Elisabeth of the Palatinate

Elizabeth of the Palatinate (also Elisabeth of Bohemia, Elizabeth of Herford; * December 26, 1618 in Heidelberg, † February 8, 1680 in Herford ) was the oldest daughter of the Elector Frederick V of the Palatinate, and his wife Elizabeth, and later when Elizabeth III. Abbess of direct imperial woman pin Herford.

Elizabeth was, then since 1627 in The Hague by her mother Elizabeth Stuart, née Princess of England, Scotland and Ireland, brought up by her grandmother, Electress Luise Juliane, née Princess of Orange. Due to their banishment of science turned to early in life, and developed serious worldviews.

She stood with Anna Maria Schürmann, then by René Descartes in combination, was the most eager student, and stood up to his death with him in a lively correspondence, came out inter alia his treatise Les Passions de l' âme. After she behaves longer time at the court of her cousin, the Elector Frederick William of Brandenburg, and then in Kassel at her cousin Hedwig Sophie. Had Countess of Hesse- Kassel lived, she was elected in 1661 to Koadjutorin the imperial abbey of Herford and 1667 Abbess. Since she had turned to become more and more of a lyrical and mystical direction, she took in 1670 Labadisten, then Quaker in Herford. However, their mystical eccentricities excited great offense at the Lutheran population.

At times, wooed her hand, the Polish Władysław IV Vasa. Władysław conceal the Senate papal rejection ( November 1634 ) and then received the approval of the Senate for this marriage ( March 1635 ). Then he called (June 1635) in vain, the conversion of the princess.

Elizabeth was buried in Herford Minster.

Monument and eponym

In the town of Herford, a monument was erected for them at the Elizabeth street was named after her. The artist Wolfgang Knorr has created the bust. In addition, according to her a Herford vocational college is named for the social and health services under the auspices of the Church Herford.