Palatinate-Veldenz was a state of the Holy Roman Empire based around Veldenz in modern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Palatinate-Veldenz was created in 1543 when Wolfgang of Palatinate-Zweibrücken gave the County of Veldenz to his uncle Rupert. Rupert died the following year and was succeeded by his son George John I. George John I obtained the County of Lützelstein in 1553 at the house contract of Heidelberg, and began the long-running connection between the Palatinate and Sweden when he married Anne, daughter of King Gustavus II Adolphus in 1563. His attempts establish the centre of his state in Alsace and the construction of the new city of Phalsbourg (Pfalzburg) proved so grand and unaffordable that he was forced to sell half of Lützelstein in 1583. In 1598 George John I's sons George