Background
Elisabeth Auguste"s parents were Joseph Charles of Sulzbach (1694–1729) and Elisabeth Auguste of Neuburg (1693–1728), the latter the daughter of Elector Charles III Philip.
Elisabeth Auguste"s parents were Joseph Charles of Sulzbach (1694–1729) and Elisabeth Auguste of Neuburg (1693–1728), the latter the daughter of Elector Charles III Philip.
The marriage was arranged to avoid a potential inheritance dispute within the different family branches. While Charles Theodore was described as learned and interested in the enlightenment, Elisabeth Augusta was described as vivacious, pleasure loving, uneducated and shallow. In 1760, however, it was reported that Charles Theodor was beginning to free himself from her dominance.
The couple thereafter largely lived apart, each one taking lovers of their own.
Divorce was never contemplated. Due to her not having a child and unable to have another legitimate child due to the discontinued marital sexual relations, she had no power base at court after she had lost her personal influence over her spouse.
In 1764, Charles Theodor had an official mistress, the dancer Françoise Despres-Verneuil, who was succeeded by Josefa Seiffert in 1766, which was a humiliation for Elisabeth Auguste. Elisabeth Auguste moved to her own residence of Schloss von Oggersheim, where she lived permanently with her own court from 1768, only making formal visits to the court of her spouse in winter: after 1781, she discontinued also with these visits.
She did not like the Bavarian court, which she regarded to be too spartan for her taste.
She was quite popular in the Palatinate, especially since Charles Theodor moved to Bavaria in 1777. At the end of 1793, in the face of advancing French troops, Elisabeth Auguste fled to Weinheim, where she died in 1794. Her husband subsequently married Maria Leopoldine of Austria-Este.
Count Palatine Franz Ludwig Joseph of Sulzbach (28 June 1762 – 29 June 1762) died in infancy.
Titles and styles 17 January 1721 – 17 January 1742 Her Serene Highness Countess Palatine Elisabeth Augusta of Sulzbach 17 January 1742 – 31 December 1742 Her Serene Highness the Electoral Princess of the Palatinate 31 December 1742 – 30 December 1777 Her Serene Highness the Electress Palatine 30 December 1777 – 17 August 1794 Her Serene Highness the Electress of Bavaria.