Christopher II, Margrave of Baden-Rodemachern
Encyclopedia
Christoph II of Baden-Rodemachern (26 February 1537 – 2 August 1575, Rodemachern
) was the first Margrave
of Baden
-Rodemachern. He was the second son of Bernhard III of Baden-Baden
and his wife Countess Franziska of Brienne and Luxembourg.
When Christopher II came of age in 1556, he renounced his right to a part of Baden-Baden to his older brother Philibert
in exchange for an annual allowance of 4000 guilders. He also received Rodemachern
as an apanage, making him the founder of the elder Baden-Rodemachern line.
He started travelling. From 1557 to 1661, he was in the Netherlands
, where he joined the campaigns of the Spanish Army. He went to Sweden in 1564, where he married a sister of King Eric XIV of Sweden
. He then returned to Rodemachern, where he built himself a palace and led a wasteful life. In 1565, he travelled to London, where Queen Elizabeth I received him honorably. However, he heaped debt upon debt and when he tried to leave in 1566, he found he couldn't leave the country until the Queen had provided surety. Also in 1566, he inherited the Lordships of Useldange
, Pittingen and Roußzy.
He continued to spend too much, and his country suffered from religious unrest. His debts mounted. He went to Sweden
, where he served in the army and fought against Denmark
. His brother-in-law King John III of Sweden
enfeoffed him with the island of Ösel
.
After several years in Sweden, he returned to Rodemachern, where he died in 1575. His was succeeded by his son Edward Fortunatus who was a minor at the time.
(born: 6 November 1540; died: 27 January 1627), the daughter of King Gustav I of Sweden
. They had the following children:
Rodemack
Rodemack is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France....
) was the first Margrave
Margrave
A margrave or margravine was a medieval hereditary nobleman with military responsibilities in a border province of a kingdom. Border provinces usually had more exposure to military incursions from the outside, compared to interior provinces, and thus a margrave usually had larger and more active...
of Baden
Baden
Baden is a historical state on the east bank of the Rhine in the southwest of Germany, now the western part of the Baden-Württemberg of Germany....
-Rodemachern. He was the second son of Bernhard III of Baden-Baden
Bernhard III, Margrave of Baden-Baden
Bernhard III, Margrave of Baden-Baden inherited in 1515 part of his fathers margraviate of Baden. He ruled his part from 1515 until 1536....
and his wife Countess Franziska of Brienne and Luxembourg.
When Christopher II came of age in 1556, he renounced his right to a part of Baden-Baden to his older brother Philibert
Philibert, Margrave of Baden-Baden
Margrave Philibert of Baden ruled the Margraviate of Baden-Baden from 1554 to 1569. Philibert was the son of the Margrave Bernhard III, Margrave of Baden-Baden and Franziska of Luxembourg....
in exchange for an annual allowance of 4000 guilders. He also received Rodemachern
Rodemack
Rodemack is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France....
as an apanage, making him the founder of the elder Baden-Rodemachern line.
He started travelling. From 1557 to 1661, he was in the Netherlands
Habsburg Netherlands
The Habsburg Netherlands was a geo-political entity covering the whole of the Low Countries from 1482 to 1556/1581 and solely the Southern Netherlands from 1581 to 1794...
, where he joined the campaigns of the Spanish Army. He went to Sweden in 1564, where he married a sister of King Eric XIV of Sweden
Eric XIV of Sweden
-Family and descendants:Eric XIV had several relationships before his marriage. With Agda Persdotter he had four daughters:#Margareta Eriksdotter , married 1592 to Olov Simonsson, vicar of Horn....
. He then returned to Rodemachern, where he built himself a palace and led a wasteful life. In 1565, he travelled to London, where Queen Elizabeth I received him honorably. However, he heaped debt upon debt and when he tried to leave in 1566, he found he couldn't leave the country until the Queen had provided surety. Also in 1566, he inherited the Lordships of Useldange
Useldange
Useldange is a commune and small town in western Luxembourg, in the canton of Redange., the town of Useldange, which lies in the east of the commune, has a population of 622. Other towns within the commune include Everlange, Rippweiler, and Schandel....
, Pittingen and Roußzy.
He continued to spend too much, and his country suffered from religious unrest. His debts mounted. He went to Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, where he served in the army and fought against Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. His brother-in-law King John III of Sweden
John III of Sweden
-Family:John married his first wife, Catherine Jagellonica of Poland , house of Jagiello, in Vilnius on 4 October 1562. In Sweden, she is known as Katarina Jagellonica. She was the sister of king Sigismund II Augustus of Poland...
enfeoffed him with the island of Ösel
Saaremaa
Saaremaa is the largest island in Estonia, measuring 2,673 km². The main island of Saare County, it is located in the Baltic Sea, south of Hiiumaa island, and belongs to the West Estonian Archipelago...
.
After several years in Sweden, he returned to Rodemachern, where he died in 1575. His was succeeded by his son Edward Fortunatus who was a minor at the time.
Marriage and issue
Margrave Christoph II married on 11 November 1564 Princess Cecilia of SwedenPrincess Cecilia of Sweden
Cecilia of Sweden, , was Princess of Sweden as the daughter of King Gustav I and his second queen, Margareta Leijonhufvud, a Swedish noble and Margravine of Baden-Rodemachern through marriage with Christopher II, Margrave of Baden-Rodemachern...
(born: 6 November 1540; died: 27 January 1627), the daughter of King Gustav I of Sweden
Gustav I of Sweden
Gustav I of Sweden, born Gustav Eriksson of the Vasa noble family and later known simply as Gustav Vasa , was King of Sweden from 1523 until his death....
. They had the following children:
- Edward Fortunatus (born: 17 September 1565; died: 18 June 1600), Margrave of Baden-Rodemachern and later of Baden-Baden
- Christopher Gustav (born: 13 August 1566; died: 18 January 1609)
- Philip III (born: 15 August 1567; died: 6 November 1620, Margrave of Baden-Rodemachern
- Charles (born: 7 March 1569; died: 1590)
- Bernhard (born: December 1570; died: February 1571)
- John Charles (born: 1572, died: 29 January 1599), joined the Knights HospitallerKnights HospitallerThe Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta , also known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta , Order of Malta or Knights of Malta, is a Roman Catholic lay religious order, traditionally of military, chivalrous, noble nature. It is the world's...