Frederick of Solms-Rödelheim
Encyclopedia
Count Frederick of Solms-Rödelheim (30 November 1574 – 1649) was an imperial chamberlain, war councillor and colonel in the period of the Thirty Years' War
.
. His part of the County of Solms was named Solms-Rödelheim, after the first of these.
He became a professional officer. On those days, officers were sometimes operating as a mercenary leader on behalf of princes or cities, or on their own account. He is first mentioned as a participant in the Battle of Nieuwpoort
on 2 July 1600 on the Dutch side under Maurice of Orange
, who won here against the Spanish under Archduke Albert VII of Austria
.
In 1608, he was employed by several Hanseatic cities and his repsonisbilities included overseeing the Dutch military architect Johan van Valckenburgh, who was employed by the same cities. In 1610 he became governor of the city Düren
in the Duchy of Jülich
. He conquered the town of Schleiden
, Kalkofen Castle and Brede Castle. In 1615, he commanded troops provided by the Hanseatic League
to the city Brunswick
, to help them in their struggle against Duke Frederick Ulrich and on 14 October 1615, he broke the siege around the city of Brunswick.
After the death of the Margrave Joachim Ernst
of Brandenburg-Ansbach, he supported the margrave's widow Sophie of Solms-Laubach
in the regency, until her son Frederick
came of age. After Frederick III's death, he continued so support Sophie in the regency until her second son Albrecht
came of age on 26 May 1639.
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
.
Life
Frederick was born as the son of Count John George I of Solms (d. 1600). When his father inheritance was divided in 1607, he received the districts of Rödelheim, Pletenheim and AssenheimNiddatal
Niddatal is a town in the Wetteraukreis district in Hesse, Germany. It is located on the Nidda River, 6 km southeast of Friedberg, and 22 km northeast of Frankfurt am Main....
. His part of the County of Solms was named Solms-Rödelheim, after the first of these.
He became a professional officer. On those days, officers were sometimes operating as a mercenary leader on behalf of princes or cities, or on their own account. He is first mentioned as a participant in the Battle of Nieuwpoort
Battle of Nieuwpoort
The Battle of Nieuwpoort, between a Dutch army under Maurice of Nassau and Francis Vere and a Spanish army under Albert of Austria, took place on 2 July 1600 near the present-day Belgian city Nieuwpoort.-Campaign:...
on 2 July 1600 on the Dutch side under Maurice of Orange
Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange
Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange was sovereign Prince of Orange from 1618, on the death of his eldest half brother, Philip William, Prince of Orange,...
, who won here against the Spanish under Archduke Albert VII of Austria
Albert VII, Archduke of Austria
Archduke Albert VII of Austria was, jointly with his wife, the Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia, sovereign of the Habsburg Netherlands between 1598 and 1621, ruling the Habsburg territories in the southern Low Countries and the north of modern France...
.
In 1608, he was employed by several Hanseatic cities and his repsonisbilities included overseeing the Dutch military architect Johan van Valckenburgh, who was employed by the same cities. In 1610 he became governor of the city Düren
Düren
Düren is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, capital of Düren district. It is located between Aachen and Cologne on the river Rur.-Roman era:Celts inhabited Düren's area before the Romans. They called their small settlement Durum . After the Celts other Germanic tribes settled this area...
in the Duchy of Jülich
Duchy of Jülich
The Duchy of Jülich comprised a state within the Holy Roman Empire from the 11th to the 18th centuries. The duchy lay left of the Rhine river between the Electorate of Cologne in the east and the Duchy of Limburg in the west. It had territories on both sides of the river Rur, around its capital...
. He conquered the town of Schleiden
Schleiden
Schleiden is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It lies in the Eifel hills, in the district of Euskirchen, and has 13,957 inhabitants...
, Kalkofen Castle and Brede Castle. In 1615, he commanded troops provided by the Hanseatic League
Hanseatic League
The Hanseatic League was an economic alliance of trading cities and their merchant guilds that dominated trade along the coast of Northern Europe...
to the city Brunswick
Braunschweig
Braunschweig , is a city of 247,400 people, located in the federal-state of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located north of the Harz mountains at the farthest navigable point of the Oker river, which connects to the North Sea via the rivers Aller and Weser....
, to help them in their struggle against Duke Frederick Ulrich and on 14 October 1615, he broke the siege around the city of Brunswick.
After the death of the Margrave Joachim Ernst
Joachim Ernst, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach
Joachim Ernst, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach was a German nobleman. He ruled as margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach from 1603 to 1625, succeeding his father John George and succeeded by his son Frederick III.- Youth :Joachim Ernst was the son of the elector John George of Brandenburg and his third...
of Brandenburg-Ansbach, he supported the margrave's widow Sophie of Solms-Laubach
Sophie of Solms-Laubach
Sophie of Solms-Laubach , was a princess of Solms-Laubach by birth and Margravine of Brandenburg-Ansbach by marriage....
in the regency, until her son Frederick
Frederick III, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach
Frederick III, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach was a German nobleman. He was the eldest son of Joachim Ernst, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach, who he succeeded in 1625. He was killed at the Battle of Nördlingen in 1634 unmarried and without issue, meaning he was succeeded by his younger brother...
came of age. After Frederick III's death, he continued so support Sophie in the regency until her second son Albrecht
Albert II, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach
Albert II or V of Brandenburg-Ansbach was a German nobleman, who was margrave of Ansbach from 1634 until his death.-Life:...
came of age on 26 May 1639.