Frederick IV, Elector Palatine

Categories: 1574 births | 1610 births

Frederick IV, Elector Palatine of the Rhine (March 5, 1574-September 19, 1610), only surviving son of Louis VI, Elector Palatine and Elizabeth of Hesse, called "Frederick the Righteous" (in German, Friedrich Der Aufrichtige; in French Frédéric IV le juste). Born in Amberg, his father had died in October 1583 and Frederick came under the guardianship of his uncle John Casimir, an ardent Calvinist. The Calvinist mathematician and astronomer Bartholemaeus Pitiscus served as Frederick's tutor and later became court preacher.

In January 1592, Frederick assumed control of the government of the Palatinate upon the death of John Casimir. Frederick continued John Casimir's anti-Catholic measures and in 1608 became the head of the Protestant military alliance known as the Protestant Union.

He married Louise Juliana von Orange-Nassau, the daughter of William I of Orange and Charlotte de Bourbon-Monpensier.

In 1619, his son Frederick V, Elector Palatine accepted the crown of Bohemia, an act that initiated the Thirty Years' War, a war that proved disastrous to the Palatinate.

He died in Heidelberg.