Gustav, Duke of Zweibrücken
Encyclopedia
Count Palatine Gustav Samuel Leopold of the House of Wittelsbach (12 April 1670, Stegeborg Castle
near Söderköping
, Sweden – 17 September 1731, Zweibrücken, Germany) was the Count Palatine of Kleeburg
from 1701 until 1731 and the Duke of Zweibrücken
from 1718 until 1731. His titles included: 5th Duke of Stegeborg (in Sweden), Pfalzgraf zur Rhein, and Herzog von Bayern.
He was the last male member of the Kleeburg
line of the House of Wittelsbach to reign
.
near Söderköping
in 1670 as the youngest son of Adolph John I, Count Palatine of Kleeburg
. He succeeded his father in 1689. He succeeded his brother Adolph John II
as Count Palatine of Kleeburg in 1701, and his cousin Charles XII
, King of Sweden, as Duke of Zweibrücken
in 1718. The king's death also made him technically one of candidates to the Swedish throne. From 1720 until 1725 he moved his residence to a palace built by Jonas Erickson Sundahl.
Gustavus Samuel Leopold died in Zweibrücken in 1731 and was buried in the Alexanderkirche. As the last male member of his branch of the House of Wittelsbach, his territories were inherited by Christian III, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld
.
He rivalled to the Grand Mastery of the Constantinian Order of St. George, whose obscure grand-magisterial dynasty was going extinct in the late 17th century, and whose grand mastership had been transferred to Francis Farnese
, Duke of Parma, in 1696. In documentation of that chivalric institution and of Vatican, Gustav appears as (a) Duke of Bavaria. Gustav failed in his those aspirations, and the grand-mastership was confirmed in 1701 by the pope to be hereditary in the House of Farnese and its successors (Dukes of Castro). The Farnese duke was later succeeded in grand mastership by his nearest male kinsman, the future king Charles III of Spain
.
Duke Gustav had (in 1720..25) the baroque residence castle of Zweibrücken built, the Swede Jonas Eriksson Sundahl as builder.
In Swedish politics, Duke Gustav was the last male of the line of his paternal grandmother, Katarina Vasa. Upon the death of his cousin King Charles XII, duke Gustav of Stegeborg was technically one of the candidates to legitimate succession to the thrones of Sweden and grand duchy of Finland
. He would have become king Gustav III, had he succeeded. However, no strong faction or party in Sweden took up his cause, and his succession rights are not much remembered in history. Instead, his cousin Ulrica Eleanora
managed to become the Swedish queen.
Duke Gustav of Stegeborg died during the reign of Frederick I of Sweden
. His Swedish rights were inherited either by his nephew Charles Adolf Gyllenstierna, count of Ericsberg, or his sister, the Countess Palatine Marie Elisabeth of Kleeburg, or their cousin, Charles Frederick, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp
.
. The marriage remained childless.
On 13 May 1723, he married Louise Dorothea von Hoffmann (30 March 1700 - 14 April 1745), daughter of Count John Henry. They also had no children.
Stegeborg Castle
Stegeborg Castle is a ruined castle in St Anna parish, Söderköping, Östergötland, located on an island in a narrow sound at the bay of Slätbaken.- Brief history :...
near Söderköping
Söderköping
Söderköping is a locality and the seat of Söderköping Municipality, Östergötland County, Sweden with 6,951 inhabitants in 2005. Söderköping is, despite its small population, for historical reasons normally still referred to as a city...
, Sweden – 17 September 1731, Zweibrücken, Germany) was the Count Palatine of Kleeburg
Palatinate-Kleeburg
Palatinate-Kleeburg was a state of the Holy Roman Empire, which centered on the Alsatian lordship of Cleeburg.Palatinate-Kleeberg was the younger partition of Palatinate-Zweibrücken in 1604 for John Casimir, the youngest son of John I, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken...
from 1701 until 1731 and the Duke of Zweibrücken
Palatinate-Zweibrücken
Palatinate-Zweibrücken is a former state of the Holy Roman Empire. Its capital was Zweibrücken.-Overview:→ History before 1394 see main article County of Zweibrücken→ History before 1444 see main article County of Veldenz...
from 1718 until 1731. His titles included: 5th Duke of Stegeborg (in Sweden), Pfalzgraf zur Rhein, and Herzog von Bayern.
He was the last male member of the Kleeburg
Palatinate-Kleeburg
Palatinate-Kleeburg was a state of the Holy Roman Empire, which centered on the Alsatian lordship of Cleeburg.Palatinate-Kleeberg was the younger partition of Palatinate-Zweibrücken in 1604 for John Casimir, the youngest son of John I, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken...
line of the House of Wittelsbach to reign
Reign
A reign is the term used to describe the period of a person's or dynasty's occupation of the office of monarch of a nation or of a people . In most hereditary monarchies and some elective monarchies A reign is the term used to describe the period of a person's or dynasty's occupation of the office...
.
Life
Gustavus Samuel Leopold was born at Stegeborg CastleStegeborg Castle
Stegeborg Castle is a ruined castle in St Anna parish, Söderköping, Östergötland, located on an island in a narrow sound at the bay of Slätbaken.- Brief history :...
near Söderköping
Söderköping
Söderköping is a locality and the seat of Söderköping Municipality, Östergötland County, Sweden with 6,951 inhabitants in 2005. Söderköping is, despite its small population, for historical reasons normally still referred to as a city...
in 1670 as the youngest son of Adolph John I, Count Palatine of Kleeburg
Adolph John I, Count Palatine of Kleeburg
Adolph John I was Count Palatine of Kleeburg from 1654 until 1689 and was considered Prince of Sweden until 1660.-Life:...
. He succeeded his father in 1689. He succeeded his brother Adolph John II
Adolph John II, Count Palatine of Kleeburg
Adolph John II was the Duke of Kleeburg from 1689 until 1701.-Life:Adolph John was born in Bergzabern in 1666 as the eldest surviving son of Adolph John I, Count Palatine of Kleeburg. He succeeded his father in 1689. Adolph John died in Castle Lays in 1701 and was buried in Stockholm...
as Count Palatine of Kleeburg in 1701, and his cousin Charles XII
Charles XII of Sweden
Charles XII also Carl of Sweden, , Latinized to Carolus Rex, Turkish: Demirbaş Şarl, also known as Charles the Habitué was the King of the Swedish Empire from 1697 to 1718...
, King of Sweden, as Duke of Zweibrücken
Zweibrücken
Zweibrücken is a city in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, on the Schwarzbach river.- Name :Zweibrücken appears in Latin texts as Geminus Pons and Bipontum, in French texts as Deux-Ponts. The name derives from Middle High German Zweinbrücken...
in 1718. The king's death also made him technically one of candidates to the Swedish throne. From 1720 until 1725 he moved his residence to a palace built by Jonas Erickson Sundahl.
Gustavus Samuel Leopold died in Zweibrücken in 1731 and was buried in the Alexanderkirche. As the last male member of his branch of the House of Wittelsbach, his territories were inherited by Christian III, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld
Christian III, Count Palatine of Birkenfeld-Zweibrücken
Christian III was the Duke of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld from 1717 until 1731, the Duke of Birkenfeld-Zweibrücken from 1731 until 1735, and the Count of Rappoltstein from 1699 until 1735.-Life:...
.
He rivalled to the Grand Mastery of the Constantinian Order of St. George, whose obscure grand-magisterial dynasty was going extinct in the late 17th century, and whose grand mastership had been transferred to Francis Farnese
Francesco Farnese, Duke of Parma
Francesco Farnese reigned as the seventh and penultimate Farnese Duke of Parma and Piacenza from 1694 until his death...
, Duke of Parma, in 1696. In documentation of that chivalric institution and of Vatican, Gustav appears as (a) Duke of Bavaria. Gustav failed in his those aspirations, and the grand-mastership was confirmed in 1701 by the pope to be hereditary in the House of Farnese and its successors (Dukes of Castro). The Farnese duke was later succeeded in grand mastership by his nearest male kinsman, the future king Charles III of Spain
Charles III of Spain
Charles III was the King of Spain and the Spanish Indies from 1759 to 1788. He was the eldest son of Philip V of Spain and his second wife, the Princess Elisabeth Farnese...
.
Duke Gustav had (in 1720..25) the baroque residence castle of Zweibrücken built, the Swede Jonas Eriksson Sundahl as builder.
In Swedish politics, Duke Gustav was the last male of the line of his paternal grandmother, Katarina Vasa. Upon the death of his cousin King Charles XII, duke Gustav of Stegeborg was technically one of the candidates to legitimate succession to the thrones of Sweden and grand duchy of Finland
Grand Duchy of Finland
The Grand Duchy of Finland was the predecessor state of modern Finland. It existed 1809–1917 as part of the Russian Empire and was ruled by the Russian czar as Grand Prince.- History :...
. He would have become king Gustav III, had he succeeded. However, no strong faction or party in Sweden took up his cause, and his succession rights are not much remembered in history. Instead, his cousin Ulrica Eleanora
Ulrika Eleonora of Sweden
Ulrika Eleonora or Ulrica Eleanor , also known as Ulrika Eleonora the Younger, was Queen regnant of Sweden from 5 December 1718 to 29 February 1720, and then Queen consort until her death....
managed to become the Swedish queen.
Duke Gustav of Stegeborg died during the reign of Frederick I of Sweden
Frederick I of Sweden
Frederick I, , was a prince consort of Sweden from 1718 to 1720, and a King of Sweden from 1720 until his death and also Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel from 1730...
. His Swedish rights were inherited either by his nephew Charles Adolf Gyllenstierna, count of Ericsberg, or his sister, the Countess Palatine Marie Elisabeth of Kleeburg, or their cousin, Charles Frederick, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp
Charles Frederick, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp
Duke Charles Frederick of Holstein-Gottorp was the son of Frederick IV of Holstein-Gottorp and his wife, Hedvig Sophia, daughter of King Charles XI of Sweden...
.
Marriage
On 10 July 1707, Gustav married Dorothea of Palatinate-Veldenz (16 January 1658 - 17 August 1723), daughter of Leopold Louis, Count Palatine of VeldenzLeopold Louis, Count Palatine of Veldenz
Leopold Louis was the Duke of Veldenz from 1634 until 1694.-Life:Leopold Louis was born in Lautereck in 1625 as the youngest son of George Gustavus, Count Palatine of Veldenz. After his father's death in 1634 he succeeded him as his elder brothers had already died...
. The marriage remained childless.
On 13 May 1723, he married Louise Dorothea von Hoffmann (30 March 1700 - 14 April 1745), daughter of Count John Henry. They also had no children.