Frederick III the Pious, Elector Palatine of the Rhine (February 14, 1515 – October 26, 1576) was a ruler from the house of Wittelsbach, branch Palatinate-Simmern-Sponheim. He inherited the Palatinate from the childless Elector Otto-Henry, Elector Palatine (Ottheinrich) in 1559. He was a devout convert to Calvinism, and made Calvinism the official religion of his domain. Under his supervision the Heidelberg Catechism was constructed. His support of Calvinism gave the religious sect a foothold within the Holy Roman Empire. A palatinate is an area administered by a count palatine, originally the direct representative of the sovereign but later the hereditary ruler of the territory subject to the crowns overlordship. ... February 14 is the 45th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1515 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... October 26 is the 299th day of the year (300th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 66 days remaining. ... Events May 5 - Peace of Beaulieu or Peace of Monsieur (after Monsieur, the Duc dAnjou, brother of the King, who negotiated it). ... The Wittelsbach family is a European royal family and a German dynasty from Bavaria. ... Palatinate-Simmern (German: ) is one of the collateral lines of the Palatinate line of the House of Wittelsbach. ... A palatinate is a territory administered by a count palatine, originally the direct representative of the sovereign, but later the hereditary ruler of the territory subject to the crowns overlordship. ... Events January 15 - Elizabeth I of England is crowned in Westminster Abbey. ... Calvinism is a system of Christian theology and an approach to Christian life and thought within the Protestant tradition articulated by John Calvin, a Protestant Reformer in the 16th century, and subsequently by successors, associates, followers and admirers of Calvin, his interpretation of Scripture, and perspective on Christian life and... The Heidelberg Catechism is a document taking the form of a series of questions and answers, for use in teaching Reformed Christian doctrine. ... The Holy Roman Empire and from the 16th century on also The Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation was a political conglomeration of lands in Central Europe in the Middle Ages and the early modern period. ...

Life

Frederick III and his wifes, Marie of Brandenburg and Amalie von Neuenahr

He was strictly educated in the Roman faith at his father's court and at Cologne, but, influenced by his wife, the pious princess Maria of Brandenburg, whom he married in 1537, he followed the Reformation, and in 1546 made a public profession of his faith. He succeeded his father Count John II as duke of Simmern, May 18, 1557, and became elector February 12, 1559, on the death of Otto Henry. Under his predecessor strict Lutherans like Tilemenn Hesshusen, Melanchthonians, and Calvinists had found a place in the Palatinate. In the summer of 1559 bitter controversies arose among them. Theses on the Lord's Supper prepared by the Heidelberg deacon Klebitz provoked a bitter controversy between him and Hesshusen. Image File history File links Frederick_III,_Elector_Palatine. ... Image File history File links Frederick_III,_Elector_Palatine. ... Köln redirects here. ... Events January 6 - Alessandro de Medici assassinated August 25 - The Honourable Artillery Company, the oldest surviving regiment in the British Army, and the second most senior, was formed. ... The Protestant Reformation was a movement which began in the 16th century as a series of attempts to reform the Roman Catholic Church, but ended in division and the establishment of new institutions, most importantly Lutheranism, Reformed churches, and Anabaptists. ... // Events Spanish conquest of Yucatan Peace between England and France Foundation of Trinity College, Cambridge by Henry VIII of England Katharina von Bora flees to Magdeburg Science Architecture Michelangelo Buonarroti is made chief architect of St. ... A weekday morning street scene, with the Stephanskirche in the background. ... May 18 is the 138th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (139th in leap years). ... Events Spain is effectively bankrupt. ... February 12 is the 43rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Events January 15 - Elizabeth I of England is crowned in Westminster Abbey. ... Portrait of Philipp Melanchthon, by Lucas Cranach the Elder. ... In an unadorned church, the 17th century congregation stands to hear the sermon. ... Events January 15 - Elizabeth I of England is crowned in Westminster Abbey. ... The Lords Supper is a variation of the name and the service of The Last Supper or Eucharist. ... A view of the city from the castle (Schloss) The castle (Schloss) above the town Shopping district Heidelberg and the other cities of the Neckar valley View from the so called alley of philosophers (Philosophenweg) towards the Old Town, with Heidelberg Castle, Heiliggeist Church and the Old Bridge Heidelberg is...

When efforts at mediation failed Frederick deposed both, September 16. To get a clear understanding of the controversy Frederick spent days and nights in theological studies and was thus led more and more to the Reformed confession. A disputation held in June, 1560, between the Saxon theologians Stössel and Mörlin and the Heidelberg Boquin, Erast, and Einhorn increased Frederick's dislike for the Lutheran zealots. After the Naumburg Convention (January, 1561) Frederick fully adopted the Reformed dogmas. September 16 is the 259th day of the year (260th in leap years). ... Events February 27 - The Treaty of Berwick, which would expel the French from Scotland, is signed by England and the Congregation of Scotland The first tulip bulb was brought from Turkey to the Netherlands. ...

In March, 1561, he called Emmanuel Tremellius, and in September the famous Zacharias Urainus, to Heidelberg. The whole Church was now transformed. Caspar Olevianus had been there since January, 1560. Images of the saints, vestments, baptismal fonts, and other "idolatrous works," even organs, were ruthlessly removed from the churches. In the celebration of the Lord's Supper the breaking of bread was introduced. The revenues from monasteries and foundations were confiscated and applied to Evangelical church purposes or charity. The Heidelberg catechism prepared by Ursinus and Olevianus now served as the norm of doctrine and for the instruction of the youth.

The church-order of November 15, 1563, and the consistory order of 1564 closed the changes. The opposition of ministers inclining to Lutheranism was suppressed by their dismission. Among the Lutherans Frederick's measures caused a great sensation. The religious colloquy held at Maulbronn, April, 1564 increased the animosity. In 1565 the Emperor Maximilian ordered to annul the changes made. A unanimous decree of the diet held at Augsburg in 1566 also demanded the abolition of the changes. Frederick, however, declared in a session of the diet, May 14, that a matter was concerned over which God alone has the rule, and if it was intended to proceed against him, he would find comfort in the promises of his Savior. The decree was not carried out. November 15 is the 319th day of the year (320th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 46 days remaining. ... Events February 1 - Sarsa Dengel succeeds his father Menas as Emperor of Ethiopia February 18 - The Duke of Guise is assassinated while besieging Orléans March - Peace of Amboise. ... Events March 27 — Naples bans kissing in public under the penalty of death June 22 — Fort Caroline, the first French attempt at colonizing the New World September 10 — The Battle of Kawanakajima Ottoman Turks invade Malta Modern pencil becomes common in England Conquistadors crossed the Pacific Spanish founded a colony... Maulbronn is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. ... Emperor Maximilian I Maximilian I of Habsburg (March 22, 1459 - January 12, 1519) was Holy Roman Emperor Life and reign in the Habsburg hereditary lands Maximilian was born in Vienna as the son of the Emperor Frederick III and Eleanore of Portugal. ... Augsburg is a city in south-central Germany. ... May 14 is the 134th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (135th in leap years). ...

After completing the work of reform in the Rhine Palatinate Frederick endeavored to continue it in the Upper Palatinate; but here he was resisted by the zealous Lutheran estates. He continued his work of reform on the Rhine by introducing in 1570 a strict church discipline. A stain on Frederick's life is the sentence of death which he pronounced on the antitrinitarian Johannes Silvanus based on the opinion signed by Olevianus, Ursinus, and Boquin, and which he had executed after long hesitation, December 23, 1572. In other matters he was an excellent, intelligent, truly pious ruler, who wished to promote the welfare of his people in every way. With the Reformed abroad he had intimate connections. The Rhenish Palatinate (Rheinpfalz, sometimes Lower Palatinate or Niederpfalz) occupies rather more than a quarter of the German Bundesland (federal state) of Rhineland-Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz) and contains the towns of Ludwigshafen, Kaiserslautern, Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, Pirmasens, Landau and Speyer. ... The Upper Palatinate (Oberpfalz) is one of the seven administrative regions of Bavaria, Germany, located in the east of Bavaria. ... Events January 23 - The assassination of regent James Stewart, Earl of Moray throws Scotland into civil war February 25 - Pope Pius V excommunicates Queen Elizabeth I of England with the bull Regnans in Excelsis May 20 - Abraham Ortelius issues the first modern atlas. ...

In 1562 he gave Frankenthal for a refuge to the Evangelicals driven from the Netherlands. His like-minded son John Casimir he sent in 1567 and again in 1576 to France in aid of the Huguenots. In 1569 he assisted also the Count Palatine Wolfgang of Pfalz-Zweibrücken on his way to France. His last years were troubled by domestic afflictions. As his older son Louis was a strict Lutheran, he could not hope that after his death his work would be cairied out in his own spirit. Political status Country: Germany Federal state: Rhineland-Palatinate Region: Rhine Neckar Area District: Independent municipality Facts Population: 47,564 (December 2003) Area: 43. ... In the 16th and 17th centuries, the name of Huguenots came to apply to members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France. ... Events January 11 - First recorded lottery in England. ... Wolfgang of Zweibrücken Wolfgang of Zweibrücken (German: ) (26 September 1526 – 11 June 1569), was Count Palatine and Duke of Zweibrücken in 1532-1559. ...

Family and children

Frederick III was married two times. Firstly, he married in 1537 with Marie of Brandenburg-Kulmbach (1519 – 1567), daughter of Casimir, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth and Susanna of Bavaria. Their children were: Events January 6 - Alessandro de Medici assassinated August 25 - The Honourable Artillery Company, the oldest surviving regiment in the British Army, and the second most senior, was formed. ... Kasimir, Margrave of Bayreuth Kasimir (born December 27, 1481 in Buda; died September 21, 1527 in Ofen), Margrave of Bayreuth, was the son of Frederick I and his wife Princess Sofia, a daughter of Kazimierz IV Jagiellon. ... Susanna of Bavaria Susanna of Bavaria (born April 2, 1502 in Munich; died April 23, 1543 in Neuburg an der Donau) was the daughter of Albert IV, Duke of Bavaria and Kunigunde of Austria, the daughter of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor. ...

1. Alberta (4 April 1538 – 19 March 1553)
2. Louis VI, Elector Palatine (4 July 1539 – 22 October 1583)
3. Elisabeth (30 June 1540 – 8 February 1594), married in 1558 to Duke John Frederick of Saxe-Gotha
4. Hermann Ludwig (6 October 1541 – 1 July 1556)
5. Johann Casimir (7 March 1543 – 16 January 1592)
6. Dorothea Susanne (15 November 1544] – 8 April 1592), married in 1560 to Duke John William of Saxe-Weimar
7. Albert (30 September 1546 – 30 April 1547)
8. Anna Elisabeth (23 July 1549 – 20 September 1609), married:
   1. in 1569 to Landgrave Philipp II of Hesse-Rheinfels;
   2. in 1599 to Pfalzgraf John August of Veldenz
9. Christof (13 June 1551 – 14 April 1574)
10. Karl (28 December 1552 – 12 September 1555)
11. Kunigunde Jakobäa (9 October 1556 – 26 January 1586), married in 1580 to Count John VI of Nassau-Dillenburg

Secondly, he married in 1569 with Amalie von Neuenahr (ca. 1540 – 1602/12), but this marriage was childless. April 4 is the 94th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (95th in leap years). ... Events Treaty of Nagyvarad. ... March 19 is the 78th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (79th in leap years). ... // Events June 26 - Christs Hospital in London gets a Royal Charter July 6 - Edward VI of England dies July 10 - Lady Jane Grey is proclaimed Queen of England - for the next nine days July 18 - Lord Mayor of London proclaims Queen Mary as the rightful Queen - Lady Jane Grey... Louis VI, Elector Palatine (4 July 1539, Simmern – 22 October 1583, Heidelberg) was an Elector from the branch of Palatinate-Simmern of the house of Wittelsbach. ... For the United States holiday, the Fourth of July, see Independence Day (United States). ... Events May 30 - In Florida, Hernando de Soto lands at Tampa Bay with 600 soldiers with the goal to find gold. ... October 22 is the 295th day of the year (296th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 70 days remaining. ... 1583 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. ... June 30 is the 181st day of the year (182nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 184 days remaining. ... Events January 6 - King Henry VIII of England marries Anne of Cleves, his fourth Queen consort. ... February 8 is the 39th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Events February 27 - Henry IV is crowned King of France at Rheims. ... Events January 7 - French troops led by Francis, Duke of Guise take Calais, the last continental possession of England July 13 - Battle of Gravelines: In France, Spanish forces led by Count Lamoral of Egmont defeat the French forces of Marshal Paul des Thermes at Gravelines. ... October 6 is the 279th day of the year (280th in leap years). ... Events The first official translation of the entire Bible in Swedish February 12 - Pedro de Valdivia founds Santiago de Chile. ... July 1 is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 183 days remaining. ... Events January 16 - Abdication of Emperor Charles V. His son, Philip II becomes King of Spain, while his brother Ferdinand becomes Holy Roman Emperor January 23 - The Shaanxi earthquake, the deadliest earthquake in history, occurs with its epicenter in Shaanxi province, China. ... Johann Casimir, (March 7, 1543 – January 16, 1592), born in Simmern, currently in Rhineland-Palatinate, was the third son of Frederic III (Friedrich), Count Palatine of the Rhine, and was a member of the Simmern middle electoral line of The House of Wittelsbach. ... March 7 is the 66th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (67th in leap years). ... // Events February 21 - Battle of Wayna Daga - A combined army of Ethiopian and Portuguese troops defeat the armies of Adal led by Ahmed Gragn. ... January 16 is the 16th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events January 30 - The death of Pope Innocent IX during the previous year had left the Papal throne vacant. ... November 15 is the 319th day of the year (320th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 46 days remaining. ... Events April 11 - Battle of Ceresole - French forces under the Comte dEnghien defeat Imperial forces under the Marques Del Vasto near Turin. ... April 8 is the 98th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (99th in leap years). ... Events January 30 - The death of Pope Innocent IX during the previous year had left the Papal throne vacant. ... Events February 27 - The Treaty of Berwick, which would expel the French from Scotland, is signed by England and the Congregation of Scotland The first tulip bulb was brought from Turkey to the Netherlands. ... September 30 is the 273rd day of the year (274th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... // Events Spanish conquest of Yucatan Peace between England and France Foundation of Trinity College, Cambridge by Henry VIII of England Katharina von Bora flees to Magdeburg Science Architecture Michelangelo Buonarroti is made chief architect of St. ... April 30 is the 120th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (121st in leap years), with 245 days remaining. ... Events January 16 - Grand Duke Ivan IV of Muscovy becomes the first Tsar of Russia. ... July 23 is the 204th day (205th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 161 days remaining. ... Events July - Ketts Rebellion Francis Xavier arrives in Japan. ... September 20 is the 263rd day of the year (264th in leap years). ... // Events April 4 – King of Spain signs an edit of expulsion of all moriscos from Spain April 9 – Spain recognizes Dutch independence May 23 - Official ratification of the Second Charter of Virginia. ... Events January 11 - First recorded lottery in England. ... Philip II of Hesse-Rheinfels, also called Philip the Younger, (1541-1583) was the first and only Landgrave of Hesse-Rheinfels. ... Events The Jesuit educational plan known as the Ratio Studiorum is issued (January 8). ... June 13 is the 164th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (165th in leap years), with 201 days remaining. ... Events Russia, Reforming Synod of the metropolite Macaire, Orthodoxy: introduction of a calendar of the saints and an ecclesiastical law code ( Stoglav ) Major outbreak of the sweating sickness in England. ... April 14 is the 104th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (105th in leap years). ... Events April 14 - Battle of Mookerheyde. ... December 28 is the 362nd day of the year (363rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 3 days remaining. ... Events April - War between Henry II of France and Emperor Charles V. Henry invades Lorraine and captures Toul, Metz, and Verdun. ... Portal:Currentevents September 12 is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years). ... Events Russia breaks 60 year old truce with Sweden by attacking Finland February 2 - Diet of Augsburg begins February 4 - John Rogers becomes first Protestant martyr in England February 9 - Bishop of Gloucester John Hooper is burned at the stake May 23 - Paul IV becomes Pope. ... October 9 is the 282nd day of the year (283rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events January 16 - Abdication of Emperor Charles V. His son, Philip II becomes King of Spain, while his brother Ferdinand becomes Holy Roman Emperor January 23 - The Shaanxi earthquake, the deadliest earthquake in history, occurs with its epicenter in Shaanxi province, China. ... January 26 is the 26th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1586 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. ... Events March 1 - Michel de Montaigne signs the preface to his most significant work, Essays. ... Count John VI of Nassau-Dillenburg (November 22, 1535 – October 8, 1606) was a Count of Nassau in Dillenburg. ... Events January 11 - First recorded lottery in England. ...

He died in 1576, and was succeeded as Elector Palatine by his sons Louis VI and Johann Casimir. Events May 5 - Peace of Beaulieu or Peace of Monsieur (after Monsieur, the Duc dAnjou, brother of the King, who negotiated it). ... Louis VI, Elector Palatine (4 July 1539, Simmern – 22 October 1583, Heidelberg) was an Elector from the branch of Palatinate-Simmern of the house of Wittelsbach. ... Johann Casimir, (March 7, 1543 – January 16, 1592), born in Simmern, Germany, the third son of Frederic III (Friedrich), Count Palatine of the Rhine, and was a member of the Simmern middle electoral line of The House of Wittelsbach. ...

A palatinate is an area administered by a count palatine, originally the direct representative of the sovereign but later the hereditary ruler of the territory subject to the crowns overlordship. ... Louis VI, Elector Palatine (4 July 1539, Simmern – 22 October 1583, Heidelberg) was an Elector from the branch of Palatinate-Simmern of the house of Wittelsbach. ...

References

• This article includes content derived from the public domain Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, 1914.