Friedrich III. (Palatinate)

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Elector Friedrich III. from the Palatinate

Friedrich III. of the Palatinate, the Pious - also called "Pius" - (* February 14, 1515 in Simmern ; † October 26, 1576 in Heidelberg ), from the Wittelsbach family was Count Palatine of Simmern-Sponheim and Elector of the Palatinate (1559– 1576). He established the rule of the Pfalz-Simmern line over the Electoral Palatinate, which ruled there until 1685.

life and work

Marie of Brandenburg-Kulmbach
Alliance coat of arms of Frederick III. and his wife Maria von Brandenburg-Kulmbach (17th century copy of the Rüxner tournament book)

His parents were Count Palatine Johann II von Pfalz-Simmern (1492–1557) and Beatrix von Baden (1492–1535). His upbringing took place at Catholic courts, including that of Charles V.

He succeeded the childless elector Ottheinrich (1556–1559) in the Palatinate electorate . Already enrolled at the Old University of Cologne ( Universitas Studii Coloniensis ) together with his brothers Georg and Reichard in 1528 , Friedrich became an ardent, staunch supporter of the Reformation from 1546. Married to the Protestant Maria , the daughter of Margrave Casimir von Brandenburg-Kulmbach in 1537, he had a large family; When he received the cure on February 12, 1559, he was a poor prince who was often struggling with material hardship. As elector he was in great esteem in the empire because of the energy with which he represented the Protestant cause. The Reformed view is inclining, he joined the since 1560 more rugged becoming party division between Lutherans and Reformed ever more decisively to the cause of the Reformed on.

The Heidelberg Catechism of 1563 goes back to his initiative, and he exerted great influence on the editing of the catechism down to the last detail; he ensured that the Palatinate adhered to this creed , which replaced Luther's catechism . The Lutherans left the country. This change in religion in the Palatinate was not welcomed by the German Protestants. One denied the Calvinists , whom Friedrich III. belonged, the "membership of the Augsburg denominational relatives", to whom the religious peace of 1555 had granted tolerance; one wanted to describe the Reformed as sectarian outside of peace. Elector Friedrich therefore had to face fierce challenges at the Augsburg Reichstag of 1566. The dichotomy and contrast between the two Protestant tendencies were primarily represented by the Electorate of Saxony and the Electoral Palatinate.

Friedrich also had trouble in his own house: the eldest son, Ludwig , was a Lutheran, the second, Johann Kasimir, a follower of his father's religion and politics. Friedrich was in contact with all opponents of the Habsburg Catholic party in Europe: in England, France and the Netherlands he shook hands with the fighting Protestants. The French Huguenots in particular enjoyed his advice and help repeatedly, for example in 1562 and 1567. In 1568, Johann Casimir took part in the Huguenot War on behalf of his father, and the Dutch uprising was supported by a Palatinate army. Friedrich's third son, Christoph , was killed in the battle of the Mooker Heide (April 1574). Internally, the elector tried in every way to raise the prosperity of Heidelberg University and ceaselessly took care of the church and school system in his country.

Immediately after the book De praestigiis daemonum by the critic of the witch hunt Johann Weyer (1515 / 16–1588) in 1563, Elector Friedrich III declined. continued the ordeal and application of the death penalty to alleged witches . Christoph Prob († 1579), his chancellor, defended Weyer's view that same year at the Rheinischer Kurfürstentag in Bingen .

In 1568 Friedrich sent Reformed Walloon religious refugees to the abandoned monastery in Lambrecht . Many of the Walloons were cloth makers and established a long tradition in the Neustadter Valley. In an effort to win over the Reformation Anabaptists for the new Reformed regional church, Friedrich initiated the Frankenthal Religious Discussion between representatives of Anabaptist communities and the Reformed Church in the spring of 1571 .

Friedrich was buried in the Heiliggeistkirche in Heidelberg .

progeny

Elector Friedrich III. married on June 12, 1537 in Crailsheim Marie (1519–1567), daughter of Margrave Kasimir von Brandenburg-Kulmbach and his wife Princess Susanna , daughter of Bavarian Duke Albrecht IV. The marriage had eleven children:

  • Alberta (1538–1553)
  • Louis VI. (1539–1583), Elector Palatinate
⚭ 1. 1560 Princess Elisabeth of Hessen-Kassel (1539–1582)
⚭ 2. 1583 Princess Anna of East Friesland (1562–1621)
⚭ 1558 Duke Johann Friedrich II of Saxe-Gotha (1529–1595)
  • Hermann Ludwig (1541–1556, had an accident)
  • Johann Casimir (1543–1592)
⚭ 1570 Princess Elisabeth of Saxony (1552–1590)
⚭ 1560 Duke Johann Wilhelm I of Saxe-Weimar (1530–1573)
⚭ 1569 Landgrave Philip II of Hesse-Rheinfels (1541–1583)
⚭ 1599 Count Palatine Johann August von Veldenz-Lützelstein (1575–1611)
⚭ 1580 Count Johann VI. of Nassau-Dillenburg (1536–1606)

In his second marriage, he married Countess Amalia (1540–1602), widow of Count Heinrich von Brederode, in Heidelberg on April 25, 1569 . She was the daughter of Count Gumprecht von Neuenar zu Limburg . The marriage remained childless.

literature

Web links

Commons : Friedrich III. (Pfalz)  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Large complete universal lexicon of all sciences and arts . Volume 9, Col. 1969 f.
  2. ^ Johann Weyer: De praestigiis daemonum et incantationibus ac veneficiis . 2nd Edition. Johann Oporinus successor, Basel 1577, p. 716 f.
  3. ↑ De praestigiis daemonum et incantationibus ac veneficiis . 2nd Edition. Johann Oporinus successor, Basel 1577, p. 717. Christoph Meiners : Historical comparison of the customs and constitutions, the laws and trades of trade and religion, the sciences and educational institutions of the Middle Ages with those of our century . Volume 3. Helwing, Hanover 1794, p. 368 f.
predecessor Office successor
Ottheinrich Elector Palatinate
1559–1576 		Louis VI.
Johann II. Duke of Palatinate-Simmern
1557–1559 		George
personal data
SURNAME Friedrich III.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Frederick the Pious
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Elector of the Palatinate
DATE OF BIRTH February 14, 1515
PLACE OF BIRTH Simmer
DATE OF DEATH October 26, 1576
PLACE OF DEATH Heidelberg