Eduard, Pfalzgraf von Pfalz-Simmern
(1625-1663)
Born 5 October 1625 's-Gravenhage
Died 13 March 1663 Paris
Buried Val-de-Grace
Married 24 April 1645 Paris
Anna Gonzaga, daughter of Carlo I Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua,
Rethel and Nevers and Catherine de Lorraine
Born 1616 Mantua
Died 6 July 1684 Paris
Buried Val-de-Grace
In 1645 he became a Catholic in order to marry Anna Gonzaga, sister
of the Queen of Poland and a relation of the French royal family. She was
eight years older and had been the mistress of the
Prince de Guise; when this affaire ended she had quickly turned to
the good-looking prince.
Eduard's Protestant faith had been an obstacle but he quickly converted
and they eloped, creating a scandal. Eduard and Anna thought little about
his changing his religion, but Eduard's mother, Elizabeth Stuart, "the
Winter Queen" of Bohemia, reacted with horror. In the past she had threatened
to strangle any of her children with her own hands if they should change
their religion. Although she forgave her son fairly quickly, nevertheless
it was political embarrassement to
Eduard's brother, the Elector Palatine.
Source: Leo van de Pas
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