When the Wittelsbach line of Palatinate-Simmern ended in 1685 with the death of Liselotte's brother, Charles II, Elector Palatine, Louis XIV raised a claim to the Electoral Palatinate on behalf of Liselotte, contrary to her marriage contract, and began the Palatinate War of Succession. Heidelberg (including the electoral palace) and Mannheim, were systematically destroyed. For Liselotte, who at the same time also had to cope with the death of her beloved half-brother "Karllutz", this was probably the most traumatic time of her life. She suffered a lot from the devastation of her homeland and from the fact that this officially also happened in her name: