Christian Augustus, Count Palatine of Sulzbach

Christian Augustus, Count Palatine of Sulzbach
Christian Augustus, Count Palatine of Sulzbach, portrait c. 1680
Spouse(s)	Amalie of Nassau-Siegen
Noble family	House of Wittelsbach
Father	Augustus, Count Palatine of Sulzbach
Mother	Hedwig of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp
Born	26 July 1622 Sulzbach
Died	23 April 1708 (aged 85) Sulzbach

Christian Augustus (German: Christian August) (26 July 1622 – 23 April 1708) was the Count Palatine of Sulzbach from 1632 until 1708.

Life

Christian Augustus was born in Sulzbach in 1622 as the eldest son of Augustus, Count Palatine of Sulzbach. He succeeded his father in 1632. Christian Augustus was a tolerant ruler. He granted his citizens the right to choose their Christian denomination and introduced the Simultaneum, whereby churches had both Protestant and Catholic services. In 1666 he permitted Jews to settle in the Duchy of Sulzbach. Under his rule, Sulzbach also became an intellectual centre and the site of a regionally significant printing industry.

He had a close relationship with his grand daughter Sibylle of Saxe-Lauenburg, wife of Louis William of Baden-Baden and Regent of her sons dominions.

Christian Augustus died in Sulzbach in 1708 and was buried in the Church of St Maria in Sulzbach.

Marriage and issue

Christian Augustus married Amalie of Nassau-Siegen (12 September 1615 – 24 August 1669), daughter of Count John VII, on 27 March 1649 and had the following children:

1. Hedwig of the Palatinate-Sulzbach (15 April 1650 - 23 November 1681), married on 9 April 1668 Duke Julius Francis of Saxe-Lauenburg
2. Amalie (31 May 1651 – 11 December 1721)
3. John Augustus Hiel (11 December 1654 – 14 April 1658)
4. Christian (14 August 1656 – 9 November 1657)
5. Theodore Eustace (14 February 1659 – 11 July 1732) married Landgravine Maria Eleonore of Hesse-Rotenburg and had issue

Ancestors

Ancestors of Christian Augustus, Count Palatine of Sulzbach

16. Louis II, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken               8. Wolfgang, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken                       17. Elisabeth of Hesse               4. Philip Louis, Count Palatine of Neuburg                             18. Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse               9. Anna of Hesse                       19. Christine of Saxony               2. Augustus, Count Palatine of Sulzbach                                   20. John III, Duke of Cleves               10. William, Duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berg                       21. Maria of Jülich-Berg               5. Anna of Cleves                             22. Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor               11. Archduchess Maria of Austria                       23. Anna of Bohemia and Hungary               1. Christian Augustus, Count Palatine of Sulzbach                                         24. Frederick I of Denmark               12. Adolf, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp                       25. Sophie of Pomerania               6. John Adolf, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp                             26. Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse (= 18)               13. Christine of Hesse                       27. Christine of Saxony (= 19)               3. Hedwig of Holstein-Gottorp                                   28. Christian III of Denmark               14. Frederick II of Denmark                       29. Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg               7. Princess Augusta of Denmark                             30. Ulrich III of Mecklenburg-Güstrow               15. Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow                       31. Elisabeth of Denmark