| Wolfgang | |
|---|---|
| Count Palatine of Zweibrücken | |
 Count Palatine Wolfgang of Zweibrücken | |
| Born | (1526-09-26)26 September 1526 Zweibrücken |
| Died | 11 June 1569(1569-06-11) (aged 42) Nexon, Haute-Vienne |
| Burial | |
| Spouse | |
| Issue Detail |
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| House | Wittelsbach |
| Father | Louis II, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken |
| Mother | Elisabeth of Hesse |
Count Palatine Wolfgang of Zweibrücken (German:Pfalzgraf Wolfgang von Zweibrücken; 26 September 1526 – 11 June 1569) was member of theWittelsbach family of theCounts Palatine and Duke ofZweibrücken from 1532. With the support of hisregent, his uncleRupert (later made theCount of Veldenz), Wolfgang introduced theReformation to Zweibrücken in 1537.
He was the only son ofLouis II, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken and his wifeElisabeth of Hesse, daughter ofWilliam I, Landgrave of Hesse. His father died in 1532, so theregency of Palatinate-Zweibrücken passed to Louis' younger brotherRupert until 1543. In 1557 Wolfgang received the territory ofPalatinate-Neuburg in accordance with the Contract ofHeidelberg. In 1548 theHoly Roman EmperorCharles V occupied hisProtestant territories and reintroduced Catholic practices. Wolfgang regained his territories in 1552. Despite thePeace of Augsburg of 1555 several ecclesiastical states in Germany weresecularised in 1557, a few of which Wolfgang obtained. In 1566 he served as a cavalry officer in theTurkish Wars.
In 1569 he came to the aid of FrenchHuguenots with 14,000 mercenaries during the Third of theFrench Wars of Religion (his intervention was financed in part byQueen Elizabeth I of England). He invadedBurgundy, but was killed in the conflict.
He was buried inMeisenheim.
When the young Wolfgang's father died, his uncleRupert had served as the child'sregent. In 1543, when Wolfgang reached majority and took on the responsibility of office, he enacted the Marburg Contract, giving Rupert theCounty of Veldenz.
After his death, Wolfgang's remaining land was split among his five sons who then created three branches:Philip Louis (House of Palatinate-Neuburg), John (House of Palatinate-Zweibrücken) and Charles (House of Palatinate-Birkenfeld). Otto Henry and Frederick had no surviving sons.
The House of Palatinate-Neuburg inherited theElectorate of the Palatinate in 1685 and by its cadet branchPalatinate-Sulzbach alsoBavaria in 1777.The House of Palatinate-Birkenfeld then inherited theElectorate of the Palatinate and Bavaria in 1799.The House of Palatinate-Zweibrücken contributed to the monarchy in Sweden from 1654 onwards through its cadet branchPalatinate-Zweibrücken-Kleeburg.
He was married in 1545 toAnna of Hesse, daughter ofPhilip I, Landgrave of Hesse. They had the following children:
Wolfgang, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken Born: 1526 Died: 1569 | ||
| German royalty | ||
|---|---|---|
| Regnal titles | ||
| Preceded by | Count Palatine of Neuburg 1557–1569 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Count Palatine of Veldenz 1532–1543 | Succeeded by |
| Duke of Zweibrücken 1532–1569 | Succeeded by | |
| Count Palatine of Sulzbach 1532–1569 | Succeeded by | |
| Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Vohenstrauss-Parkstein 1532–1569 | Succeeded by | |
| Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld 1532–1569 | Succeeded by | |
