Louis V, Duke of Bavaria
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Louis V, Duke of Bavaria, called the Brandenburger (May 1315 – 18 September 1361 in Zorneding near Munich) (German: Ludwig V der Brandenburger, Herzog von Bayern, Markgraf von Brandenburg) was Duke of Bavaria and as Louis I also Margrave of Brandenburg and Count of Tyrol. Louis V was the eldest son of Emperor Louis IV and a member of the Wittelsbach dynasty.
Louis V was Margrave of Brandenburg from 1323 onwards. As such Louis contributed to the Declaration at Rhense in 1338. The Wittelsbach rule in Brandenburg never got much popularity.
In order to acquire Tyrol for the Wittelsbach family, Louis V married Margarete Maultasch in 1342 before she was divorced from her previous husband, John Henry, Margrave of Moravia. John Henry was a brother of Charles IV and son of John, Count of Luxembourg, who had deposed Margarete's father, Henry, Count of Tyrol as King of Bohemia in 1310. William of Ockham and Marsilius of Padua defended this first "civil marriage" in the Middle Ages. The Pope, however, excommunicated the couple and the scandal was known across Europe.
When his father died in 1347, Louis succeeded him as Duke of Bavaria together with his five brothers. In 1349, Bavaria was partitioned; he and his younger brothers Louis VI the Roman and Otto V the Bavarian received Upper Bavaria.
The banned Louis could not apply for the German crown and negotiated with Edward III of England to compete against the new German king Charles IV. Finally the Wittelsbach party elected Günther von Schwarzburg as anti-king in 1349. Louis V successfully resisted Charles IV even though Günther von Schwarzburg's kingship failed. He managed to keep all possessions for the Wittelsbach dynasty until his death.
In alliance with Denmark and Pomerania Louis V drove back a revolt in 1348 - 1350 caused by the "False Waldemar," an imposter who claimed Brandenburg and got support from several cities and Charles IV. The civil war caused a huge devastation in Brandenburg. Louis also successfully repulsed an attack of Charles IV against Tyrol.
In 1349 and 1351 Louis issued two decrees to relieve the consequences of the plague.
Louis released Brandenburg in December 1351 to his brothers Louis VI the Roman and Otto V the Bavarian in exchange for the sole rule of Upper Bavaria. Louis then combined the administration of Upper Bavaria and Tyrol.
With the Golden Bull of 1356 only the Palatinate branch of the Wittelsbach and Louis VI the Roman as margrave of Brandenburg were invested with the electoral dignity, which caused a new conflict between Louis and Charles IV.
Louis had good relations with his Habsburg relatives. With their support, Louis and his consort Margarete were absolved from the excommunication in 1359. Louis died in September 1361 during a ride from Tyrol to Munich and was succeeded by his son Meinhard.
[edit] Family and children
He was married two times.
- 1324: Margrete of Danmark (1305-1340), daughter of Christopher II of Denmark
Children:
- Elisabeth of Bavaria (1326?-1345?)
- 1342: Margarete Maultasch (1318-1369), daughter of Henry I of Bohemia
Children:
- Hermann of Bavaria (Mar 1343-1360)
- Meinhard (9 Feb 1344 in Landshut-13 Jan 1363 Tirol castle), married with Margarethe of Austria (1346-1366)
- daughter
- daughter
| Preceded by Louis IV |
Margrave of Brandenburg 1323–1351 |
Succeeded by Louis VI the Roman |
| Preceded by Louis IV |
Duke of Bavaria 1347–1349 jointly with Stephen II, Louis VI, William I, Albert I, Otto V |
Succeeded by partitioned into Upper and Lower Bavaria |
| Preceded by created from Bavaria |
Duke of Upper Bavaria 1349–1361 jointly with Louis VI and Otto V 1349–1351 |
Succeeded by Meinhard III |
| Preceded by Margarete Maultasch |
Count of Tyrol 1342–1361 |
