Rupert, surnamed the Short, and the Mild, elector Palatine, son of Robert the Niggardly, was born in 1352, and elected emperor of Germany in 1400, after the deposition of the cruel Wenceslas. In order to gain the affection of the Germans, he wished to restore the Milanese to the empire, which Wenceslas had taken from it; but his attempts in this respect were unsuccessful. His attachment to the anti-pope Gregory XII. entirely alienated the affections of the German princes. To such a degree were they incensed against him, that they entered into a conspiracy to cut him off; but his death, which happened on the 18th of May 1410, being then 58 years old, put a stop to their machinations. Robert began to settle the sovereignty of the German princes. The emperors had formerly retained in their own hands the power of life and death, within the territories of a great many of the nobles; but he yielded them this right by his letters patent.—The chief fault imputed to this prince was an excess of lenity. But, if we consider the plots which he had to detect, the conspiracies which he had to frustrate, the secret and powerful enemies he had to deal with; if we inquire also into the commotions which the wicked administration of Wenceslas had excited, the irruptions and devastations of plunderers and highway robbers, which the nobles countenanced, and the distressed situation in which he found Germany, we must, without hesitation conclude, that his lenity indicated his prudence, in restoring by slow degrees the empire to its original tranquility. Robert had his virtues; he loved his subjects, and governed them with wisdom. Possessed of much political knowledge for the age in which he lived, he wanted nothing but talents for war to make him an accomplished prince. He was twice married. The name and rank of his first wife is unknown; he had by her a son, who died before him. His second wife was Elizabeth, daughter of Frederic burggrave of Nuremberg, by whom he had five sons and three daughters. The three daughters were, Margaret married to Charles duke of Lorraine; Agnes to Adolphus duke of Cleves; Elizabeth to Frederic duke of Austria. His sons were, Louis the first of the electoral branch, which became extinct in 1559; John father of Christopher king of Denmark; Frederic who died without issue; Otho count of Sintshiem; lastly, Stephen, from whom descended the elector, and the other counts palatine of the Rhine, who are extant at this day.

Robert of Bavaria, prince palatine of the Rhine, and duke of Cumberland, the son of Frederic, elector palatine, by Elizabeth, daughter of James I. king of England, distinguished himself by his valour as a general and admiral; first in the Dutch, and then in the English service. He was unsuccessful in the cause of his uncle Charles I. against the parliament forces; but under Charles II. he defeated the Dutch fleet, and was made lord high admiral of England in 1673. This prince was a lover of the sciences, and particularly skilful in chemistry. He died in 1682.