Christian I (3 November 1598 – 6 September 1654) was the Duke of Birkenfeld-Bischweiler from 1600 until 1654.
Christian I | |
|---|---|
| Count Palatine of Birkenfeld-Bischweiler | |
 Count Palatine by Rhine, Duke in Bavaria, Count to Sponheim etc. | |
| Born | 3 November 1598 Birkenfeld |
| Died | 6 September 1654 (aged 55) Neuenstein |
| Buried | Bischwiller |
| Noble family | House of Wittelsbach |
| Spouse(s) | Magdalene Catherine, Countess Palatine of Zweibrücken Maria Joanna of Helffenstein |
| Father | Charles I, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld |
| Mother | Dorothea of Brunswick-Lüneburg |
Life
editChristian was born in Birkenfeld in 1598 as the youngest son of Charles I, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld. His father's lands were partitioned after his death and Christian received the territory around Bischwiller (German: Bischweiler) in Alsace. Christian died in Neuenstein in 1654 and was buried in Bischwiller.
First marriage
editChristian married Magdalena Catherine of Palatinate-Zweibrücken (26 April 1607 – 20 January 1648), daughter of Duke John II, on 14 November 1630 and had the following children:
- unnamed son (13 September 1631)
- Gustavus Adolph (2 July 1632 – 4 August 1632)
- John Christian (16 June 1633 – 19 August 1633)
- Dorothea Catherine (3 July 1634 – 7 December 1715)
- Louise Sophie (16 August 1635 – 25 September 1691)
- Christian (1637 – 26 April 1717)
- John Charles (17 October 1638 – 21 February 1704)
- Anne Magdalena (14 February 1640 – 12 December 1693)
- Claire Sybille (20 February 1643 – 27 March 1644)
Second marriage
editAfter the death of his first wife, Christian married for the second time to Countess Maria Johanna of Helfenstein (1607–1648) (8 September 1612 – 20 August 1665), daughter of Count Rudolph III of Helfenstein (1585-1627) and Countess Eleonora zu Fürstenberg (1578-1651), widow of Maximilian Adam, Landgrave of Leuchtenberg, on 28 October 1648 and had the following son:
- unnamed son (1648)