Charles William Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach

Charles William Frederick (May 12, 1712 in Ansbach – August 3, 1757 in Gunzenhausen), nicknamed the Wild Markgrave, was Margrave of the Principality of Ansbach from 1729 to his death.

Life

Charles William Frederick was the son of William Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach (1686–1723) and his wife Duchess Christiane Charlotte of Württemberg (1694–1729). During his youth, his mother ruled as regent. When he came to power, Charles William Frederick ruled as a typical absolute monarch with a luxurious court life. He left his heir Charles Alexander a total debt of 2.3 million Reichsthaler, and he spent 10% of the state budget on hunting. He had 56 churches and many palaces built, among them a building in Triesdorf for his falcons, his greatest passion, on which he spent more than a half-million Guilders between 1730 and 1748. Charles William Frederick died of a stroke on August 2, 1757.

Marriage and children

Charles William Frederick married Princess Friederike Luise of Prussia (1714–1784), daughter of King Frederick William I of Prussia. They had two children:

• Charles Frederick Augustu (April 7, 1733–May 9, 1737)
• Charles Alexander, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach (February 24, 1736–January 5, 1806)

He also had four children with his mistress Elisabeth Wünsch, a miller's daughter. Both illegitimate sons, Friedrich Karl (1734–1796) and Friedrich Ferdinand Ludwig (1748–1811), and daughters Wilhelmine Eleonore (1743–1768) and Louise Charlotte (1746–1747) received palaces and the titles Freiherren and Freiinen von Falkenhausen.

Source

This article incorporates information from the equivalent article on the German Wikipedia.

External links

• Biography

Ancestors