Ludwig I, Count of Württemberg-Urach

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Coat of arms of Counts of Württemberg-Urach
Coat of arms of Counts of Württemberg-Urach

Ludwig I (before October 31, 1412 – September 23/24(?), 1450 in Urach), Count of Württemberg. The son of count Eberhard IV and Henriette of Montbéliard. He reigned from 1419 until 1450.

After the death of his father count Eberhard IV , he and his brother Ulrich V were put under the tutelage from 1419 to 1426. Besides his mother Henriette of Montbéliard this guardianship was executed by officials, the so-called Regentschaftsrat (Regency Council).

After his coming of age he reigned Württemberg since 1426, first alone and later, starting in 1433, together with his brother Ulrich V. Ludwig was married to Mechthild of the Palatinate. The wedding was celebrated on October 21, 1436 in Stuttgart. After Ulrich's wedding with Margarethe von Cleve, the two brothers agreed on the partition of Württemberg. This was first limited on four years. But finally was made permanent by the Treaty of Nürtingen, signed on January 23, 1442.

Ludwig received the part of Urach with the territories in the south and the west of the county, including the territories in Alsace. After the death of Henriette of Montbéliard in 1444, Ludwig also obtained Montbéliard. Ludwig remodeled Urach into his residence and implemented an active policy to strengthen the monasteries in his realm of power.

He tried to align Württemberg more with the Wittelsbach and Habsburg dynasties. For example he supported duke Albert VI of Austria in his fight against the Old Swiss Confederacy.

He died in 1450 as a result of the plague.

[edit] Children

Ludwig I and Mechthild of the Palatinate had the following children:

  • Mechthild (* after 1436; † 6.6.1495), married since 1454 with Louis II, Landgrave of Hesse (1438-1471)
  • Ludwig II (* 3.4.1439; † 3.11.1457), since 1450 Count of Württemberg-Urach
  • Andreas (* 11.4 und † 19.5.1443)
  • Eberhard V (* 11.12.1445; † 24.2.1496), since 1457 count of Württemberg-Urach, since 1495 Duke Eberhard I. of Württemberg
  • Elisabeth (* 4.10.1447; † 3.6.1505), married since 1470 with Johann III, Count of Nassau-Weilburg in Saarbrücken (1423-1472), and since 1474 with Heinrich dem Älteren, Count zu Stolberg (1436-1511)
Preceded by
Eberhard IV		 Count of Württemberg
1419–1450		 Succeeded by
Ludwig II