Maria of the Palatinate-Simmern, (24 July 1561 in Heidelberg

Heidelberg

-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...

 - 29 July 1589 in Eskilstuna

Eskilstuna

Eskilstuna is a city and the seat of Eskilstuna Municipality, Södermanland County, Sweden with 60,185 inhabitants in 2005. Eskilstuna has a large Sweden Finn population....

), was a German Princess and a Swedish Princess and Duchess of Södermanland by marriage, the first spouse of the future King Charles IX of Sweden

Charles IX of Sweden

Charles IX of Sweden also Carl, was King of Sweden from 1604 until his death. He was the youngest son of King Gustav I of Sweden and his second wife, Margaret Leijonhufvud, brother of Eric XIV and John III of Sweden, and uncle of Sigismund III Vasa king of both Sweden and Poland...

. She died before he became king and was therefore never queen.

Maria was born to Louis VI, Elector Palatine

Louis VI, Elector Palatine

In the history of the Holy Roman Empire, Louis VI, Elector Palatine was an Elector from the Palatinate-Simmern branch of the house of Wittelsbach. He was the first-born son of Frederick III, Elector Palatine and Marie of Brandenburg-Kulmbach...

 and Elisabeth of Hesse

Elisabeth of Hesse

Elisabeth of Hesse was a German noblewoman.She was a daughter of Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse and Christine of Saxony, daughter of George, Duke of Saxony.On 8 July 1560 she married Louis VI, Elector Palatine...

. In April 1578, the Swedish Prince Charles, Duke of Södermanland, visited her home town Heidelberg

Heidelberg

-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...

 and proposed. The wedding took place in Heidelberg 11 May 1579. Afterwards, she followed him to Sweden, where they resided in his Duchy in Södermanland

Södermanland

', sometimes referred to under its Latin form Sudermannia or Sudermania, is a historical province or landskap on the south eastern coast of Sweden. It borders Östergötland, Närke, Västmanland and Uppland. It is also bounded by lake Mälaren and the Baltic sea.In Swedish, the province name is...

.

No portrait exists of Maria. She is described as beautiful, gentle and diplomatic, but also sickly. Her marriage to Charles IX of Sweden is described as happy. Her calmness was said to be the opposite of her husband's temperament. She influenced his rule in the Duchy, intervening to ask him to show mercy to other people.

Maria bore six children, but only one survived for more than a few years. She herself died in Eskilstuna palace after a long term illness, and was buried in the Strängnäs Cathedral.

Duke Charles was said to have mourned her greatly. The town Mariestad

Mariestad

Mariestad is a locality and the seat of Mariestad Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden. It had 15,448 inhabitants in 2005. It was until 1997 the capital of the former Skaraborg County and an episcopal see in the Church of Sweden between 1583 and 1646....

 and the royal estate Marieholm is named after her.

Children:

1. Margareta Elisabet (1580–1585).
2. Elisabet Sabina (1582–1585).
3. Ludvig (1583).
4. Catharina (1584–1638)
5. Gustav (1587).
6. Maria (1588–1589).