| Prince Maurice | |
|---|---|
 Prince Maurice von Simmern by unknown painter | |
| Born | (1621-01-16)16 January 1621 n.s. Küstrin Castle,Küstrin,Brandenburg |
| Died | 1 September 1652(1652-09-01) (aged 31) off theVirgin Islands |
| House | Palatinate-Simmern |
| Father | Frederick V, Elector Palatine |
| Mother | Elizabeth Stuart |
| Occupation | Soldier, Royalist Army officer, privateer |
Maurice, Prince Palatine of the RhineKG (16 January 1621 – September 1652) was the fourth son ofFrederick V, Elector Palatine andPrincess Elizabeth, daughter of KingJames VI and I andAnne of Denmark.[1]
Maurice was present with his elder brother,Rupert, at thesiege of Breda in 1637.[2] He then accompanied Rupert, to support their uncleCharles I in theEnglish Civil War in 1642. Maurice served under Rupert with the cavalry at theBattle of Powick Bridge, where he was wounded,[3] and theBattle of Edgehill.[3] He accompanied his uncle Charles in the occupation of Oxford on 29 October 1642.[4] He commanded the army in Gloucestershire which engagedSir William Waller in several battles in 1643, including the victory of Ripple Field (13 April),[5] culminating in the Royalist victory at theBattle of Roundway Down (13 July). By 1644, Maurice was appointed lieutenant-general south of the Thames,[6] assuming command of the army in Cornwall and spending the rest of the year campaigning there. He also led his army into Dartmouth during the English Civil War and stayed until the town surrendered. He based himself and his army at Milton Farm on the outskirts of the town and the town mayor at the time reported large quantities of claret and beer being requested on the evening of their victory.[3]
Mauricebesieged Lyme Regis in April 1644, but he was compelled to end the siege in June, at great cost to his military standing.[3] At the Battle of Lostwithiel and the Second Battle of Newbury, he participated as a subordinate; at the Battle of Naseby, he fought under Rupert's command.[3]
Maurice attempted to defend Rupert's surrender ofBristol in 1645 to Charles. While unsuccessful, he did not share in Rupert's disgrace. Banished with Rupert in October 1646, he served with theFrench army inFlanders, but rejoined Rupert in 1648 as vice-admiral of his fleet. In 1649, while in exile, Maurice was made a Knight of the Garter.[7] In 1652, while sailing for theWest Indies, he was caught in a hurricane near the Virgin Islands and went down with his flagship,HMSDefiance.[7][8]
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