The House of Palatinate-Zweibrücken (; also known in Sweden as the Palatine dynasty, ) was a branch of the House of Wittelsbach. Its Palatinate-Zweibrücken-Kleeburg branch was the ruling dynasty of Sweden from 1654 to 1720.
The house descended from Stephen, Count Palatine of Simmern-Zweibrücken (1385–1459), a son of King Rupert of Germany, and later divided into several branches, including Palatinate-Zweibrücken-Kleeburg, from which the Swedish royal line descended.
Their reign in Sweden coincided with the Caroline era (), a period characterized by royal absolutism and the military prowess of the Caroleans under Kings Charles XI and Charles XII, during which the Swedish Empire reached both its height and its ultimate decline in the Great Northern War.
History
The house originated with Stephen, Count Palatine of Simmern-Zweibrücken (1385–1459), a son of King Rupert of Germany. His descendants divided into several branches, including Palatinate-Zweibrücken-Kleeburg. In 1615, John Casimir, Count Palatine of Kleeburg, married Catherine of Sweden, a daughter of King Charles IX of Sweden, establishing a close dynastic connection with the Swedish royal house.
Their son Charles X Gustav succeeded his cousin Queen Christina following her abdication in 1654, beginning the rule of the Palatinate dynasty in Sweden. He was succeeded by his son Charles XI, his grandson Charles XII, and finally his granddaughter Ulrika Eleonora. In 1720, Ulrika Eleonora relinquished the throne in favour of her husband, Frederick I of Hesse, ending the rule of the Palatinate dynasty in Sweden. Although the house ceased to reign in Sweden in 1720, its descendants continued through female lines and became connected with several later European royal families, including the House of Bernadotte.
Family tree
Cadet branches Cadet branches include:
House of Palatinate-Kleeburg House of Palatinate-Veldenz House of Palatinate-Neuburg House of Palatinate-Sulzbach House of Palatinate-Birkenfeld House of Carlson (illegitimate branch)
See also List of Counts Palatine of Zweibrücken
References
External links