Albert I, Duke of Bavaria

Albert I, Duke of Bavaria
Albert I, Duke of Bavaria
Spouse(s)	Margaret of Brieg Margaret of Cleves
Noble family	House of Wittelsbach
Father	Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Mother	Empress Margaret
Born	25 July 1336(1336-07-25) Munich
Died	13 December 1404(1404-12-13) (aged 68) the Hague

Duke Albert I or Albrecht KG (July 25, 1336, Munich – December 13, 1404, The Hague) was a feudal ruler of the counties of Holland, Hainaut, and Zeeland in the Low Countries. Additionally, he held a portion of the Bavarian province of Straubing, his Bavarian ducal line's appanage and seat.

Contents 1 Biography 2 Family and children 3 Ancestors 4 See also

Biography

Albert was the third son of Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor from his second wife Empress Margaret, who was the daughter of William III, Count of Holland and Hainaut. Albert was originally a younger son, apportioned at best an appanage. He was only 10 years old when his father died, leaving most of his Bavarian inheritance to his eldest half-brother, Louis V, Duke of Bavaria, but also some appanages to the younger sons.

His elder brother, William V, Count of Hainaut, had engaged in a long struggle with their mother, obtaining Holland and Zeeland from her in 1354, and Hainaut on her death in 1356. William was supported by the party of burghers (French: bourgeois) of the cities. They were opposed in this by the Hook faction, the party of disaffected nobles who were supporters of Empress Margaret. Margaret had been Countess of Holland, Zeeland and Hainault in succession to her brother William IV, who was killed in battle. She had resigned her sovereignty in favour of her son William V, but the result was a period of great upheavals and chaos which gave rise to the formation of these two opposing parties.

However, William's insanity resulted in the appointment of the then 22-year-old Albert as governor (or regent or ruwaard) of his brother's territories from 1358 onwards. During Albert's regency, affairs ran smoothly and trade improved. Troubles between the two political parties, the Hooks (Hoeks) and Cods (Kabeljauws), remained barely beneath the surface. William lived for another thirty years. Albert did not formally succeed him until his death in 1388, by which time he had already married his daughters to a number of Imperial princes and other nobles. The eldest daughter to have issue was Margaret; her son Philip III, Duke of Burgundy would ultimately inherit Albert's territories.

In Albert's own reign, troubles erupted between the parties because of a woman. Albert always had mistresses, but this time his attentions were drawn to Aleid van Poelgeest, a Cod, very beautiful, who gained political influence which was resented. A plot was hatched among the Hooks as well as members of Albert's household. One September night in 1392 Aleid was murdered in The Hague.

In his rage Albrecht persecuted the Hoeks, by sword and fire, conquering one castle after the other. Even his own son and heir William did not feel safe and went to live in Hainault. During his last years, Albrecht fought the Frisians. They were beaten time and time again, but were never completely conquered.

On Albert's death in 1404, he was succeeded by his eldest son, William. A younger son, John III, became Bishop of Liège. However, on William's death in 1417, a war of succession broke out between John and William's daughter Jacqueline of Hainaut. This would be the last episode of the Hook and Cod wars and finally place the counties into Burgundian hands.

Family and children

Albert married in Passau after July 19, 1353, Margaret of Brieg from Silesia (1342/43 – 1386), and had seven children, all of whom lived to adulthood:

1. Katharina (c. 1361 – 1400, Hattem), married in Geertruidenberg in 1379 William I of Gelders and Jülich
2. Johanna (c. 1362 – 1386), wife of Wenceslaus, King of the Romans
3. Margaret (1363 – January 23, 1423, Dijon), married in Cambrai in 1385 John the Fearless
4. William VI, Count of Holland (1365–1417)
5. Albert II, Duke of Bavaria-Straubing (1369 – January 21, 1397, Kelheim)
6. Joanna Sophia (c. 1373 – November 15, 1410, Vienna), married on June 15, 1395 Albert IV, Duke of Austria
7. John, Count of Holland (1374/76 – 1425), Bishop of Liège

He also had several illegitimate children.

Albert contracted a second marriage in 1394 in Heusden with Margaret of Cleves (c. 1375 – 1412), sister of Adolph I, Duke of Cleves, but they had no children.

Ancestors

Ancestors of Albert I, Duke of Bavaria

16. Louis I, Duke of Bavaria               8. Otto II, Duke of Bavaria                       17. Ludmilla of Bohemia               4. Louis II, Duke of Bavaria                             18. Henry V, Count Palatine of the Rhine               9. Agnes of the Palatinate                       19. Agnes of Hohenstaufen               2. Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor                                   20. Albert IV, Count of Habsburg               10. Rudolph I of Germany                       21. Hedwig of Kyburg               5. Matilda of Habsburg                             22. Burchard V, Count of Hohenberg               11. Gertrude of Hohenburg                       23. Mechtild of Tübingen               1. Albert I, Duke of Bavaria                                         24. John I, Count of Hainaut               12. John II, Count of Hainaut                       25. Adelaide of Holland               6. William I, Count of Hainaut                             26. Henry V, Count of Luxembourg               13. Philippa of Luxembourg                       27. Margaret of Bar               3. Margaret II, Countess of Hainault                                   28. Philip III of France               14. Charles, Count of Valois                       29. Isabella of Aragon               7. Joan of Valois                             30. Charles II of Naples               15. Margaret, Countess of Anjou                       31. Maria of Hungary

See also

• Counts of Hainaut family tree

Albert I, Duke of Bavaria House of Wittelsbach Born: 25 July 1336 Died: 13 December 1404
Regnal titles
Preceded by Louis IV	Duke of Bavaria jointly with Louis V, Stephen II, Louis VI, William I, Otto V 1347–1349	Succeeded by (partitioned into Upper and Lower Bavaria)
Preceded by (created from Bavaria)	Duke of Lower Bavaria jointly with Stephen II and William I 1349–1353	Succeeded by (partitioned into Bavaria-Landshut and Bavaria-Straubing)
Preceded by (created from Lower Bavaria)	Duke of Bavaria-Straubing jointly with William I and Albert II 1353–1404	Succeeded by William II
Preceded by William V	Count of Hainaut , Holland and Zeeland 1388–1404	Succeeded by William VI

Persondata
Name	Albert I, Duke of Bavaria
Alternative names	Albrecht I. von Bayern (German)
Short description	Count of Hainaut, Holland and Zeeland (1388-1404)
Date of birth	July 25, 1336
Place of birth	Munich
Date of death	December 13, 1404
Place of death	the Hague