel, and 20 km southwest of Idar-Oberstein....
- Oberamt Guttenberg (acquired in 1768 in a territorial exchange with Electoral Palatinate)
- Amt SelzSelz AbbeySelz Abbey or Seltz Abbey is a former monastery and Imperial abbey in Seltz, formerly Selz, in Alsace, France.The Benedictine monastery, dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul, was founded in about 991 by Adelheid, the second wife of Otto I and dowager empress, who was buried there on 16 December 999....
and HagenbachHagenbachHagenbach is a town in the district of Germersheim, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated near the border with France, on the left bank of the Rhine, approx. 10 km west of Karlsruhe.... - Lordship of BischwillerBischwillerBischwiller is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France just west of the Moder River.The city is located southeast of Haguenau, west-northwest from the German border and the Rhine River , and lies north-northeast of Strasbourg.-Notable people:* Henri Baumer, master...
Guttenberg, Seltz and Hagenbach and Bischwiller were French fiefs, the others were German.
15th century
During the reign of Louis I, who conducted four unsuccessful feuds against his cousin Elector Palatine Frederick IFrederick I, Elector Palatine
Frederick I, the Victorious was a Count Palatine of the Rhine and Elector Palatine from the House of Wittelsbach in 1451 - 1476....
, the districts of Lambsheim, Wachenheim and Waldböckelheim
Waldböckelheim
Waldböckelheim is a municipality in the district of Bad Kreuznach in Rhineland-Palatinate, in western Germany.-Geography:Waldböckelheim is located north of the Nahe in the Rhenish Massif. Waldböckelheim is surrounded by three extinct volcanoes.-History:...
were lost to the Palatinate. Emperor Frederick III
Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick the Peaceful KG was Duke of Austria as Frederick V from 1424, the successor of Albert II as German King as Frederick IV from 1440, and Holy Roman Emperor as Frederick III from 1452...
, who was also in conflict with the Electoral Palatinate, appointed Louis I as his field marshall and recognized Palatinate Zweibrücken as a duchy. Louis I stimulated mining and simplified the administration of the duchy.
Initially Meisenheim
Meisenheim
Meisenheim is a town in the district of Bad Kreuznach, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated on the river Glan, approx. 25 km south-west of Bad Kreuznach.Meisenheim is the seat of the Verbandsgemeinde Meisenheim....
was the capital
Capital City
Capital City was a television show produced by Euston Films which focused on the lives of investment bankers in London living and working on the corporate trading floor for the fictional international bank Shane-Longman....
. In 1477, the Electoral Palatinate threatened Meisenheim and the capital
Capital City
Capital City was a television show produced by Euston Films which focused on the lives of investment bankers in London living and working on the corporate trading floor for the fictional international bank Shane-Longman....
had to be moved to Zweibrücken
Zweibrücken
Zweibrücken is a city in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, on the Schwarzbach river.- Name :Zweibrücken appears in Latin texts as Geminus Pons and Bipontum, in French texts as Deux-Ponts. The name derives from Middle High German Zweinbrücken...
, where it remained until 1793.
16th century
After Louis's death, the duchy was not divided. His testament required dukes AlexanderAlexander, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken
Alexander of Zweibrücken was Count Palatine and Duke of Zweibrücken and of Veldenz in 1489–1514.He was the son of Louis I, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken and his wife Johanna of Croÿ...
and Kaspar
Kaspar, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken
Kaspar, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken and Veldenz was Duke of Zweibrücken from 1489 to 1490. He was the son of Louis I, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken and Johanna of Croÿ. In 1478 in Zweibrücken he married Amalie of Brandenburg , daughter of Albert III Achilles, Elector of Brandenburg. Amalie...
to rule the duchy jointly. However, Alexander declared his older brother mentally ill, locked him up and ruled the duchy alone. Alexander also waged war on the Electoral Palatinate; his troops looted the Palatinate during the Landshut War of Succession
Landshut War of Succession
The Landshut War of Succession resulted from an agreement between the duchies of Bavaria-Munich and Bavaria-Landshut . The agreement concerned the law of succession when one of the two Dukes should die without a male heir...
. In 1505, when the war ended with an imperial decision, some territory was transferred from the Electoral Palatinate to Palatinate Zweibrücken. Alexander concluded an inheritance treary with the new Elector Philip
Philip, Elector Palatine
Philip the Upright, Elector Palatine of the Rhine was an Elector Palatine of the Rhine from the house of Wittelsbach from 1476 to 1508....
, which considerably improved relations between the two countries.
Alexander and Louis II introduced primogeniture
Primogeniture
Primogeniture is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn to inherit the entire estate, to the exclusion of younger siblings . Historically, the term implied male primogeniture, to the exclusion of females...
, the rule that the whole of the principality would henceforth be inhertited by the oldest son. Bischweiler was acquired in 1542, during the regency of Count Palatine Ruper
Rupert, Count Palatine of Veldenz
Rupert was the Duke of Veldenz from 1543 until 1544.-Life:Rupert was born in Zweibrücken in 1506 as the youngest son of Alexander, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken. As a younger son, Rupert was designated by his father into a church career. In 1517 he became a member of the Cathedral of Strasbourg,...
of Veldenz. In 1544, the cadet branch of Palatinate-Veldenz split off. In 1553, the County of Lützelstein (now in Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
) was purchased from the Electoral Palatinate. Count Palatine Wolfgang dissolved the monasteries in his territory and thereby increased his revenues and acquired the territory of Disibodenberg
Disibodenberg
thumb|right|Disibodenberg todaythumb|Disibodenberg ruinsthumb|Disibodenberg ruinsthumb|Disibodenberg pictureDisibodenberg is a monastery ruin in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It was founded by Saint Disibod. Hildegard of Bingen, who wrote Disibod's biography "Vita Sancti Disibodi", also lived in...
Abbey. In 1557, he inherited Palatinate-Neuburg
Palatinate-Neuburg
Palatinate-Neuburg is a former territory of the Holy Roman Empire, founded in 1505. Its capital was Neuburg an der Donau. Its area was about 2,750 km², with a population of some 100,000.-History:...
, half of the Rear County of Sponheim
County of Sponheim
The County of Sponheim was an independent territory in the Holy Roman Empire which lasted from the 11th century until the early 19th century...
and half of the Lordship of Guttenberg from the Palatinate under the Treaty of Heidelberg; this more than doubled his territory. In 1558, he dissolved Hornbach Abbey an took its territory and half the County of Molsheim. In 1559, the Electoral line died out and Wolfgang inherited a share in the Front County of Sponheim. He used these large gains to give each of his five sons some territory: the sovereign Palatinate-Neuburg
Palatinate-Neuburg
Palatinate-Neuburg is a former territory of the Holy Roman Empire, founded in 1505. Its capital was Neuburg an der Donau. Its area was about 2,750 km², with a population of some 100,000.-History:...
and Palatinate-Zweibrücken, which fell to John I's second son in 1569, and the non-sovereign collateral lines Palatinate-Sulzbach
Palatinate-Sulzbach
Palatinate-Sulzbach was the name of two separate states of the Holy Roman Empire located in modern Amberg-Sulzbach, Bavaria, Germany.-Palatinate-Sulzbach :...
, Palatinate-Vohenstrauß-Parkstein
Palatinate-Zweibrücken-Vohenstrauss-Parkstein
Palatinate-Zweibrücken-Vohenstrauss-Parkstein was a state of the Holy Roman Empire based around Vohenstrauß and Parkstein in modern northeastern Bavaria, Germany....
and Palatinate-Birkenfeld.
17th century
During the Thirty Years' WarThirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
, the Duchy was occupied by imperial forces and Count Palatine John II had to flee to Metz
Metz
Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...
. His son and successor Frederick
Frederick, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken
Frederick was the Duke of Zweibrücken from 1635 until 1661.-Life:Frederick was born in Zweibrücken in 1616 as the elder son of John II, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken. He succeeded his father in 1635. During his reign, Palatinate-Zweibrücken was devastated during the Thirty Years' War...
returned in 1645. When Frederick died without a male heir in 1661, he was succeed by his cousin Frederick Louis
Frederick Louis, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken
Frederick Louis was the Duke of Landsberg from 1645 until 1681, and the Duke of Zweibrücken from 1661 until 1681.-Life:...
. During his reign, the country was occupied by France in 1676. Zweibrücken was a fief of the Bishopric of Metz
Bishopric of Metz
The Bishopric of Metz was a prince-bishopric of the Holy Roman Empire. It was one of the Three Bishoprics that were annexed by France in 1552....
, which had been annexed by France. In 1680, France therefore annexed Zweibrücken as well. In 1618, Frederick Louis died in exile, without a male heir.
The 1697 Treaty of Ryswick
Treaty of Ryswick
The Treaty of Ryswick or Ryswyck was signed on 20 September 1697 and named after Ryswick in the Dutch Republic. The treaty settled the Nine Years' War, which pitted France against the Grand Alliance of England, Spain, the Holy Roman Empire and the United Provinces.Negotiations started in May...
returned the Duchy to its rightful owner. Since Frederick Louis had died without a male heir, the Duchy was returned to his first cousin once removed Charles II
Charles XI of Sweden
Charles XI also Carl, was King of Sweden from 1660 until his death, in a period in Swedish history known as the Swedish empire ....
of Palatinate-Kleeburg
Palatinate-Kleeburg
Palatinate-Kleeburg was a state of the Holy Roman Empire, which centered on the Alsatian lordship of Cleeburg.Palatinate-Kleeberg was the younger partition of Palatinate-Zweibrücken in 1604 for John Casimir, the youngest son of John I, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken...
, who was also King of Sweden as Charles XI
Charles XI of Sweden
Charles XI also Carl, was King of Sweden from 1660 until his death, in a period in Swedish history known as the Swedish empire ....
.
18th century
The personal unionPersonal union
A personal union is the combination by which two or more different states have the same monarch while their boundaries, their laws and their interests remain distinct. It should not be confused with a federation which is internationally considered a single state...
with Sweden lasted until the death of Charles XII of Sweden
Charles XII of Sweden
Charles XII also Carl of Sweden, , Latinized to Carolus Rex, Turkish: Demirbaş Şarl, also known as Charles the Habitué was the King of the Swedish Empire from 1697 to 1718...
in 1718. When Charles XII died without a son, Sweden was inherited by his daughter Ulrika Eleonora and Zweibrücken was inherited by his cousin, Gustav, Duke of Zweibrücken
Gustav, Duke of Zweibrücken
Count Palatine Gustav Samuel Leopold of the House of Wittelsbach was the Count Palatine of Kleeburg from 1701 until 1731 and the Duke of Zweibrücken from 1718 until 1731...
.
From 1725 to 1778, the counts palatine resided in Zweibrücken Palace; they then moved to Karlsberg Castle
Karlsberg castle
Karlsberg Castle is a castle ruin on Buchenberg east of Homburg in Saarland, Germany. The castle was constructed from 1778 to 1788 in Baroque and Classical style by Johann Christian von Mannlich, architect and general building director of the dukes of Zweibrücken, by order of Charles II August,...
near Homburg
Homburg, Saarland
Homburg is a town in Saarland, Germany, the administrative seat of the Saarpfalz district. With a population of c. 44,000 inhabitants, is the third city in its federal state. The medical department of the University of Saarland is situated here. The city is also home to the Karlsberg beer brewery...
, to emphasize their claim to inherit the Duchy of Bavaria
Duchy of Bavaria
The Duchy of Bavaria was the only one of the stem duchies from the earliest days of East Francia and the Kingdom of Germany to preserve both its name and most of its territorial extent....
. Members of the ruling family were buried in the Castle Church in Meisenheim and later in the Alexander Church in Zweibrücken (which was badly damaged in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
).
Gustav was the last Count Palatine of the Palatinate-Kleeburg line; when he died in 1731 without a male heir, the duchy was impounded by the Empire. In 1734, the Emperor invested Count Palatine Christian III
Christian III, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken
Christian III, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld was Duke of Zweibrücken from 1731–1735. He was the son of Christian II of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld and Katharina Agathe, Countess of Rappoltstein...
of Palatinate-Birkenfeld with Zweibrücken. His duchy had been split off from Zweibrücken in 1584. His son Christian IV
Christian IV, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken
Christian IV, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld was Duke of Zweibrücken from 1735 to 1775. He was the son of Christian III, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken and Caroline of Nassau-Saarbrücken.In 1751 he married, morganatically, Maria Johanna Camasse...
turned Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
in 1758.
During Christian IV, the fragmentation of the area was reduced by swapping territories. For example, in 1768, Odernheim and half of Molsheim where transferred to the Electoral Palatinate, in exchange for Neuburg, the district of Hagenbach, district of Selz
Selz
The Selz is a river in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, a left tributary to the Rhine. It flows through the biggest German wine region, which is called Rheinhessen....
and Selz Abbey
Selz Abbey
Selz Abbey or Seltz Abbey is a former monastery and Imperial abbey in Seltz, formerly Selz, in Alsace, France.The Benedictine monastery, dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul, was founded in about 991 by Adelheid, the second wife of Otto I and dowager empress, who was buried there on 16 December 999....
. In 1776, the Rear County of Sponheim was divided between Zweibrücken and Baden, with Zweibrücken receiving Kastellaun, Traben-Trarbach with Starkenburg and Allenbach, and Baden receiving Birkenfeld, Frauenburg and Herrstein.
The duchy was conquered in 1793 by French revolutionary troops. On 4 November 1797, the occupied territory was incorporated into the newly founded French département of Mont-Tonnerre
Mont-Tonnerre
Mont-Tonnerre is the name of a département of the First French Empire in present Germany. It is named after the highest point in the Rhenish Palatinate, the Donnersberg. It was the southernmost of four départements formed in 1798, when the west bank of the Rhine was annexed by France...
(capital: Mainz) legally part of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
The annexation by France was recognized internationally by the Treaty of Luneville
Treaty of Lunéville
The Treaty of Lunéville was signed on 9 February 1801 between the French Republic and the Holy Roman Emperor Francis II, negotiating both on behalf of his own domains and of the Holy Roman Empire...
. In 1799, the last Count Palatine of Zweibrücken, Maximilian Joseph, became Elector of Bavaria
Electorate of Bavaria
The Electorate of Bavaria was an independent hereditary electorate of the Holy Roman Empire from 1623 to 1806, when it was succeeded by the Kingdom of Bavaria....
, as Maximilian IV Joseph, as well as Elector Palatine, as Maximilian II Joseph.
19th century
In 1806, Maximilian Joseph became King of Bavaria, as Maximilian I Joseph, and the rôle of ElectorPrince-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...
ceased to exist.
After the Congress of Vienna
Congress of Vienna
The Congress of Vienna was a conference of ambassadors of European states chaired by Klemens Wenzel von Metternich, and held in Vienna from September, 1814 to June, 1815. The objective of the Congress was to settle the many issues arising from the French Revolutionary Wars, the Napoleonic Wars,...
, the Palatinate territory was returned to the 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...
family, except the Alsatian part of the country, which remained French. Maximilian Joseph then combined Zweibrücken with his other Palatinate possessions, forming the Rheinkreis.
Administration
In the duchy there was no authority that would have limited the power of the Duke. Even the urban population were technically serfs, until this was repealed by John IJohn I, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken
John I of Zweibrücken was Count Palatine and Duke of Zweibrücken during 1569-1604.He was born in Meisenheim as the second son of Wolfgang, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken and his wife Anna of Hesse. In 1588 he changed the state religion from Lutheranism to Calvinism...
on 21 April 1571, although the situation in the city of Zweibrücken had already been somewhat eased by decrees from the years 1352 and 1483. Young men were required to serve six years in the militia.
The highest administrative body was the cabinet; the Duke participated in its meetings. The Treasury was responsible for finance, mining and forestry. There was no separation between the judiciary and the administration. Justice was meted out by officials with the rank of Schultheiß
Schultheiß
In medieval Germany, the Schultheiß was the head of a municipality , a Vogt or an executive official of the ruler.As official it was...
. The highest court in the land was the Court of Appeals in Zweibrücken; its traditions are continued today by the Oberlandesgericht
Oberlandesgericht
The Oberlandesgericht is one of the 'ordinary courts' in Germany...
in Zweibrücken. After 1774, appeals from the court in Zweibrücken to the Reichskammergericht
Reichskammergericht
The Reichskammergericht or Imperial Chamber Court was one of two highest judicial institutions in the Holy Roman Empire, the other one being the Aulic Council in Vienna. It was founded in 1495 by the Imperial Diet in Worms...
were no longer possible. In the Alsatian parts of the country, however, appeals to the Conseil souverain d’ Alsace in Colmar
Colmar
Colmar is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.It is the capital of the department. Colmar is also the seat of the highest jurisdiction in Alsace, the appellate court....
were possible from about 1680. Important statutes were the Court Jucicial Order of 1605, the Lower Court Order of 1657, and later the Criminal Procedure of 1724 and Marriage and Guardianship Regulations. In areas where no state law was available, imperial law was used.
Administratively, the country was divided into eight districts: Zweibrücken, Homburg, Lichtenberg, Meisenheim, Trarbach, Kastellaun, Bergzabern and Guttenberg.
Religion and church
The ReformationReformation
- Movements :* Protestant Reformation, an attempt by Martin Luther to reform the Roman Catholic Church that resulted in a schism, and grew into a wider movement...
was introduced in Palatinate Zweibrücken in 1533 by the chaplain and later parish priest of Johann Schwebel and Count Palatine Rupert
Rupert, Count Palatine of Veldenz
Rupert was the Duke of Veldenz from 1543 until 1544.-Life:Rupert was born in Zweibrücken in 1506 as the youngest son of Alexander, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken. As a younger son, Rupert was designated by his father into a church career. In 1517 he became a member of the Cathedral of Strasbourg,...
of Veldenz, who was acting as regent for Wolfgang
Wolfgang, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken
Count Palatine Wolfgang of Zweibrücken was member of the Wittelsbach family of the Counts Palatine and Duke of Zweibrücken 1532–1559.-Biography:...
, who was still a minor. Theologocally, Schwebel followed the loead of Martin Bucer
Martin Bucer
Martin Bucer was a Protestant reformer based in Strasbourg who influenced Lutheran, Calvinist, and Anglican doctrines and practices. Bucer was originally a member of the Dominican Order, but after meeting and being influenced by Martin Luther in 1518 he arranged for his monastic vows to be annulled...
in Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
. After Schwebel died in 1540 and Wolfgang took over in 1544, however, Zweibrücken came under Lutheran influence, which was settled in 1577 in a Church Order
Church Order (Lutheran)
The Church Order or Church Ordinance means the general ecclesiastical constitution of a State.The early Evangelical Church attached less importance to ecclesiastical ritual than the pre-Reformation Church had done...
by chancellor Ulrich Sitzinger.
After Wolfgang's death, his son John I joined the Reformed confession in 1588. In the year 1624, Zweibrücken was still ruled by a Reformed prince, so under the rules of the 1648 Peace of Westphalia
Peace of Westphalia
The Peace of Westphalia was a series of peace treaties signed between May and October of 1648 in Osnabrück and Münster. These treaties ended the Thirty Years' War in the Holy Roman Empire, and the Eighty Years' War between Spain and the Dutch Republic, with Spain formally recognizing the...
, this became the established religion. In the period of the French Reunion
Chambers of Reunion
The Chambers of Reunion were French courts established by King Louis XIV in the early 1680s. The purpose of these courts was to increase French territory. Louis had been expanding the borders of France in a series of wars. Territory was gained in the Treaty of Nijmegen in 1679 and the Treaty of...
(1680–1697), Catholic churches were again admitted and in 1697 under the Swedish administration after the Treaty of Ryswick
Treaty of Ryswick
The Treaty of Ryswick or Ryswyck was signed on 20 September 1697 and named after Ryswick in the Dutch Republic. The treaty settled the Nine Years' War, which pitted France against the Grand Alliance of England, Spain, the Holy Roman Empire and the United Provinces.Negotiations started in May...
, Lutheran congragations were re-established as well.
Administratively, the Reformed Church was organized similar to the secular authorities: each secular district corresponded with a church district headed by a superintendent
Superintendent (ecclesiastical)
Superintendent is the head of an administrative division of a Protestant church, largely historical but still in use in Germany.- Superintendents in Sweden :...
, or an insprector (during the Reformed period). The priests were state officials and were regularly visited
Visitor
A Visitor, in United Kingdom law and history, is an overseer of an autonomous ecclesiastical or eleemosynary institution , who can intervene in the internal affairs of that institution...
by a commission consisting of the district superintendent, the secular bailiff and a representative of the central administration in Zweibrücken. There was no bishop or church president, although the superintendaent of Zweibrücken had a more prominent position than his colleagues. The parish churches of the individual districts convened regularly; sometimes all clergy in the duchy convened in a national synod. There was no institutionalized national church council; initially this function was exercised by the secular cabinet college, assisted by the superintendent of Zweibrücken. In the 18th Century, however, a national church council was created; its membership consisting of secular councillors.
From the beginning, the lay element
Laity
In religious organizations, the laity comprises all people who are not in the clergy. A person who is a member of a religious order who is not ordained legitimate clergy is considered as a member of the laity, even though they are members of a religious order .In the past in Christian cultures, the...
played a special role in the church in Zweibrücken. The Reformation revived the ancient office of the Elder
Elder (Christianity)
An elder in Christianity is a person valued for his wisdom who accordingly holds a particular position of responsibility in a Christian group. In some Christian traditions an elder is a clergy person who usually serves a local church or churches and who has been ordained to a ministry of Word,...
, lay people chosen by the community, who would supervise the lifestyle of the congregation and the pastor and the funds and property of the parish.
Coat of Arms
Around 1720, Palatinate-Zweibrücken added the symbols of the United Duchies of Jülich-Cleves-Berg to its coat of arms. It was parted per gale. The dexter side was quartered, in the first and fourth quarter the Palatine Lions, in second and third the Bavarian white and blue oblique fusils; escutcheoned with a crowned lion in a white box. The sinister side was split twice and divided once and contains the lion of Jülich, the lilies of Cleves, the lion of Berg, thethe red and white checkered fess of Mark, the spit bars of Ravensberg and the bar of Moers.List of Dukes
House of Wittelsbach
- 1394–1398: Rupert II, in personal unionPersonal unionA personal union is the combination by which two or more different states have the same monarch while their boundaries, their laws and their interests remain distinct. It should not be confused with a federation which is internationally considered a single state...
with the Electoral Palatinate - 1398–1410: Rupert IIIRupert of GermanyRupert of Germany from the House of Wittelsbach was Elector Palatine from 1398 and German King from 1400 until his death...
, in personal union with the Electoral Palatinate and (from 1400) with the Kingdom of GermanyKingdom of GermanyThe Kingdom of Germany developed out of the eastern half of the former Carolingian Empire.... - 1410–1459: StefanStefan, Count Palatine of Simmern-ZweibrückenStephen of Simmern-Zweibrücken was Count Palatine of Simmern and Zweibrücken from 1410.He was the son of King Rupert of Germany and his wife Elisabeth of Nuremberg. After the death of Rupert the Palatinate was divided between four of his surviving sons...
- 1459–1489: Louis I the BlackLouis I, Count Palatine of ZweibrückenLouis I of Zweibrücken was Count Palatine and Duke of Zweibrücken and of Veldenz in 1444–1489.He was the younger son of Stefan, Count Palatine of Simmern-Zweibrücken and his wife Anna, heiress of the County of Veldenz, whom he had wed in 1409. Although Anne died in 1439, her widower did not...
- 1489–1490: CasparKaspar, Count Palatine of ZweibrückenKaspar, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken and Veldenz was Duke of Zweibrücken from 1489 to 1490. He was the son of Louis I, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken and Johanna of Croÿ. In 1478 in Zweibrücken he married Amalie of Brandenburg , daughter of Albert III Achilles, Elector of Brandenburg. Amalie...
- 1490–1514: Alexander the LameAlexander, Count Palatine of ZweibrückenAlexander of Zweibrücken was Count Palatine and Duke of Zweibrücken and of Veldenz in 1489–1514.He was the son of Louis I, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken and his wife Johanna of Croÿ...
- 1514–1532: Louis II the YoungerLouis II, Count Palatine of ZweibrückenLouis II of Zweibrücken was Count Palatine and Duke of Zweibrücken from 1514 to 1532.He was the son of Alexander, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken and his wife Margarete of Hohenlohe-Neuenstein. He was married in 1525 to Elisabeth of Hesse, daughter of William I, Landgrave of Lower Hesse, and they...
- 1532–1569: WolfgangWolfgang, Count Palatine of ZweibrückenCount Palatine Wolfgang of Zweibrücken was member of the Wittelsbach family of the Counts Palatine and Duke of Zweibrücken 1532–1559.-Biography:...
- 1569–1604: John I the LameJohn I, Count Palatine of ZweibrückenJohn I of Zweibrücken was Count Palatine and Duke of Zweibrücken during 1569-1604.He was born in Meisenheim as the second son of Wolfgang, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken and his wife Anna of Hesse. In 1588 he changed the state religion from Lutheranism to Calvinism...
- 1604–1635: John II the Younger
- 1635–1661: FrederickFrederick, Count Palatine of ZweibrückenFrederick was the Duke of Zweibrücken from 1635 until 1661.-Life:Frederick was born in Zweibrücken in 1616 as the elder son of John II, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken. He succeeded his father in 1635. During his reign, Palatinate-Zweibrücken was devastated during the Thirty Years' War...
- 1661–1681: Frederick LouisFrederick Louis, Count Palatine of ZweibrückenFrederick Louis was the Duke of Landsberg from 1645 until 1681, and the Duke of Zweibrücken from 1661 until 1681.-Life:...
- 1681–1697: Charles XI of SwedenCharles XI of SwedenCharles XI also Carl, was King of Sweden from 1660 until his death, in a period in Swedish history known as the Swedish empire ....
, in personal union with the Kingdom of Sweden - 1697–1718: Charles XII of SwedenCharles XII of SwedenCharles XII also Carl of Sweden, , Latinized to Carolus Rex, Turkish: Demirbaş Şarl, also known as Charles the Habitué was the King of the Swedish Empire from 1697 to 1718...
, in personal union with the Kingdom of Sweden - 1718–1731: Gustav Samuel Leopold
- 1731–1734: interregnumInterregnumAn interregnum is a period of discontinuity or "gap" in a government, organization, or social order...
- 1734–1735: Christian IIIChristian III, Count Palatine of ZweibrückenChristian III, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld was Duke of Zweibrücken from 1731–1735. He was the son of Christian II of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld and Katharina Agathe, Countess of Rappoltstein...
- 1735–1775: Christian IVChristian IV, Count Palatine of ZweibrückenChristian IV, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld was Duke of Zweibrücken from 1735 to 1775. He was the son of Christian III, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken and Caroline of Nassau-Saarbrücken.In 1751 he married, morganatically, Maria Johanna Camasse...
- 1775–1795: Charles II AugustCharles II August, Duke of ZweibrückenCharles II/III August Christian was Duke of Zweibrücken from 1775 to 1795. He was the son of Frederick Michael of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld and Maria Franziska of Sulzbach...
- 1795–1825: Maximilian I, in personal union with the Electorate of BavariaElectorate of BavariaThe Electorate of Bavaria was an independent hereditary electorate of the Holy Roman Empire from 1623 to 1806, when it was succeeded by the Kingdom of Bavaria....
See also
- House of Palatinate-ZweibrückenHouse of Palatinate-ZweibrückenThe House of Palatinate-Zweibrücken, a branch of the Wittelsbach dynasty, was the Royal House of Sweden from 1654 to 1720.By this point it had splintered into several different houses...
, the Royal HouseRoyal HouseA royal house or royal dynasty consists of at least one, but usually more monarchs who are related to one another, as well as their non-reigning descendants and spouses. Monarchs of the same realm who are not related to one another are usually deemed to belong to different houses, and each house is...
of SwedenSwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
from 1654 to 1720 - PalatinatePalatinate (disambiguation)- United Kingdom :*County palatine in England*Palatinate , student newspaper of Durham University*Palatinate , student sporting award of Durham University*Palatinate , a shade of purple used in the colours of the County of Durham...