Christoph, Duke of Württemberg

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Christoph, Duke of Württemberg (12 May 1515 - 28 December 1568 Stuttgart) ruled as Duke of Württemberg from 1550 until his death in 1568.

In November 1515, only a few after his birth his mother, Sabina of Bavaria, fled to the court of her parents in Munich. Young Christoph stayed, together with his elder sister Anna, with his father, Duke Ulrich, in Stuttgart. When the Swabian League mobilized troops against Ulrich, he brought them to castle Hohentübingen. In 1515, after the hastle surrendered and Duke Ulrich was bannished and in 1519 Württemberg came under Austrian rule.

Christoph was sent to the court of Maximilian I in Innsbruck. There he grew up and was able to gather political experience under Habsburg-tutelage. The successor of Maximilian I, Charles V took him along on his travels through Europe.

Meanwhile Ulrich had regained Württemberg from the Austrians in 1534 and his father sent him to the French court, where he was dragged into France`s wars against Habsburg. At the end of the 1530`s Christoph turned towards protestantism. In 1542 the Treaty of Reichenweier installed him as a governor of Württemberg´s left-rhenish county Montbéliard. In 1544 he married Anna Maria of Brandenburg-Ansbach, daughter of George, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach . Whom he had twelve children with. When he succeeded his father in 1550 he had to face high payments to avoid charges of treason by King Ferdinand I.

In subsequent years, he re-organized the entire administration of both, church and state. He also reformed and supported the educational system.

He took great efforts to boost Württemberg`s prestige, for example he reconstructed the Altes Schloss in Stuttgart and hosted many celebrations.

Preceded by Ulrich

Duke of Württemberg 1550-1568

Succeeded by Ludwig