Christian Ulrich I, Duke of Württemberg-Oels


Duke Christian Ulrich I of Württemberg-Oels was a German nobleman. He was the ruling Duke of Württemberg-Bernstadt from 1669 to 1697 and then the ruling Duke of Oels-Württemberg from 1697 until his death.

Descent

Christian Ulrich I was the third son of Duke Silvius I Nimrod of Württemberg-Oels from his marriage with Duchess Elisabeth Marie, a daughter of Duke Charles Frederick I Poděbrady, Duke of Oels and Anne Sophie of Saxe-Weimar.

Reign

When his oldest brother Charles Ferdinand died in 1669, Christian Ulrich inherited the Duchy of Bernstadt.
When his older brother Silvius II Frederick died in 1697, Christian Ulrich inherited the Duchy of Oels, Christian Ulrich kept the Duchies of Oels and Dobroszyce with Międzybórz and parts of Trebnitz and transferred Bernstadt to his nephew Charles
In 1698, Christian Ulrich built a ducal crypt as an extension of Castle Church of St. John. He began a significant collection of books and art at Oels Castle. In 1685, he purchased the town of Neudorf from Balthasar Wilhelm von Prittwitz, Lord of Rastelwitz. Between 1685 and 1692, he constructed a baroque castle at Neudorf, which he named Sibyllenort, after his second wife, Marie Sibylle of Saxe-Merseburg.
He died on 5 April 1704, aged 51, at Oels Castle and was buried in the ducal crypt he had built.

Marriage and Issue

He completed his first marriage, on 13 March 1672 in Bernburg with Anna Elisabeth of Anhalt-Bernburg, daughter of Prince Christian II of Anhalt-Bernburg and Eleonora Sophia of Schleswig-Holstein Sonderburg. With her he had seven children:
  1. Louise Elisabeth, Princess of Württemberg-Oels, married Duke Philip of Saxe-Merseburg-Lauchstädt.
  2. Christian Ulrich, Hereditary Prince of Württemberg-Oels.
  3. Leopold Viktor, Hereditary Prince of Württemberg-Oels.
  4. Fredericka Christine, Princess of Württemberg-Oels.
  5. Sophie Angelika, Princess of Württemberg-Oels, married Duke Frederick Henry of Saxe-Zeitz-Pegau-Neustadt.
  6. Eleonore Amöena, Princess of Württemberg-Oels.
  7. Theodosia, Princess of Württemberg-Oels.
He completed his second marriage, on 27 October 1683 in Doberlug with Sibylle Maria, daughter of Duke Christian I of Saxe-Merseburg and Christiana of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg. With her he had seven more children:
  1. Christine Marie, Princess of Württemberg-Oels.
  2. Christian Erdmann, Hereditary Prince of Württemberg-Oels.
  3. Eleonore Hedwig, Princess of Württemberg-Oels
  4. Ulrike Erdmuthe, Princess of Württemberg-Oels.
  5. Charles Frederick, Duke of Württemberg-Oels-Juliusburg, married Sibylle Juliane Charlotte of Württemberg-Weiltingen.
  6. Christian Ulrich II, Duke of Württemberg-Wilhelminenort, married Philippine Charlotte of Redern-Krappitz.
  7. Elisabeth Sibylle, Princess of Württemberg-Oels.
He concluded his third marriage, on 4 February 1695 in Hamburg with Sophie Wilhelmine of East Frisia, daughter of Prince Enno Louis Cirksena of East Frisia and Juliana Sophia Justina of Barby-Mühlingen. With her he had one daughter:
  1. Auguste Louise, Princess of Württemberg-Oels, married Georg Albrecht of Saxe-Weissenfels, Count of Barby.
He concluded his fourth marriage, on 6 December 1700 in Güstrow with Sophia, a daughter of Duke Gustav Adolph of Mecklenburg-Güstrow and Magdalene Sibylle of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp. This marriage remained childless.