William IV, Duke of Bavaria

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William IV of Bavaria

William IV of Bavaria (German: Wilhelm IV., Herzog von Bayern), 13 November 1493 – 7 March 1550, was Duke of Bavaria from 1508 to 1550, until 1545 together with his younger brother Louis X, Duke of Bavaria.

He was born in Munich to Albert IV and Kunigunde of Austria, a daughter of Emperor Frederick III.

[edit] Political activity

William initially sympathized with the reformation but changed his mind as it grew more popular in Bavaria. In 1522 William issued the first Bavarian religion mandate, banning the promulgation of Martin Luther's works. After an agreement with Pope Clement VII in 1524 William became a political leader of the German Counter reformation, although he remained in opposition to the Habsburgs since his brother Louis X claimed the Bohemian crown. Both dukes also suppressed the peasant uprising in South Germany in an alliance with the archbishop of Salzburg in 1525.

The conflict with Habsburg ended in 1534 when both dukes reached an agreement with Ferdinand I in Linz. William then supported Charles V in his war against the Schmalkaldic League in 1546.

[edit] Cultural activity

William was a significant collector and commissioner of art. Among other works he commissioned an important suite of paintings from various artists, including the Battle of Issus by Albrecht Altdorfer. This, like most of William's collection, is now housed in the Alte Pinakothek in Munich.

On 23 April 1516, before a committee consisting of gentry and knights in Ingolstadt, he issued his famous purity regulation for the brewing of Bavarian Beer, stating that only barley, hops, and water could be used. This regulation remained in force until it was abolished as a binding obligation in 1986 by Paneuropean regulations of the European Union.

[edit] Family and children

In 1522 William married Jakobaea of Baden (1507-1580); they had four children:

Theodo of Bavaria (10 February 1526 — 8 July 1534)
Duke Albert V of Bavaria (1528-1579)
Wilhelm of Bavaria (17 February 1529 — 22 October 1530)
Mechthild of Bavaria (12 July 1532 — 2 November 1565), married in 1557 Philibert of Baden (1536-1569)

Also he had two illegitimate children: A son Knight Georg v.Hegnenberg (c.1509 - 1590) with Margarete Hausner v.Stettberg and a daughter Anna (died 1570) with an unknown woman

William is buried in the Frauenkirche in Munich.