| House of Palatinate-Simmern | |
|---|---|
-Simmern.svg) Arms of Palatinate-Simmern | |
| Parent house | House of Wittelsbach |
| Country | Germany |
| Founded | 1410; 615 years ago (1410) |
| Final head | Charles II |
| Connected families | |
| Dissolution | 1685; 340 years ago (1685) |
TheHouse of Palatinate-Simmern (German:Pfalz-Simmern) was aGerman-Bavariancadet branch of theHouse of Wittelsbach. The house was one of the collateral lineages of thePalatinate. It became the main branch in 1559.
The Palatinate line of the House of Wittelsbach was divided into four lines after the death ofRupert III in 1410, including the line of Palatinate-Simmern with its capital inSimmern. This line became extinct in 1685 with the death ofCharles II. The House ofPalatinate-Neuburg line inherited the Electorate.
The founder of the Simmern line,Stephen, Count Palatine of Simmern-Zweibrücken is also the founder of the cadet branchHouse of Palatinate-Zweibrücken and its cadet branches. The rights over theCounty of Veldenz and a share of theCounty of Sponheim, transmitted by Stephen's wifeAnna of Veldenz, were held by these lineages.
The house of Palatine-Simmern, in the person of the 1st elector,Frederick III, were staunchCalvinists. Frederick III was a devout convert to Calvinism, and made the Reformed confession the official religion of his domain by overseeing the composition and promulgation of theHeidelberg Catechism. His support of Calvinism gave the German Reformed movement a foothold and base within theHoly Roman Empire. It was also part of the appeal ofFrederick V to theBohemians in electing him King.
As of 2022[update], those in the line of succession to theBritish throne are Protestant descendants ofSophia, who was born into the house (daughter ofFrederick V andElizabeth Stuart) as Princess palatine of the Rhine, later becomingElectress consort of Hanover.[1][2] The Jacobite pretenders since 3 February 1919 have been members of the House of Palatinate-Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld (they have been the Heads of the House of Wittelsbach since 1921 as well) which is another Palatinan branch of the House of Wittelsbach and its current only surviving non-morganatic branch.
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