Frederick Charles of Stolberg-Gedern


Frederick Charles, Prince of Stolberg-Gedern, was a German politician. He founded the Stolberg-Gedern line of the House of Stolberg, which ended in 1804 when it became part of the line of Stolberg-Wernigerode.

Life

Frederick Charles was the son of Louis Christian, Count of Stolberg and the younger brother of Ernest, Count of Stolberg-Wernigerode. After his father's death in 1710, Frederick was granted the Lordship of Gedern and one sixth of the Lordship of Rochefort, per his father's will of 23 January 1699. He later received another sixth of the Lordship from his brother Christian Ernest, and after the death of Count Henry August of Stolberg-Schwarza, an additional sixth.
On February 18, 1742 he purchased the elevation to the rank of Imperial Prince, in the presence of Holy Roman Emperor Charles VII in Frankfurt am Main. The beneficiaries of this elevation included his descendants and his sister, but not other counts and countesses of Stolberg.

Marriage and Descendants

Charles married Louise, daughter of Louis Crato, Count of Nassau-Saarbrücken on 13 September 1719. She died one year before him, on October 28, 1766.
They had four children: