Editing Frederick V of the Palatinate (section)

==Marriage to Elizabeth Stuart==
{{Main|Wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Frederick V of the Palatinate}}
Frederick IV's marriage policy had been designed to solidify the Palatinate's position within the Reformed camp in Europe. Two of Frederick V's sisters were married to leading Protestant princes: his sister Luise Juliane to his one-time guardian [[John II, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken]], and his sister [[Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate (1597–1660)|Elizabeth Charlotte]] to [[George William, Elector of Brandenburg]]. Frederick IV had hoped that his daughter Katharina would marry the future [[Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden]], although this never came to pass.
[[Image:Elisabeth Stuart Winterkoenigin 1613 von Anonymus.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Elizabeth of Bohemia|Elizabeth Stuart]] (1596–1662), 1613]]
In keeping with his father's policy, Frederick V sought a marriage to [[Elizabeth Stuart, Queen of Bohemia|Elizabeth Stuart]], daughter of [[James VI of Scotland and I of England]]. James had initially considered marrying Elizabeth to [[Louis XIII of France]], but these plans were rejected by his advisors. Frederick's advisors in the Palatinate were worried that if Elizabeth were married to a Catholic prince, this would upset the confessional balance of Europe, and they were thus resolved that she should marry Frederick V. [[Hans Meinhard von Schönberg]], who had served as Frederick V's ''[[Hofmeister (office)|Hofmeister]]'' since his return to Heidelberg, was sent to London to court the princess in spring 1612. After intense negotiations, a marriage contract was signed on 26 May 1612, over the objection of her mother, [[Anne of Denmark|Queen Anne]].

Frederick travelled to London to collect his bride, landing on English soil on 16 October 1612.<ref>Mary Anne Everett Green and S. C. Lomas, Elizabeth, Electress Palatine and Queen of Bohemia, 2nd edn (Methuen & Company, 1909).</ref> Frederick and Elizabeth, who had previously corresponded in French, now met each other for the first time, and got on well together. They were formally engaged in January 1613 and married on 14 February 1613 at the royal chapel at the [[Palace of Whitehall]]. The event was celebrated in [[John Donne|John Donne's]] poetic masterpiece ''Epithalamion, or Mariage Song on the Lady Elizabeth, and Count Palatine being married on St. Valentines Day''. Shortly before the ceremony, Frederick was inducted into the [[Order of the Garter]] and he wore the Order's chain during the wedding ceremony. Elaborate celebrations, organised by [[Francis Bacon]], followed the ceremony; these included a performance of ''[[The Masque of the Inner Temple and Gray's Inn]]'' by [[Francis Beaumont]] and ''[[The Memorable Masque of the Middle Temple and Lincoln's Inn]]'' by [[George Chapman]].

On their return trip to Heidelberg, Frederick and Elizabeth travelled to [[The Hague]] to visit [[Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange]] before leaving for Germany on 5 May 1613. The couple entered Heidelberg on 12 June 1613, amidst widespread celebration. Elizabeth was popular with Frederick's subjects, and this popularity grew when, on 1 January 1614, she gave birth to a son, [[Henry Frederick, Hereditary Prince of the Palatinate|Frederick Henry]].

As part of the marriage negotiations, Frederick had agreed to expand [[Heidelberg Castle]]. These renovations were completed in 1615 and the "Elizabeth Entrance" to Heidelberg Castle was dedicated.