Frederick, Duke of Württemberg-Neuenstadt

Frederick, Duke of Württemberg-Neuenstadt

Frederick of Württemberg-Neuenstadt (19 December 1615 in Stuttgart – 24 March 1682 in Neuenstadt am Kocher) was Duke of Württemberg and founder of the second branch line Duchy of Württemberg-Neuenstadt.

Life

Frederick was the third son of Johann Frederick, the 7th Duke of Württemberg and Barbara Sophie of Brandenburg. When his father died in 1628, his elder brother became Eberhard III, Duke of Württemberg.

Frederick went at the age of 13 to study in Tübingen. In 1630 he went on a Grand Tour via Strasbourg, Basel and Montpellier but broke it off in Lyon due to severe fever.

In 1638, his brother Eberhard III was given back certain parts of the lost duchy of Württemberg by Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor while Frederick was drawn into war service. After the Peace of Westphalia, which led to the full restoration of Württemberg, Eberhard entered into a Fürstbrüderlicher Vergleich - a mutual agreement made between ducal brothers. Duke Eberhard III left his brother Frederick possession of Neuenstadt, Möckmühl and Weinsberg, although this was without sovereignty which remained with Eberhard.

Frederick restored Neuenstadt castle after it suffered damage in the Thirty Years' War and took up residence there in 1652. On 7 June 1653 he married Clara Augusta, daughter of Augustus the Younger of Brunswick.

The couple had 12 children.

The metal sarcophagus of Frederick (back) and his wife Clara Augusta (front) in the crypt of Neuenstadt church

1. Frederick Augustus (1654–1716)
2. Ulrich (1655-1655)
3. Eberhard (1656-1656)
4. Albrecht (1657–1670)
5. Sophie Dorothea (1658–1681)
6. Ferdinand Wilhelm (1659–1701)
7. Anton Ulrich (1661–1680)
8. Barbara Auguste (1663–1664)
9. Eleonore Charlotte (1664–1666)
10. Christoph (1666-1666)
11. Carl Rudolf (1667–1742)
12. Anna Eleonore (1669–1670)

Duke Frederick died after a long illness on 24 March 1682 and was buried in Neuenstadt church. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Frederick August.

Ancestry

Ancestors of Frederick, Duke of Württemberg-Neuenstadt

16. Duke Heinrich of Württemberg               8. George I of Württemberg-Mömpelgard                       17. Eva of Salm               4. Frederick I, Duke of Württemberg                             18. Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse               9. Barbara of Hesse                       19. Christine of Saxony               2. Johann Frederick, Duke of Württemberg                                   20. John V, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst               10. Joachim Ernest, Prince of Anhalt                       21. Margarete of Brandenburg               5. Sibylla of Anhalt                             22. Wolfgang I, Count of Barby-Mühlingen               11. Agnes of Barby-Mühlingen                       23. Agnes of Mansfeld               1. Frederick, Duke of Württemberg-Neuenstadt                                         24. Joachim II Hector, Elector of Brandenburg               12. John George, Elector of Brandenburg                       25. Magdalena of Saxony               6. Joachim Frederick, Elector of Brandenburg                             26. Frederick II of Legnica               13. Sophie of Legnica                       27. Sophie of Brandenburg-Ansbach-Kulmbach               3. Barbara Sophie of Brandenburg                                   28. Joachim I Nestor, Elector of Brandenburg               14. John, Margrave of Brandenburg-Küstrin                       29. Elisabeth of Denmark               7. Catherine of Brandenburg-Küstrin                             30. Henry V, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg               15. Catherine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel                       31. Maria of Württemberg

Bibliography

• (German) Harald Schukraft: Kleine Geschichte des Hauses Württemberg. Silberburg Publishing, Tübingen, 2006, ISBN 978-3-87407-725-5

References

• German archives: page from ADB (German)
• Family crypt in Neuenstadt (German)