Château de Lützelstein

The origins of the Château de Lützelstein date back to the late 12th century, when Count Hugo, a descendant of Count Hugo of Blieskastel, had the castle built. In 1223, the castle and its county were enfeoffed to the Bishopric of Strasbourg. With the death of Count Friedrich in 1403, the main line of the Lützelstein family died out, leading to inheritance disputes. Following the early death of the involved heirs without offspring, the Electoral Palatinate seized the fief in 1462 and administered Lützelstein thereafter. In 1553, as part of a reorganization of the Wittelsbach inheritance, the county passed from the Electoral Palatinate to Palatinate-Zweibrücken. Duke Wolfgang of Palatinate-Zweibrücken transferred Lützelstein to his cousin Georg Johann I of Palatinate-Veldenz in 1563/67, who resided there and founded the town of Pfalzburg in 1570. However, due to heavy debts, Georg Johann had to sell parts of the property to Lorraine in 1583.