Louis VI the Roman
Encyclopedia
Louis the Roman (May 7, 1328 – May 17, 1365) was the eldest son of Emperor Louis IV the Bavarian by his second wife, Margaret II, Countess of Hainault, and a member of the House of Wittelsbach. Louis was Duke of Bavaria
as Louis VI (1347–1365) and Margrave of Brandenburg
(1351–1365) as Louis II. As of 1356, he also served as the first Prince-elector
of Brandenburg.
when his parents travelled there for his father's coronation as Holy Roman Emperor
, hence his nickname "the Roman." When his father died in 1347, Louis succeeded him as Duke of Bavaria and Count of Holland and Hainaut
together with his five brothers. Louis released Holland and Hainaut
for his brothers William I and Albert I in 1349, since he expected to acquire the Polish crown by his marriage with Cunigunde of Poland, a daughter of Casimir III
and Aldona Ona of Lithuania
. Later claims against Albert were not successful.
In December of 1351 Louis VI received Brandenburg from his older half-brother Louis V in exchange for the sole rule of Upper Bavaria. Less experienced than Louis V, also he was challenged by the "False Waldemar
," an impostor who claimed Brandenburg and got support from several cities and Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV
until the Wittelsbachs came to terms with him. With the Golden Bull of 1356
, Louis was invested with the electoral dignity
.
After Cunigunde's death in 1357, Louis married Ingeborg of Mecklenburg
. She was a daughter of Albert II, Duke of Mecklenburg, and Euphemia of Sweden
. Louis had no children with her, either, thus his younger brother Otto V succeeded him in Brandenburg.
The childless dukes Louis and Otto had already promised Charles IV the succession in Brandenburg in 1364 as revenge for a conflict with their brother Stephen II
over the Bavarian succession after the death of their nephew Meinhard
, the son of Louis V. Louis VI died in Berlin
in 1365.
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
as Louis VI (1347–1365) and Margrave of Brandenburg
Margraviate of Brandenburg
The Margraviate of Brandenburg was a major principality of the Holy Roman Empire from 1157 to 1806. Also known as the March of Brandenburg , it played a pivotal role in the history of Germany and Central Europe....
(1351–1365) as Louis II. As of 1356, he also served as the first Prince-elector
Prince-elector
The Prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire were the members of the electoral college of the Holy Roman Empire, having the function of electing the Roman king or, from the middle of the 16th century onwards, directly the Holy Roman Emperor.The heir-apparent to a prince-elector was known as an...
of Brandenburg.
Biography
Louis was born in RomeRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
when his parents travelled there for his father's coronation as Holy Roman Emperor
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
, hence his nickname "the Roman." When his father died in 1347, Louis succeeded him as Duke of Bavaria and Count of Holland and Hainaut
County of Hainaut
The County of Hainaut was a historical region in the Low Countries with its capital at Mons . In English sources it is often given the archaic spelling Hainault....
together with his five brothers. Louis released Holland and Hainaut
County of Hainaut
The County of Hainaut was a historical region in the Low Countries with its capital at Mons . In English sources it is often given the archaic spelling Hainault....
for his brothers William I and Albert I in 1349, since he expected to acquire the Polish crown by his marriage with Cunigunde of Poland, a daughter of Casimir III
Casimir III of Poland
Casimir III the Great , last King of Poland from the Piast dynasty , was the son of King Władysław I the Elbow-high and Hedwig of Kalisz.-Biography:...
and Aldona Ona of Lithuania
Aldona Ona of Lithuania
Aldona was the Queen of Poland , and the Princess of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. She was the daughter of Gediminas, Grand Duke of Lithuania.-Biography:Aldona married Casimir III of Poland, when he was 15 or 16 years old...
. Later claims against Albert were not successful.
In December of 1351 Louis VI received Brandenburg from his older half-brother Louis V in exchange for the sole rule of Upper Bavaria. Less experienced than Louis V, also he was challenged by the "False Waldemar
False Waldemar
The False Waldemar, also known as the Wrong Woldemar was an impostor who from 1348 to 1350 was invested with the Mark Brandenburg by Charles IV.- Life :The legitimate Waldemar, Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal was buried in 1319...
," an impostor who claimed Brandenburg and got support from several cities and Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV
Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles IV , born Wenceslaus , was the second king of Bohemia from the House of Luxembourg, and the first king of Bohemia to also become Holy Roman Emperor....
until the Wittelsbachs came to terms with him. With the Golden Bull of 1356
Golden Bull of 1356
The Golden Bull of 1356 was a decree issued by the Reichstag assembly in Nuremberg headed by the Luxembourg Emperor Charles IV that fixed, for a period of more than four hundred years, important aspects of the constitutional structure of the Holy Roman Empire...
, Louis was invested with the electoral dignity
Prince-elector
The Prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire were the members of the electoral college of the Holy Roman Empire, having the function of electing the Roman king or, from the middle of the 16th century onwards, directly the Holy Roman Emperor.The heir-apparent to a prince-elector was known as an...
.
After Cunigunde's death in 1357, Louis married Ingeborg of Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg is a historical region in northern Germany comprising the western and larger part of the federal-state Mecklenburg-Vorpommern...
. She was a daughter of Albert II, Duke of Mecklenburg, and Euphemia of Sweden
Euphemia of Sweden
Eufemia Ericsdotter of Sweden was a Swedish princess, spouse of Albert II, Duke of Mecklenburg, Duchess Consort of Mecklenburg, heiress of Sweden and of Norway, mother of king Albert of Sweden.- Biography :Her father was Eric of Sweden Eufemia Ericsdotter of Sweden (1317–1370) was a Swedish...
. Louis had no children with her, either, thus his younger brother Otto V succeeded him in Brandenburg.
The childless dukes Louis and Otto had already promised Charles IV the succession in Brandenburg in 1364 as revenge for a conflict with their brother Stephen II
Stephen II, Duke of Bavaria
Duke Stephen II of Bavaria , after 1347 Duke of Bavaria. He was the second son of Emperor Louis IV the Bavarian by his first wife Beatrix of Świdnica and a member of the Wittelsbach dynasty.-Biography:During the reign of Emperor Louis IV his son Stephen served as vogt of Swabia and Alsace...
over the Bavarian succession after the death of their nephew Meinhard
Meinhard III of Gorizia-Tyrol
Meinhard III was Duke of Upper Bavaria and the last Count of Tyrol from the House of Wittelsbach.Meinhard was the son of Duke Louis V of Bavaria with Countess Margaret of Gorizia-Tyrol and as such also the last descendant of Meinhard I, Count of Gorizia .-Biography:Meinhard III was born in Landshut...
, the son of Louis V. Louis VI died in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
in 1365.