Louis I, Duke of Bavaria

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Duke Louis I of Bavaria (German: Ludwig I der Kelheimer, Herzog von Bayern, Pfalzgraf bei Rhein) (Kelheim, 23 December 1173 – 15 September 1231 in Kelheim) was the Duke of Bavaria in 1183 and the Count of Palatinate of the Rhine in 1214. He was a son of Otto I and his wife Agnes of Loon.

[edit] Life

Louis extended the duchy of Bavaria and founded many cities, like Landshut in 1204, Straubing in 1218 and Landau an der Isar in 1224. He supported Otto IV, who therefore confirmed the everlasting reign of the Wittelsbach family in Bavaria. But in 1211 Louis joined the Hohenstaufen party, Frederick II rewarded him with the Palatinate of the Rhine in 1214. In 1221 Louis participated in the Fifth Crusade and was imprisoned in Egypt. Louis was murdered in 1231 on a bridge in Kelheim. The crime was never cleared up since the murderer was immediately lynched. Due to the following aversion of the Wittelsbach family the city of Kelheim lost its status as one of the ducal residences. Louis was buried in the crypt of Scheyern Abbey.

Preceded by Otto I	Duke of Bavaria 1183–1231	Succeeded by Otto II
Preceded by Henry VI	Count Palatine of the Rhine 1214–1231