List of counts palatine of the Rhine

This article relies largely or entirely on a single source . Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources. Find sources:  "List of counts palatine of the Rhine"  –  news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (October 2022)

This article lists counts palatine of Lotharingia, counts palatine of the Rhine, and electors of the Palatinate (German : Kurfürst von der Pfalz), the titles of three counts palatine who ruled some part of the Rhine region in the Kingdom of Germany and the Holy Roman Empire between 915 to 1803. From 1261 (formally 1356), the title holder was a member of the small group of prince-electors who elected the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. Since then, the title has also referred to as "Elector Palatinate".

Contents

• Counts palatine of Lotharingia, 915–1085
• House of Ezzonen
• Counts palatine of the Rhine, 1085–1214
• Hohenstaufen counts palatine
• Welf counts palatine
• The Palatinate under the Wittelsbach: the Electoral dignity (1214–1803)
• House of Wittelsbach
• Electors of Bavaria and counts palatine of the Rhine, 1777–1803
• Later history
• Notes

Counts palatine of Lotharingia, 915–1085

The Palatinate emerged from the County Palatine of Lotharingia which came into existence in the 10th century.

• Wigeric of Lotharingia, count of the Bidgau (c. 915/916–922) ^[1]
• Godfrey, count of the Jülichgau (c. 940)

Counts palatine of the Rhine, 1085–1214

From c.1085, after the death of the last Ezzonian count palatine, Herman II of Lotharingia, the Palatinate lost its military importance in Lotharingia. The territorial authority of the count palatine was reduced to his counties along the Rhine, henceforth called the County Palatine of the Rhine.

• Heinrich II of Laach 1085–95
• Siegfried of Ballenstedt 1095–1113
• Gottfried of Kalw 1113–29
• William of Ballenstedt 1129–39
• Henry IV Jasomirgott 1139–42
• Hermann III of Stahleck 1142–55

The Palatinate under the Wittelsbach: the Electoral dignity (1214–1803)

On the marriage of the Welf heiress Agnes in the early 13th century, the territory passed to the Wittelsbach dukes of Bavaria, who were also counts palatine of Bavaria. During a later division of territory among the heirs of Duke Louis II of Upper Bavaria in 1294, the elder branch of the Wittelsbachs came into possession of both the Rhenish Palatinate and the territories in Bavaria north of the Danube river (the Nordgau) centred around the town of Amberg. As this region was politically connected to the Rhenish Palatinate, the name Upper Palatinate (Oberpfalz) became common from the early 16th century, to contrast with the Lower Palatinate along the Rhine.

The Golden Bull of 1356, in circumvention of inner-Wittelsbach contracts and thus bypassing Bavaria, the Palatinate was recognized as one of the secular electorates. The count was given the hereditary offices of archsteward (Erztruchseß) of the Empire and Imperial Vicar ( Reichsverweser ) of Franconia, Swabia, the Rhine and southern Germany. From that time forth, the Count Palatine of the Rhine was usually known as the Elector Palatine (Kurfürst von der Pfalz). The position of prince-elector had existed earlier (for example, when two rival kings of Germany were elected in 1257: Richard of Cornwall and Alfonso X of Castile), though it is difficult to determine exactly the earliest date of the office.

By the early 16th century, owing to the practice of dividing territories among different branches of the family, junior lines of the Palatine Wittelsbachs came to rule in Simmern, Kaiserslautern and Zweibrücken in the Lower Palatinate, and in Neuburg and Sulzbach in the Upper Palatinate. The Elector Palatine, now based in Heidelberg, adopted Lutheranism in the 1530s and Calvinism in the 1550s.

House of Wittelsbach

Partitions of Palatinate under Wittelsbach rule

County Palatine of the Rhine (1214-1356)

Electoral Palatinate (Main line) (1356-1559)

Neumarkt (1410-1448)

Simmern (1st creation) (1410-1598) Simmern-Sponheim (1559-1598)

Mosbach (1410-1490)

Zweibrücken (Main line) (1459-1661)

Neuburg (1st creation) (1505-1557)

Veldenz (1543-1694)

Part of Zweibrücken

Electoral Palatinate (Simmern Line, 1st creation) (1559-1623)

Neuburg (2nd creation) (1569-1685)

Zweibrücken -Vohenstrauss -Parkstein (1569-1597)

Zweibrücken -Birkenfeld (1569-1731)

Sulzbach (1st creation) (1569-1604)

Part of Neuburg (1597-1684)

Landsberg (1604-1661)

Kleeburg (1604-1718)

Part of Neuburg

Simmern (2nd creation) (1610-1674)

Sulzbach (2nd creation) (1614-1742)

Zweibrücken -Birkenfeld -Bischweiler (1615-1671)

Part of the Electorate of Bavaria

Electoral Palatinate (Simmern Line, 2nd creation) (1648-1685)

Zweibrücken -Birkenfeld -Gelnhausen (1654-1799)

Zweibrücken (Landsberg Line) (1661-1677)

Annexed to the Kingdom of France

Electoral Palatinate (Neuburg Line) (1685-1742)

Part of Electoral Palatinate (1685-1694)

Zweibrücken ( Swedish Kleeburg Line, 1st creation) (1693-1718)

Zweibrücken (Kleeburg Line, 2nd creation) (1718-1731)

Zweibrücken (Birkenfeld Line) (1731-1799)

Electoral Palatinate (Sulzbach Line) (1742-1799)

Electoral Palatinate (Zweibrücken Line) (1799-1803)

Table of rulers

Ruler		Born	Reign	Death	Ruling part	Consort	Notes
Louis I the Kelheimer		23 December 1173	1214–1231	15 September 1231	County Palatine of the Rhine	Ludmilla of Bohemia 1204 one child	Son of Otto I of Wittelsbach, Duke of Bavaria. Louis obtained the Palatinate of the Rhine in 1214. So Louis I served also as Count Palatine of the Rhine. He was assassinated 1231.
Otto II the Illustrious		7 April 1206	1231–1253	29 November 1253	County Palatine of the Rhine	Agnes of the Palatinate 1222 Worms eleven children	Otto II served also as Count Palatine of the Rhine. On Otto II's death, Bavaria was divided between his sons. Louis received the Palatinate.
Louis II the Strict		13 April 1229	1253–1294	2 February 1294	County Palatine of the Rhine	Maria of Brabant 2 August 1254 (executed) no children Anna of Głogów 1260 two children Matilda of Austria 24 October 1273 four children
During a later division of territory among his heirs in 1294, the elder branch of the Wittelsbachs came into possession of both the Rhenish Palatinate and the territories in Bavaria north of the Danube river (the Nordgau) centred around the town of Amberg. As this region was politically connected to the Rhenish Palatinate, the name Upper Palatinate (Oberpfalz) became common from the early 16th century, to contrast with the Lower Palatinate along the Rhine.
Rudolph I the Stammerer		4 October 1274	1296–1317	12 August 1319	County Palatine of the Rhine	Matilda of Nassau 1 September 1294 Nuremberg six children	Ruled jointly. In 1317 Rudolph abdicated of his rights to his son
In 1327, Louis IV, Duke of Bavaria occupied Palatinate, but wasn't recognized as Count Palatine, as he was defending the position of his younger nephews against the claimancy of his older nephew, Adolf, Count Palatine of the Rhine. Ten years later gave it to his nephews, sons of Rudolph. With the Treaty of Pavia in 1329, as Emperor, Louis made formal his donation, pushing back the claimant Count Adolf.
Rudolph II the Blind		8 August 1306	1327–1353	4 October 1353	County Palatine of the Rhine	Anna of Carinthia-Tyrol 1328 one child Margaret of Sicily 1348 no children	Son of Rudolph I.
The Golden Bull of 1356 confirmed the right to participate in the election of a Holy Roman Emperor to the Count Palatine, title that evolved to Elector Palatine. Left no descendants. He was succeeded by his cousin Robert, son of the pushed Count Adolf.
Robert I the Red (Ruprecht I. der Rote)		9 June 1309	1353–1356	16 February 1390	County Palatine of the Rhine	Elisabeth of Namur 1350 or 1358 no children Beatrix of Berg 1385 no children	Son of Rudolph I and brother of Rudolph II. In January 1356 was recognized as the First Elector Palatine.
			10 January 1356 – 16 February 1390		Electoral Palatinate
Robert II the Hard (Ruprecht II. der Harte)		12 May 1325	16 January 1390 – 6 January 1398	6 January 1398	Electoral Palatinate	Beatrice of Sicily 1345 seven children	Son of the claimant count Adolf.
Rupert III the Righteous (Ruprecht III. der Gerechte)		5 May 1352	6 January 1398 – 18 May 1410	18 May 1410	Electoral Palatinate	Elisabeth of Nuremberg 27 June 1374 Amberg seven children	Also King of Germany (1400–1410).
Louis III the Bearded (Ludwig III. der Bärtige)		23 January 1378	18 May 1410 – 30 December 1436	30 December 1436	Electoral Palatinate	Blanche of England 6 July 1402 Cologne no children Matilda of Savoy 30 November 1417 five children	Children of Robert III, divided the land. Louis kept the Electorate; Stephen received Simmern, John inherited Neumarkt and Otto received Mosbach. Stephen brought by marriage the County of Veldenz to his possessions, and, after his death, Zweibrücken split off from Simmern.
Stephen I		23 June 1385	1410–1459	14 February 1459	Palatinate-Simmern	Anna of Veldenz 10 June 1410 Heidelberg eight children
John I		1383	1410–1443	14 March 1443	Palatinate-Neumarkt	Catherine of Pomerania-Stolp 15 August 1407 Ribe seven children
Otto I		24 August 1390	1410–1461	5 July 1461	Palatinate-Mosbach	Joanna of Bavaria-Landshut January 1430 Burghausen eight children
Regency of Otto I, Count Palatine of Mosbach (1436-1442)
Louis IV the Meek (Ludwig IV. der Sanftmütige)		1 January 1424	30 December 1436 – 13 August 1449	13 August 1449	Electoral Palatinate	Margaret of Savoy 18 October 1445 Heidelberg one child
Christopher I		26 February 1416	1443–1448	5/6 January 1448	Palatinate-Neumarkt	Dorothea of Brandenburg 12 September 1445 Copenhagen no children	Also King of the Kalmar Union (1440–1448), in Denmark, Sweden and Norway. Left no descendants. Neumarkt reverted to Palatinate-Mosbach.
Neumarkt definitely annexed to Palatinate-Mosbach
Frederick I the Victorious (Friedrich I. der Siegreiche)		1 August 1425	13 August 1449 – 12 December 1476	12 December 1476	Electoral Palatinate	Clara Tott 1471/2 (morganatic) two children	Brother of his predecessor. Left no legitimate heirs to the Electorate. He was succeeded by his nephew.
Frederick I the Pious		19 November 1417	1459–1480	29 November 1480	Palatinate-Simmern	Margaret of Guelders 6 August 1454 Lobith ten children	Children of Stephen, divided the land.
Louis I the Black		1424	1459–1489	19 July 1489	Palatinate-Zweibrücken	Johanna de Croÿ 20 March 1454 Luxembourg twelve children
Otto II the Mathematician		26 June 1435	1461–1490	8 April 1499	Palatinate-Mosbach	Unmarried	Had a strong interest in astronomy and mathematics. Abdicated in 1490 to spend the remainder of his life in scientific pursuits. Mosbach reverted to the Electorate.
Mosbach definitely annexed to the Electoral Palatinate
Philip I the Upright (Philipp I. der Aufrichtige)		14 July 1448	12 December 1476 – 28 February 1508	28 February 1508	Electoral Palatinate	Margaret of Bavaria 1474 Amberg fourteen children
John I		15 May 1459	1480–1509	27 January 1509	Palatinate-Simmern	Joanna of Nassau-Saarbrücken 29 September 1481 three children
Alexander I the Lame		26 November 1462	1489–1514	21 October 1514	Palatinate-Zweibrücken	Margaret of Hohenlohe-Neuenstein 1499 Zweibrücken six children	Sons of Louis the Black, ruled jointly.
Kaspar		11 July 1459	1489–1490	1527	Palatinate-Zweibrücken	Amalie of Brandenburg 19 April 1478 Zweibrücken no children
Louis V the Pacific (Ludwig V. der Friedfertige)		2 July 1478	28 February 1508 – 16 March 1544	16 March 1544	Electoral Palatinate	Sibylle of Bavaria 23 February 1511 Heidelberg no children	Left no descendants. He was succeeded by his brother.
John II		21 March 1492	1509–1557	18 May 1557	Palatinate-Simmern	Beatrix of Baden 22 May 1508 twelve children	He introduced the Reformation into Simmern which led to increased tensions with his neighbours, the Archbishoprics of Trier and Mainz.
Louis II the Younger		14 September 1502	1514–1532	3 December 1532	Palatinate-Zweibrücken	Elisabeth of Hesse 10 September 1525 Kassel two children
Robert I		1506	1532–1544	28 July 1544	Palatinate-Veldenz	Ursula of Salm-Kyrburg 23 June 1537 three children	Divided the land. Robert was a younger brother of Louis II, and Wolfgang was Louis' son. Technically, Robert held both lands during Wolfgang's minority.
Regency of Robert, Count Palatine of Veldenz (1532-1543)
Wolfgang		26 September 1526	1532–1569	11 June 1569	Palatinate-Zweibrücken	Anna of Hesse 24 February 1544 thirteen children
Frederick II the Wise (Friedrich II. der Weise)		9 December 1482	16 March 1544 – 26 December 1556	26 December 1556	Electoral Palatinate	Dorothea of Denmark 18 May 1535 Heidelberg no children	Left no descendants. He was succeeded by a cousin.
Regencies of Ursula of Salm-Kyrburg (1544-1546) and Wolfgang, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken (1544-1560)
George John I the Astute		11 April 1543	1560–1592	18 April 1592	Palatinate-Veldenz	Anna of Sweden 20 December 1562 eleven children
Regencies of Philip, Elector Palatine (1505-1508) and Frederick II, Elector Palatine (1508-1516)							Children of Robert of Palatinate, bishop of Freising (and grandsons of Philip I). Their father married the heiress of Bavaria-Landshut, Elisabeth, was adopted by his father-in-law, and eventually became heir of Bavaria-Landshut. This new declaration led to the Landshut War. In the aftermath of the conflict, a part of Landshut joined Palatinate with the name of Palatinate-Neuburg. In 1557 Otto Henry abdicated of Neuburg to become Elector. Neuburg fell to Wolfgang I. Otto Henry left no descendants: the main line became extinct with his death. Simmern line succeeded in the Electorate.
Otto Henry the Magnanimous (Ottheinrich. der Großmütige)		10 April 1502	1505-1557	12 February 1559	Palatinate-Neuburg	Susanna of Bavaria 16 October 1529 Neuburg an der Donau no children
			26 December 1556 – 12 February 1559		Electoral Palatinate
Philip I the Warlike		12 November 1503	1505–1541	4 July 1548	Palatinate-Neuburg	Unmarried
Neuburg annexed to Zweibrücken
Frederick III the Pious (Friedrich III. der Fromme)		14 February 1515	1557–1559	26 October 1576	Palatinate-Simmern	Marie of Brandenburg-Kulmbach 21 October 1537 Kreuznach eleven children Amalia of Neuenahr 25 April 1569 Heidelberg no children	When the senior branch of the family died out in 1559, the electorate passed to Frederick III of Simmern, son of John II and a staunch Calvinist. The Palatinate became one of the major centers of Calvinism in Europe, supporting Calvinist rebellions in both the Netherlands and France.
			12 February 1559 – 26 October 1576		Electoral Palatinate
George		20 February 1518	1559–1569	17 May 1569	Palatinate-Simmern	Elisabeth of Hesse 9 January 1541 one child	Son of John II. Left no descendants. He was succeeded by his brother.
Richard		25 July 1521	1569–1598	13 January 1598	Palatinate-Simmern	Julianna of Wied 30 January 1569 four children Emilie of Württemberg 26 March 1578 no children Anne Margaret of Palatinate-Veldenz 14 December 1589 no children	Son of John II. Left no descendants. Simmern returned to the Electorate.
Simmern briefly annexed to the Electoral Palatinate (1598–1610)
Regency of Anna of Hesse, William IV, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel and Louis VI, Elector Palatine (1569-1574)							Children of Wolfgang, divided the land: John received Zweibrücken; Frederick received Vohenstrauss-Parkstein, which after his death with no descendants went to Neuburg; Otto Henry received Sulzbach, which after his death with no descendants went to Neuburg; Charles received Birkenfeld; Philip Louis (the eldest son) received Neuburg, and absorbed his childless brothers land after their deaths.
John I the Lame		8 May 1550	1569–1604	12 August 1604	Palatinate-Zweibrücken	Magdalene of Jülich-Cleves-Berg 1579 Bad Bergzabern nine children
Philip Louis		2 October 1547	1569–1614	22 August 1614	Palatinate-Neuburg	Anna of Cleves 27 September 1574 Neuburg an der Donau eight children
Frederick I		11 April 1557	1569–1597	17 December 1597	Palatinate-Zweibrücken-Vohenstrauss-Parkstein	Katharina Sophie of Legnica 26 February 1587 three children
Otto Henry		22 July 1567	1569–1604	29 August 1604	Palatinate-Sulzbach	Dorothea Maria of Württemberg 25 November 1582 thirteen children
Charles I		4 September 1560	1569–1600	16 December 1600	Palatinate-Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld	Dorothea of Brunswick-Lüneburg 23 November 1590 four children
Vohenstrauss-Parkstein annexed to Neuburg
Sulzbach annexed to Neuburg
Louis VI the Careless (Ludwig VI. der Leichtsinnige)		4 July 1539	26 October 1576 – 22 October 1583	22 October 1583	Electoral Palatinate	Elisabeth of Hesse 8 July 1560 Marburg twelve children Anne of Ostfriesland 12 July 1583 Heidelberg no children	Children of Frederick III, divided the land: Louis received the Electorate, and John Casimir was given a portion at Lautern. The latter didn't have descendants, and his portion returned to the Electorate.
John Casimir		7 March 1543	1576-1592	16 January 1592	Palatinate-Simmern (at Lautern)	Elisabeth of Saxony 4 June 1570 Heidelberg no children
Lautern reabsorbed in the Electorate
Regency of John Casimir, Count Palatine of Lautern (1583-1592)							With his adviser Christian of Anhalt, he founded the Evangelical Union of Protestant states in 1608.
Frederick IV the Righteous (Friedrich IV. der Aufrichtige)		5 March 1574	22 October 1583 – 19 September 1610	19 September 1610	Electoral Palatinate	Louise Juliana of Orange-Nassau 23 June 1593 Dillenburg eight children
Regency of Anna of Sweden (1592-1598)							Children of George John I, ruled jointly. In 1598 divided the land: George Gustavus kept Veldenz; John Augustus received Lützelstein; and Louis Philip and George John received jointly received Gutenberg. In 1601 George John ruled alone Gutenberg. In 1611, after the death of John Augustus with no descendants, Lützelstein was annexed to Guttenberg. In 1654, after the death of George John without descendants, Guttenberg reverted to Veldens, united under Leopold Louis, George Gustavus' son.
George Gustavus		6 February 1564	1598–1634	3 June 1634	Palatinate-Veldenz	Elisabeth of Württemberg 30 October 1586 no children Maria Elizabeth of Palatinate-Zweibrücken 17 May 1601 eleven children
John Augustus		26 November 1575	1598–1611	18 September 1611	Palatinate-Veldenz (at Lützelstein)	Anne Elizabeth of the Palatinate 1599 no children
Louis Philip I		24 November 1577	1598–1601	24 October 1601	Palatinate-Veldenz (at Gutenberg)	Unmarried
George John II		24 June 1586	1598–1654	29 September 1654	Palatinate-Veldenz (at Gutenberg)	Susanna of Palatinate-Sulzbach 20 December 1562 eleven children
Regency of Philip Louis, Count Palatine of Neuburg (1600-1612) and John I, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken (1600-1604)							Children of Charles I, divided the land.
George William		6 August 1591	1608–1669	25 December 1669	Palatinate-Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld	Dorothea of Solms-Sonnenwalde 30 November 1616 six children Juliana of Salm-Grumbach 30 November 1641 no children Anne Elizabeth of Öttingen-Öttingen 8 March 1649 no children
Christian I		3 November 1598	1615–1654	6 September 1654	Palatinate-Birkenfeld-Bischweiler	Magdalene Catherine of Palatinate-Zweibrücken 14 November 1630 nine children Maria Joanna of Helffenstein 28 October 1648 one child
John II the Younger		26 March 1584	1604–1635	9 August 1635	Palatinate-Zweibrücken	Catherine de Rohan 26 August 1604 one child Louise Juliana of the Palatinate 13 May 1612 seven children	Children of John I, divided the land: John Kept Zweibrücken, Frederick Casimir received Landsberg and John Casimir inherited Kleeburg.
Frederick Casimir		10 June 1585	1604–1645	30 September 1645	Palatinate-Landsberg	Emilia Antwerpiana of Orange-Nassau 4 July 1616 Landsberg  [ de ] three children
John Casimir		20 April 1589	1604–1652	18 June 1652	Palatinate-Kleeburg	Catherine of Sweden 11 June 1615 Stockholm eight children
Frederick V the Winter King (Friedrich V. der Winterkönig)		26 August 1596	19 September 1610 – 23 February 1623	29 November 1632	Electoral Palatinate	Elizabeth of Great Britain 14 February 1613 London thirteen children	In 1619, he accepted the throne of Bohemia from the Bohemian estates. He was defeated by the Emperor Ferdinand II at the Battle of White Mountain in 1620, and Spanish and Bavarian troops soon occupied the Palatinate itself. He was known as "the Winter King" because his reign in Bohemia only lasted one winter. In 1623, Frederick was put under the ban of the Empire.
Frederick V's territories and his position as elector were transferred to the Duke of Bavaria, Maximilian I, of a distantly related branch of the House of Wittelsbach. Although technically Elector Palatine, he was known as the Elector of Bavaria. From 1648 he ruled in Bavaria and the Upper Palatinate alone, but retained all his electoral dignities and the seniority of the Palatinate Electorate. Electoral Palatinate briefly annexed to the Electorate of Bavaria (1623–1648)
Louis Philip		23 November 1602	1610–1655	6 January 1655	Palatinate-Simmern	Marie Eleonore von Brandenburg 4 December 1631 seven children	Son of Elector Frederick, restored Simmern.
Wolfgang William		4 November 1578	1614–1653	14 September 1653	Palatinate-Neuburg	Magdalene of Bavaria 11 November 1613 Munich one child Catharina Charlotte of Palatinate-Zweibrücken 11 November 1631 Blieskastel two children Maria Franziska of Fürstenberg-Heiligenberg 3 June 1651 no children	Son of Philip Louis, inherited Neuburg.
Augustus		2 October 1582	1614–1632	14 August 1632	Palatinate-Sulzbach	Hedwig of Holstein-Gottorp 17 July 1620 seven children	Sons of Philip Louis, inherited Sulzbach. John Frederick created Palatinate-Sulzbach-Hilpoltstein, but at his death with no surviving children, Sulzbach became reunited under Augustus' son, Christian August.
John Frederick		23 August 1587	1614–1644	19 October 1644	Palatinate-Sulzbach (at Hilpoltstein)	Sophie Agnes of Hesse-Darmstadt 7/17 November 1624 eight children
Regency of John Frederick, Count Palatine of Sulzbach-Hilpoltstein (1632-1636)							Reunited Sulzbach after John Frederick's death in 1644.
Christian Augustus		26 July 1622	1632–1708	23 July 1708	Palatinate-Sulzbach	Amalie of Nassau-Siegen 27 March 1649 five children
Regency of George John II, Count Palatine of Lützelstein-Guttenberg (1634-1639)							Reunited Palatinate-Veldenz in 1654. However, left no surviving male descendants. Veldenz went to the Electorate.
Leopold Louis		1 February 1625	1634–1694	29 September 1694	Palatinate-Veldenz	Agatha Christine of Hanau-Lichtenberg 4 July 1648 Bischweiler twelve children
Veldenz definitely annexed to the Electoral Palatinate
Frederick I		5 April 1619	1635–1661	9 July 1661	Palatinate-Zweibrücken	Anna Juliane of Nassau-Saarbrücken 6 April 1640 ten children	Left no male surviving descendants. Zweibrucken was inherited by Landsberg line.
Frederick Louis