Maria of the Palatinate-Simmern

Duchess consort of Södermanland
The basics

Quick Facts

IntroDuchess consort of Södermanland
A.K.A.Anna Maria von der Pfalz
A.K.A.Anna Maria von der Pfalz
PlacesGermany
wasNoble Consort
Work fieldRoyals
Gender
Female
Birth24 July 1561, Heidelberg, Germany
Death29 July 1589Eskilstuna, Sweden (aged 28 years)
Star signLeo
Family
Mother:Elisabeth of Hesse, Electress Palatine
Father:Louis VI
Siblings:Frederick IV, Elector Palatine
Spouse:Charles IX of Sweden
Children:Catherine of Sweden, Countess Palatine of Kleeburg
The details

Biography

Princess Maria and her branch of the Vasa Dynasty were interred in Strängnäs Cathedral.

Maria of the Palatinate (24 July 1561 – 29 July 1589) was a Swedish princess and Duchess of Södermanland by marriage, the first spouse of the future King Charles IX of Sweden. She died before he became king.

Biography

Maria was born in Heidelberg, to Louis VI, Elector Palatine and Elisabeth of Hesse. In April 1578, the Swedish Prince Charles, Duke of Södermanland, visited her home town Heidelberg and proposed. Maria was brought up to be an ardent Lutheran, and her religion and upbringing according to the principles of the Augsburg Confession was one reason why she was chosen by the sternly Protestant Charles. She also spoke Latin. Her father accepted the marriage proposal on the condition that she be secured the right to practice her faith in Sweden which was then ruled by Charles' brother John III, who was known for his Catholic sympathies. The wedding took place in Heidelberg 11 May 1579. Afterwards, she followed him to Sweden, where they resided in his Duchy in Södermanland. They left Germany in July, and in September 1579, Maria received the oath of loyalty from the subjects in her dower lands Gripsholm, Tynnelsö and Rävsnäs estates, Strängnäs city with the parishes Åkers, Selebo and Daga as well as Överenhörna and Ytterenhörna.

No portrait exists of Maria. She is described as beautiful, gentle and diplomatic, but also sickly. Her marriage to Charles IX of Sweden is described as happy. Her calmness was said to be the opposite of the fierce temperament of her consort. Maria is said to have influenced the rule of Charles in the Duchy, intervening on behalf of supplicants and to ask him to show mercy. Because she had a reputation for being able to control the feared temperament of Charles, she was often approached by supplicants. She accompanied him around the Duchy as long as her pregnancies allowed for that possibility. Maria remained a committed Lutheran: in letters to her father, she expressed her discontent with the spread of Calvinism in Simmern, and in 1585 asked him to send her a Lutheran preacher. Charles described her as more educated in religion than anyone to be found, and she is believed to have affected Charles to adopt an even stronger pro-Lutheran political view.

Maria bore six children, but only one survived for more than a few years. She herself died in Eskilstuna Palace after a long term illness in 1589, and was buried in the Strängnäs Cathedral. Later examinations of her remains showed her to have been a small, fragile brunette.

Duke Charles was said to have mourned her greatly. The town Mariestad, founded in 1583, and the royal estate Marieholm [sv] are named after her.

Issue

  1. Margareta Elisabet (24 September 1580 – 26 August 1585)
  2. Elisabet Sabina (12 March 1582 – 6 July 1585)
  3. Ludvig (17 March - 26 May 1583)
  4. Catharina (10 November 1584 – 13 December 1638)
  5. Gustav (12 June - 4 December 1587)
  6. Maria (18 December 1588 – 24 April 1589)

Ancestors

16. John I, Count Palatine of Simmern
16. John I, Count Palatine of Simmern
8. John II, Count Palatine of Simmern
17. Joanna of Nassau-Saarbrücken
4. Frederick III, Elector Palatine
18. Christopher I of Baden-Baden
9. Beatrix of Baden
19. Ottilie of Katzenelnbogen
2. Louis VI, Elector Palatine
20. Frederick I of Brandenburg-Ansbach
10. Casimir, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth
21. Sophia Jagiellon
5. Marie of Brandenburg-Kulmbach
22. Albert IV, Duke of Bavaria
11. Susanna of Bavaria
23. Kunigunde of Austria
1. Maria of the Palatinate-Simmern
24. Louis II, Landgrave of Hesse
12. William II, Landgrave of Hesse
25. Mathilde of Württemberg-Urach
6. Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse
26. Magnus II, Duke of Mecklenburg
13. Anna of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
27. Sophie of Pomerania-Stettin
3. Elisabeth of Hesse
28. Albert, Duke of Saxony
14. George, Duke of Saxony
29. Sidonie of Poděbrady
7. Christine of Saxony
30. Casimir IV Jagiellon
15. Barbara Jagiellon
31. Elizabeth of Austria
16. John I, Count Palatine of Simmern
8. John II, Count Palatine of Simmern
17. Joanna of Nassau-Saarbrücken
4. Frederick III, Elector Palatine
18. Christopher I of Baden-Baden
9. Beatrix of Baden
19. Ottilie of Katzenelnbogen
2. Louis VI, Elector Palatine
20. Frederick I of Brandenburg-Ansbach
10. Casimir, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth
21. Sophia Jagiellon
5. Marie of Brandenburg-Kulmbach
22. Albert IV, Duke of Bavaria
11. Susanna of Bavaria
23. Kunigunde of Austria
1. Maria of the Palatinate-Simmern
24. Louis II, Landgrave of Hesse
12. William II, Landgrave of Hesse
25. Mathilde of Württemberg-Urach
6. Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse
26. Magnus II, Duke of Mecklenburg
13. Anna of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
27. Sophie of Pomerania-Stettin
3. Elisabeth of Hesse
28. Albert, Duke of Saxony
14. George, Duke of Saxony
29. Sidonie of Poděbrady
7. Christine of Saxony
30. Casimir IV Jagiellon
15. Barbara Jagiellon
31. Elizabeth of Austria
8. John II, Count Palatine of Simmern
17. Joanna of Nassau-Saarbrücken
4. Frederick III, Elector Palatine
18. Christopher I of Baden-Baden
9. Beatrix of Baden
19. Ottilie of Katzenelnbogen
2. Louis VI, Elector Palatine
20. Frederick I of Brandenburg-Ansbach
10. Casimir, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth
21. Sophia Jagiellon
5. Marie of Brandenburg-Kulmbach
22. Albert IV, Duke of Bavaria
11. Susanna of Bavaria
23. Kunigunde of Austria
1. Maria of the Palatinate-Simmern
24. Louis II, Landgrave of Hesse
12. William II, Landgrave of Hesse
25. Mathilde of Württemberg-Urach
6. Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse
26. Magnus II, Duke of Mecklenburg
13. Anna of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
27. Sophie of Pomerania-Stettin
3. Elisabeth of Hesse
28. Albert, Duke of Saxony
14. George, Duke of Saxony
29. Sidonie of Poděbrady
7. Christine of Saxony
30. Casimir IV Jagiellon
15. Barbara Jagiellon
31. Elizabeth of Austria
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