Background
Christian Wilhelm was a son of Elector Joachim Frederick of Brandenburg (1546-1608) from his first marriage with Catherine (1549-1602), a daughter of Margrave John of Brandenburg-Küstrin (1513-1571).
Christian Wilhelm was a son of Elector Joachim Frederick of Brandenburg (1546-1608) from his first marriage with Catherine (1549-1602), a daughter of Margrave John of Brandenburg-Küstrin (1513-1571).
He was elected as Archbishop of Magdeburg in 1598. However, the city of Magdeburg did not recognnize him as Prince-Bishop, because his election had not been confirmed by the emperor. That same year, he also became coadjutor of Halberstadt.
In 1624, he became administrator of Halberstadt.
During the Thirty Years" War, he entered into an alliance with Denmark. In 1626, he led an army from Lower Saxony into the Battle of Dessau Bridge.
In 1629, he fled to the court of King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden. In 1630, he returned to Germany.
The cathedral chapter of Magdeburg formally deposed him in 1631.
Sweden promised to assist him when he attempted to reconquer his Archbishopric. Nevertheless, the reconquest failed and he was badly injured during the siege of Magdeburg in 1631. A pamphlet with the title Speculum veritatis was published in his name, and he was released.
Under the Peace of Prague of 1635, he received an annual sum of 12000 taler from the revenues of the archbishopric of Magdeburg, plus the districts Loburg and Zinna.
In 1651, he purchased the Nový Hrad estate in Bohemia. He died at Zinna Abbey in 1665.
