He was born in Neuburg an der Donau as son of Philip William, Elector Palatine and Landgravine Elisabeth Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt.

In 1683, he became Prince-Bishop of Breslau (Wrocław) after the death of his brother Wolfgang Georg, who should have held this office.

In 1694, he assumed the additional offices of Hochmeister of the Teutonic Order and Prince-Bishop of Worms.
1716, he became Archbishop-Elector of Trier.
During his regency in Trier, he reorganized the jurisdiction in the diocese and advanced the renovation of the Roman Moselle bridge and the cathedral.
He became Archbishop-Elector of Mainz in 1729, giving up the position in Trier as the Pope had prohibited a merging of the two Archbishoprics.
In Mainz, Franz Ludwig also started some administrative and judicial reforms as well as the construction of the Deutschhaus.

Franz Ludwig died in Breslau (Wrocław) and is buried there in a specially built chapel in Wrocław Cathedral.
He was born in Neuburg an der Donau as son of Philip William, Elector Palatine and Landgravine Elisabeth Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt.
In 1683, he became Prince-Bishop of Breslau (Wrocław) after the death of his brother Wolfgang Georg, who should have held this office.
In 1694, he assumed the additional offices of Hochmeister of the Teutonic Order and Prince-Bishop of Worms. 1716, he became Archbishop-Elector of Trier. During his regency in Trier, he reorganized the jurisdiction in the diocese and advanced the renovation of the Roman Moselle bridge and the cathedral. He became Archbishop-Elector of Mainz in 1729, giving up the position in Trier as the Pope had prohibited a merging of the two Archbishoprics. In Mainz, Franz Ludwig also started some administrative and judicial reforms as well as the construction of the Deutschhaus.
Franz Ludwig died in Breslau (Wrocław) and is buried there in a specially built chapel in Wrocław Cathedral.
Francis Louis of Palatinate-Neuburg