Portrait of Elisabeth of the Palatinate

Elisabeth of the Palatinate

German princess, philosopher, and Calvinist

Lived
1618–1680
Country
Electoral Palatinate

Updated September 2026

About Elisabeth of the Palatinate

Elisabeth of the Palatinate, also known as Elisabeth of Bohemia, Princess Elisabeth of the Palatinate, or Princess-Abbess of Herford Abbey, was the eldest daughter of Frederick V, Elector Palatine, and Elizabeth Stuart. Elisabeth of the Palatinate was a philosopher best known for her correspondence with René Descartes. She was critical of Descartes' dualistic metaphysics and her work anticipated the metaphysical concerns of later philosophers.

Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.

Authors like Elisabeth of the Palatinate

Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.