CHRISTOPHER, DUKE OF WORTEMBERG, was born in 1515. His early life was pent in grist troubles. In 1519-20 the confederated Nubian cities expelled his father Ulric, from Lie dominions, and trsns tarred the dukedom to the house of Austria. Christopher was carried to Vienna, where he narrowly escaped being made a prisoner by the Turks during their siege of that capital, under the great Solyman. In 1532 the Emperor Charles V. determined to confine him in a monamtery in Spain, being snore apprehensive of his talents than of those of hie father the expelled duke, who WWI still living. When near to the Spanish frontier, Christopher escaped from his escort and fled to Bavaria, when hi. uncle, the reigning duke, and Philip the landgrave of Hew, took up his own and his father's cause. The buidgrave in 1534 defeated the Auatrians in the battle of Lauren, and wrstored Duke Ulric, who was well received by his people, and tholes forward placed under the safe protection of the great Protestant league of Schmalkelden. The reoovery of Wartemberg was a great advantage on this aide of the Protostanta ; but it was not until 1552, or two yeare after the death of Uirie and the accession of Christopher, that the Lutheran religion was fully established in that duchy.
Finding, after a reign of two years, hi. authority was firmly esta blished, Christopher proceeded to complete the work of the Reform... Hon ; and it is as a church reformer that he is honourably distinguished from the Protestant princes his contemporaries. The church property he appropriated to the purposes of education, and to the support of the ministers of the new religion. A great fund was formed out of it and kept sacred, under the name of the ' Wiirteinberg church property;' the revenue derived from which sufficed to support what were called the Wiirtemberg cloister schools—destined for the educe tion of the clergy—the great theological seminary at Tubingen, and other establishments for the instruction of the people. Christopher also extended the liberties of his subjects, and gave them • code of laws. After a popular and beneficial reign of eighteen years, ho died in December 1568.