With the consolidation of public finances and the creation of a reliable administration, he laid the foundations for the reform policies of his grandson, Charles Frederick.

Charles William was born in Durlach as the son of Margrave Frederick Magnus of Baden-Durlach and Augusta Maria of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp.

[citation needed] His older brother had died in 1672 at the age of about one month, so Charles William was born as the hereditary prince.

[citation needed] Charles William gained his military achievements in this war, in which he was actively involved as a senior officer from 1702 until 1709.

At the outbreak of the War of the Spanish Succession, Charles William was appointed Major General of the Swabian Circle troops, who belonged to the army of Türkenlouis.

[3] On 20 September 1703 he fought in the Battle of Höchstädt, where he worked with Leopold of Anhalt-Dessau to cover the retreat of the defeated troops of Field Marshal Hermann Otto II of Limburg Stirum.

[citation needed] The war hero Charles William also showed a completely different face as a flower collector.

The gardens burdened the finances of the small country considerably – rare tulip bulbs cost easily half the annual salary of a servant.

Only two volumes survived a fire in the Baden State Library in September 1942 caused by the phosphorus bombs of a World War II air raid; most of the scientific collection was destroyed.

[citation needed] Charles William decided to build himself a new palace in the Hardtwald forest in the plains west of Durlach.

To promote the influx Charles William granted its citizens legal, religious and financial privileges in a decree dated 24 September 1715.

[9] The size of this problem is illustrated by the fact that Charles William had to adopt five so-called Schmieralien regulations against bribery during his reign.

The aims of his economic policies included securing the revenue required to finance a reliable state apparatus (bureaucracy and military) and avoiding a loss of territory by pledges.

The first two decades of his government were marked by opposition to his general parsimony (buildings, officials pay), which contrasted with special luxuries for himself (mistresses, zoological and botanical gardens).

[citation needed] To reduce the huge debt burden, monopolies on the sale of iron, salt and tobacco were introduced at the very beginning of his reign.

[citation needed] Stamp Duty, excise, taxes, perquisites, socage and protection money payable by Jews show that fiscal ingenuity already had a long tradition.

[12] Charles William also introduced an early form of budgeting, so as to be able to adjust the tax revenues for foreseeable expenses.

[citation needed] Inspired by the example of Britain and France, Charles William also wanted to develop the industrial sector in his country.

[citation needed] At the beginning of his reign, Charles William caused the transit trade between Frankfurt urged the Basel to shift to the left side of the Rhine by charging excessive duties and administrative harassment.

He promoted the restoration of war-damaged vines and introduced a state storage of grain, to prevent extreme price increases caused by crop failures.

[citation needed] Charles William's economic policy was characterized by many initiatives are evidence and creativity and the experience proved useful to the reforms of his grandson.

[citation needed] In 1719, he established a bathhouse beneath the Chapel of St. Barbara in Langensteinbach, which became famous far beyond the borders as a royal bath (Fürstenbad) during the 18th century.

[citation needed] Charles William died in Karlsruhe in 1738, when he was planting and hoeing his tulip bed and suddenly suffered a stroke.

[citation needed] Up to this day, a pyramid at the Marktplatz (market square) stands over the location where the remains of the Margrave lie.

"The court in Karlsruhe led the field in terms of the number of mistresses – because you can't call the ladies residing in the Lead Tower of the castle anything else".

[citation needed] As early as 1696, his promiscuous lifestyle cost Charles William his chance to get on the Swedish throne.

He was on a visit to Stockholm because Swedish Court considered him for a marriage with Sophie Hedwig, the daughter of King Charles XI of Sweden.