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Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate
Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate
	Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate (1597–1660) by their court painter Mathias Czwiczek
Electress consort of Brandenburg; Duchess consort of Prussia
Tenure	23 December 1619 – 1 December 1640
Born	19 November 1597; Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz
Died	26 April 1660 (aged 62); Crossen an der Oder
Spouse	George William, Elector of Brandenburg (m. 1616; died 1640)
Issue	Louise Charlotte, Duchess of Courland; Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg; Hedwig Sophia, Landgravine of Hesse-Kassel
House	Wittelsbach
Father	Frederick IV, Elector Palatine
Mother	Louise Juliana of Orange-Nassau

Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate (19 November 1597 – 26 April 1660) was an Electress consort of Brandenburg as the wife of George William, Elector of Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia, and the mother of Frederick William of Brandenburg, the "Great Elector".

Biography

Elizabeth Charlotte was the daughter of Frederick IV, Elector Palatine, and Louise Juliana of Orange-Nassau. Her brother Frederick became famous as the Elector-Palatine and "Winter King" of Bohemia.

In 1616 Elizabeth Charlotte married George William, with whom she had three children.

The marriage was arranged to unite two Protestant dynasties. In 1618, her brother's deposition from the throne of Bohemia caused the Thirty Years' War. Her spouse was described as ambivalent and passive, but Charlotte ensured protection for her sibling when Brandenburg sided against Austria in the affairs of Bohemia and the Holy Roman Empire. At court, she favoured the Protestant party against the pro-Austrian party. She influenced her son to sympathize with the Protestant cause, and he came to have a great affection for his mother, closer than what was usually common during that age. She spent her last years at Crossen, where she died.

Issue

Louise Charlotte (1617–1676), married Jacob Kettler, Duke of Courland
Frederick William (1620–1688), the "Great Elector"
Hedwig Sophia (1623–1683), married William VI, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel (or Hesse-Cassel)

Ancestry

Ancestors of Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate, Electress of Brandenburg

16. John II, Count Palatine of Simmern

8. Frederick III, Elector Palatine

17. Beatrix of Baden

4. Louis VI, Elector Palatine

18. Casimir, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth

9. Marie of Brandenburg-Kulmbach

19. Susanna of Bavaria

2. Frederick IV, Elector Palatine

20. William II, Landgrave of Hesse

10. Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse

21. Anna of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

5. Elisabeth of Hesse

22. George, Duke of Saxony

11. Christine of Saxony

23. Barbara Jagiellon

1. Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate

24. John V, Count of Nassau-Siegen

12. William I, Count of Nassau-Siegen

25. Elisabeth of Hesse-Marburg

6. Prince William I of Orange

26. Bodo III, Count of Stolberg-Wernigerode

13. Juliana of Stolberg-Wernigerode

27. Anna of Eppstein-Königstein

3. Louise Juliana of Nassau

28. Louis of Bourbon, Prince of La Roche-sur-Yon

14. Louis III de Bourbon, Duke of Montpensier

29. Louise de Bourbon, Duchess of Montpensier

7. Charlotte de Bourbon-Montpensier

30. Jean IV de Longwy, Seigneur de Givry-Bar

15. Jacqueline de Longwy

31. Jeanne of Angouleme

References

Ernst Daniel Martin Kirchner: Die Kurfürstinnen und Königinnen auf dem Throne der Hohenzollern, 2. Teil: Die letzten acht Kurfürstinnen, Berlin 1867, S. 182-220 (mit Portrait Elisabeth Charlottes von der Pfalz).
Erdmannsdörfer: Elisabeth Charlotte von der Pfalz. In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Band 6, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1877, S. 15 f.

German nobility
Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate, Electress of Brandenburg House of Palatinate-Simmern Born: 19 November 1597 Died: 26 April 1660
Preceded by Anna of Prussia	Electress consort of Brandenburg 23 December 1619 – 1 December 1640	Vacant Title next held by Louise Henriette of Orange
Preceded by Anna of Prussia	Duchess consort of Prussia 23 December 1619 – 1 December 1640