The Palatinate
Palatinate, The, a historic region in Germany. The Palatinate was formed as an independent German state in 1156. Its ruler was known as the count palatine (count having royal privileges). The Palatinate came under the rule of the Wittelsbach family, the ruling dynasty of Bavaria, in 1214. In 1356, after being awarded a vote by the pope in the election of the Holy Roman Emperor, the ruler became known as the elector palatine. In 1648 the Palatinate was divided into two regions. The Upper Palatinate remained under Bavarian authority and the Lower (or Rhenish) Palatinate became an independent state.
Today, the Upper Palatinate is part of the state of Bavaria, and the Lower Palatinate is part of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate.
