Career
The death of the childless George Frederick the Elder in 1603 marked the extinction of the original Franconian line of the Margraves of Brandenburg-Ansbach-Kulmbach. This land partition had already been legitimized in 1598 by the House Treaty of Gera, which was prepared for this purpose. Christian"s assumption of the government of Kulmbach took place at the same time as that of Joachim Ernst in Ansbach.
In 1604 Christian moved the seat of power from Kulmbach to Bayreuth and Plassenburg, however Kulmbach was retained as a regional fortress.
From that moment, the principality changed its name from Brandenburg-Kulmbach to Brandenburg-Bayreuth. In 1606 Christian was elected Colonel (German: Kreisobrist) of the Franconian Circle.
Emperor Ferdinand II tried to depose him as ruler of Bayreuth in 1635. However, he continued in office.
