Background
Karl was the eldest son of the Count Eitel Friedrich III of Hohenzollern (1494–1525) from his marriage to Johanna van Witthem (d 1544), daughter of Philip, Lord of Beersel and Boutersem.
Karl was the eldest son of the Count Eitel Friedrich III of Hohenzollern (1494–1525) from his marriage to Johanna van Witthem (d 1544), daughter of Philip, Lord of Beersel and Boutersem.
He was Imperial Archchamberlain and chairman of the Aulic Council. Karl was Imperial Archchamberlain and later chairman of the Aulic Council. In 1534, he received the Counties of Sigmaringen and Veringen as imperial fiefs from Emperor Karl V.
Karl married in 1537 with Anna (1512–1579), a daughter of Margrave Ernst of Baden-Durlach, with whom he had several children, among them:
Ferfried (1538–1556),
Marie (1544–1611),
Eitel Friedrich IV (1545–1605), later the first Count of Hohenzollern-Hechingen
Karl II (1547–1606), later the first Count of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
Johanna (1548–1604),
Jacobea Marie (1549–1578) wife of Leonard V of Harrach (1542–1597),
Eleanor (1551–1598),
Christoph (1552–1592), later the first Count of Hohenzollern-Haigerloch
Magdalena (1553–1571), a nun in Holz,
Joachim (1554–1587), titular Count of Hohenzollern
Kunigunde (1558–1595), a nun at Inzigkofen Abbey
After his death in 1576, however, they were divided.
The third son, Christoph, founded the Hohenzollern-Haigerloch line, which died out in 1634, with Christoph"s share falling to Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen.
The youngest son, Joachim, received the county of Zollern. This line was the first to die out, when Joachim"s son Joachim Georg died in 1602.