Philip Louis, Count Palatine of Neuburg

Philip Louis of Neuburg (October 2, 1547 – August 22, 1614) was the Duke of Palatinate-Neuburg from 1569 until 1614.

Life

Philip Louis was born in Zweibrücken in 1547 as the eldest son of Wolfgang, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken. After his father's death in 1569, his lands were partitioned between Philip Louis and his four brothers - Philip Louis received the Duchy of Neuburg. He married Anna (1552–1632), daughter of Duke William IV "the Rich" of Jülich-Cleves-Berg, in 1574 and used the marriage as the basis of his claim to inherit the duchies in the succession controversy against the Elector of Brandenburg after William IV's only son, John William, died without heirs. The controversy threatened to spark a war, but the murder of King Henry IV of France defused the situation. In 1613 Philip Louis's eldest son converted to Catholicism and gained the support of Spain and the Catholic League while Brandenburg received the support of the Netherlands. The conversion of his son and heir was very difficult for the staunchly Lutheran Philip Louis. By the Treaty of Xanten in 1614 the duchies were was partitioned without war: Philip Louis received the Duchies of Jülich and Berg.

Philip Louis died in Neuburg in 1614 and was buried in Lauingen.

Marriage and children

Philip Louis married Anna of Cleves (1 March 1552 – 6 October 1632), daughter of Duke William IV of Jülich-Cleves-Berg, on 27 September 1574 and had the following children:

1. Countess Palatine Anna Maria of Neuburg (18 August 1575 – 11 February 1643), married on September 9, 1591 to Frederick Wilhelm I, Duke of Saxe-Weimar.
2. Dorothea Sabine (13 October 1576 – 12 December 1598)
3. Wolfgang Wilhelm, Count Palatine of Neuburg (25 October 1578 – 20 March 1653)
4. Otto Henry (28 October 1580 – 2 March 1581)
5. Augustus, Count Palatine of Sulzbach (2 October 1582 – 14 August 1632)
6. Amalia Hedwig (24 December 1584 – 15 August 1607)
7. John Frederick, Count Palatine of Sulzbach-Hilpoltstein (23 August 1587 – 19 October 1644)
8. Sophie Barbara (3 April 1590 – 21 December 1591)

Ancestors