Louis VII, Duke of Bavaria

Duke Louis VII of Bavaria (20 December 1365 – 1 May 1447, Burghausen) (German: "Ludwig VII der Bärtige, Herzog von Bayern"), was Duke of Bavaria-Ingolstadt from 1413 until 1443. He was a son of Stephen III.

Biography

As brother of Isabella of Bavaria-Ingolstadt, wife of Charles VI of France, he spent several years in France, when he succeeded his father in 1413 he ordered to build the New Castle of Ingolstadt, which was strongly influenced by French Gothic. In 1408 on the field of Othée Louis, William II, Duke of Bavaria-Straubing and John the Fearless defeated the citizens of Liege who revolted against William's brother John of Bavaria, the bishop of Liège.

Very hot-tempered Louis was not only in conflict with his former ally John of Burgundy but fought also several times against his cousin Henry XVI of Bavaria-Landshut who had united his enemies in the Parakeet Society of 1414 and the League of Constance of 1415.

The death of John of Bavaria in 1425 caused a new conflict between Louis and his cousins Henry, Ernest, Duke of Bavaria-Munich and William III, Duke of Bavaria-Munich. As a result John's duchy Bavaria-Straubing then was partitioned between the four dukes in 1429.

Finally, Louis was imprisoned in 1443 by his own son, Louis VIII, who had allied with Henry XVI. Louis died in 1447 as Henry’s prisoner. Since Louis VIII had died already two years before, the duchy of Bavaria-Ingolstadt passed to Henry.

Marriages

Louis married twice. His first wife was Anne de Bourbon whom he married on 1 October 1402. She was the widow of Jean de Berry, Count of Montpensier. She died in 1408. In 1413, he married secondly Catherine of Alencon, the daughter of Peter II of Alencon and Marie Chamaillart, Viscountess of Beaumont-au- Maine. By his first wife he had two sons,Louis VIII of Bavaria-Ingolstadt (1 September1403-7 April1445) and a son Johann (Born 1404) who died in early infancy. By his second wife he had a son Johann (Born 6 February 1415) and an unnamed daughter. Both children died young. By various mistresses, Louis fathered several illegitimate children.