Frederick V of the Palatinate

Frederick "Winter's King" (Czech: Fridrich Falcký; German: Friedrich) (16 August 1596 - 29 November 1632) was the King of Bohemia from 1619 until 1620, and the Elector Palatine from 1610 until 1623 (pretender 1623 - 1632).

Life

Frederick was born in Deinschwang near Amberg in 1596 as the eldest son of Frederick IV, Elector Palatine. He succeeded his father in 1610. In 1619 the estates and people of Bohemia rebelled against the Habsburgs and offered Frederick the crown. Frederick accepted the crown, but was unable to get support from his allies in the Protestant Union. The Czechs had offered the crown to several princes throughout Europe, including the Prince of Transylvania, and the Habsburgs used evidence of their duplicity to decrease sympathy for their plight. In 1620 the Protestant Union signed the Treaty of Ulm.

Frederick lost the Battle of White Mountain on 8 November 1620 and left Bohemia to return to the Palatinate. The Imperial forces then attacked the Palatinate and Frederick fled to Holland in July 1622. In 1623 the Palatinate and its electoral vote was formally granted by the Imperial Diet to Bavaria. Frederick died in Mainz in 1632.

Nickname

Frederick gained the derisive title "Winter's King" after he accepted the crown of Bohemia - the Empire considered that he would not survive as King past the winter. Although Frederick survived as King through the winter and managed to reign for a year and four days, the nickname stuck.

Marriage

Frederick married Elizabeth Stuart (19 August 1596 - 13 February 1662), daughter of King James I of England and Scotland, on 14 February 1613 and had the following children:

1. Frederick Henry (1 January 1614 - 7 January 1629)
2. Charles Louis (1 January 1618 - 28 August 1680)
3. Elizabeth (5 January 1619 - 21 February 1680)
4. Rupert (7 December 1619 - 29 November 1682)
5. Maurice (6 January 1621 - September 1652)
6. Louise Maria (28 April 1622 - 11 February 1709)
7. Louis (31 August 1624 – 24 December 1625)
8. Edward (16 October 1624 - 23 March 1663)
9. Henrietta Maria (17 July 1626 - 20 December 1651)
10. John Philip Frederick (6 October 1627 - 15 December 1650)
11. Charlotte (19 December 1628 – 24 January 1631)
12. Sophia (23 October 1630 - 8 June 1714)
13. Gustavus Adolphus (14 January 1632 - 9 January 1641)

Frederick V of the Palatinate House of Palatine Simmern Cadet branch of the House of Wittelsbach Born: 26 August 1596 Died: 29 November 1632
Preceded by Frederick IV	Elector Palatine 1610–1623	Succeeded by Charles I Louis
Preceded by Ferdinand II	King of Bohemia 1619–1620	Succeeded by Ferdinand II