Charles William Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach

Charles William Frederick
Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach
Spouse(s)	Princess Friederike Luise of Prussia
Noble family	Hohenzollern
Father	William Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach
Mother	Duchess Christiane Charlotte of Württemberg
Born	12 May 1712 Ansbach
Died	3 August 1757 (aged 45) Gunzenhausen

Charles William Frederick (12 May 1712 in Ansbach – 3 August 1757 in Gunzenhausen), nicknamed der Wilde Markgraf (the Wild Margrave), was the margrave of the Principality of Ansbach from 1729 to his death.

Life

Charles William Frederick was the son of William Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach (1686–1723) and his wife Duchess Christiane Charlotte of Württemberg (1694–1729). During his youth, his mother ruled as regent.

When he came to power, Charles William Frederick ruled as a typical absolute monarch with a luxurious court life. He left his heir Charles Alexander a total debt of 2.3 million Reichsthaler, and he spent 10% of the state budget on hunting. He had 56 churches and many palaces built, among them a building in Triesdorf for his falcons, his greatest passion, on which he spent more than a half million guilders between 1730 and 1748. His love of hunting, particularly with his falcons, is what earned him his nickname, the Wild Margrave.

Charles William Frederick died of a stroke on 3 August 1757.

Marriage and children

The Margrave's wife, Friederike Luise of Prussia

Charles William Frederick married Princess Friederike Luise of Prussia (1714–1784), daughter of King Frederick William I of Prussia. They had two children:

• Charles Frederick Augustus (7 April 1733 – 9 May 1737)
• Charles Alexander, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach (24 February 1736 – 5 January 1806)

He also had four children with his mistress Elisabeth Wünsch, a falconer's daughter. Both illegitimate sons, Friedrich Karl (1734–1796) and Friedrich Ferdinand Ludwig (1748–1811), and daughters Wilhelmine Eleonore (1743–1768) and Louise Charlotte (1746–1747) received palaces and the titles Freiherren and Freiinen von Falkenhausen.

Ancestors

Ancestors of Charles William Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach

16. Joachim Ernst, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach (1583–1625)               8. Albert II, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach (1620–1667)                       17. Sophie of Solms-Laubach (1594–1651)               4. John Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach (1654–1686)                             18. Joachim Ernest, Count of Oettingen-Oettingen (1612–1659)               9. Sophie Margarete of Oettingen-Oettingen (1634–1664)                       19. Anna Sophie of Palatinate-Sulzbach (1621–1675)               2. William Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach (1686–1723)                                   20. Wilhelm, Duke of Saxe-Weimar (1598–1662)               10. John George I, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach (1634–1686)                       21. Eleonore Dorothea of Anhalt-Dessau (1602–1664)               5. Princess Eleonore Erdmuthe of Saxe-Eisenach (1662–1696)                             22. Ernest of Sayn-Wittgenstein (1594–1632)               11. Johannette of Sayn-Wittgenstein (1626–1701)                       23. Louise Juliane of Erbach (1603–1670)               1. Charles William Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach                                         24. John Frederick, Duke of Württemberg (1582–1628)               12. Eberhard III, Duke of Württemberg (1614–1674)                       25. Barbara Sophie of Brandenburg (1584–1636)               6. Frederick Charles, Duke of Württemberg-Winnental (1652–1697)                             26. John Casimir of Salm-Kyrburg (1577–1651)               13. Anna Catharina of Salm-Kyrburg (1614–1655)                       27. Dorothea of Solms-Laubach (1579–1631)               3. Christiane Charlotte of Württemberg-Winnental (1694–1729)                                   28. Joachim Ernst, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach (1583–1625) (= 16)               14. Albert II, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach (1620–1667) (= 8)                       29. Sophie of Solms-Laubach (1594–1651) (= 17)               7. Eleonore Juliane of Brandenburg-Ansbach (1663–1724)                             30. Joachim Ernest, Count of Oettingen-Oettingen (1612–1659) (= 18)               15. Sophie Margarete of Oettingen-Oettingen (1634–1664) (= 9)                       31. Anna Sophie of Palatinate-Sulzbach (1621–1675) (= 19)

External links

• Biography