John Charles, Count Palatine of Gelnhausen

Johann Karl von Pfalz- Gelnhausen ( born October 17, 1638 Bischweiler, † February 21, 1704 in Gelnhausen ) was Count Palatine of the Rhine, duke of Bavaria, of Zweibrücken- Birkenfeld to Gelnhausen, Count Veldenz and Sponheim. He is the founder of the line of the Dukes of Bavaria.

Life

Johann Karl was the youngest son of the Count Palatine Christian I of Zweibrücken- Birkenfeld - Bischweiler from his marriage to Magdalena Katharina (1606-1648), daughter of the Count Palatine and Duke John II of Zweibrücken. Together with his older brother Christian, he was trained by Philip Jacob Spener and studied at the University of Strasbourg later. Then the brothers took a 5-year Grand Tour, which led, among others, to France, Holland, England, Sweden and Switzerland.

As a Swedish rider colonel, he participated in the side of his distant cousin Charles X of Sweden in the war against Denmark and fought against the Turks in Hungary later. In Dutch service in 1674 he took part in the Battle of Seneffe and received the rank of first commander. After he left the military service and retired to Gelnhausen. This was left to him in contracts with his brother Christian in 1681 and 1683 as payment in kind. In Gelnhausen he obtained, equipped with land and gardens, so-called Duke's palace.

Marriages and descendants

Johann Karl married his first wife in 1685 Weikersheim Sophie Amalie ( 1646-1695 ), daughter of the Count Palatine Frederick Duke of Zweibrücken and widowed Countess of Hohenlohe- Weikersheim, with whom he had one daughter:

  • Magdalene Juliane (1686-1720)

After the death of his first wife he married on July 28, 1696 morganatic Esther -Maria of wit life ( 1665-1725 ), the daughter of barons Georg Friedrich von joke Life Elgersburg. He graduated with his brother Christian a contract for the succession. Then he tried to raise his wife to the Countess and then cancel the contract again, but died before he reached his destination. His widow sued in 1708 before Reichshofrat. 1715 her and her children were granted all the privileges, so the Erbreihe the later (1799 ) Dukes could exist in Bavaria. The couple had the following children:

  • Friedrich Bernhard (1697-1739)
  • Johann (1698-1780)
  • Wilhelm (1701-1760), Hungarian Field Marshal, General of the Dutch Kavallarie
  • Charlotte Catherine (1699-1785)
  • Sophie Marie (1702-1761)
Bischwiller Duke in Bavaria Christian I, Count Palatine of Birkenfeld-Bischweiler Charles X Gustav of Sweden Deputat Frederick Bernard, Count Palatine of Gelnhausen John, Count Palatine of Gelnhausen Count Palatine William of Gelnhausen Frederick William, Prince of Solms-Braunfels
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