Luise von Degenfeld (November 28, 1634 – March 18, 1677) was the morganatic second wife of Charles I Louis, Elector Palatine. Created Raugräfin von der Pfalz ("Countess of uninhabited or uncultivated lands") in 1667, she had thirteen children with Charles Louis, all of whom were known as the "Raugraves" of the Palatinate.
Born Maria Susanne Luise von Degenfeld in Strasbourg, Austria, she was the daughter of a baron (Freiherr), Martin Christopher (Martens-Christof) von Degenfeld.[1] In 1650 she arrived as a servant to the household of Charles I Louis, Elector Palatine. He was the second son of Frederick V, the "Winter King", and Princess Elizabeth of Scotland, daughter of James I of England and granddaughter of Mary, Queen of Scots.
Luise caught his eye, and they were married in 1658, after Charles Louis unilaterally divorced his wife, Charlotte of Hesse-Kassel. Luise was given the unique title of Raugravine of the Palatinate (Raugräfin von der Pfalz, related to countess, but implying jurisdiction over uninhabited lands), and their children were known as the Raugraves and Raugravines of the Palatinate.
They had thirteen children in total, eight of whom survived beyond childhood. The only one of her children to marry and have children was her daughter the Raugravine Caroline, who married Meinhardt Schomberg, 3rd Duke of Schomberg. Four of Luise's sons were killed in battle, and one was killed in a duel.
She died in Mannheim.
Luise married Charles I Louis, Elector Palatine, born December 22, 1617, on January 6, 1658 in Schwetzingen. Their children were: