Ernest, Duke of Bavaria
Encyclopedia
Ernest of Bavaria-Munich , (Munich
, 1373 – 2 July 1438 in Munich), from 1397 Duke of Bavaria-Munich
.
and ruled the duchy of Bavaria-Munich together with his brother William III
.
He restrained uprisings of the citizenry of Munich in 1396 and 1410 and forced his uncle Stephen III
to confine his reign to Bavaria-Ingolstadt
in 1402. Afterwards Ernest still fought several times successfully against the dukes of Bavaria-Ingolstadt
Stephen III and his son Louis VII the Bearded
as ally of Henry XVI of Bavaria
-Landshut
. He was a member of the Parakeet Society
and of the League of Constance.
After the extinction of the Wittelsbach
dukes of Bavaria-Straubing
, counts of Holland
and Hainaut
, Ernest and his brother William struggled with Henry and Louis but finally received half of Bavaria-Straubing including the city of Straubing in 1429.
As ally of the House of Luxembourg
Ernest backed his deposed brother in law Wenceslaus against the new king Rupert
of the older branch of his own Wittelsbach
dynasty as well as Wenceslaus' brother Sigismund
in his wars against the supporters of Jan Hus
. This led to devastations in Northern Bavaria until 1434.
When his son Albert III
married secretly the maid Agnes Bernauer
in 1432, Ernest ordered her murdered. She was accused of witchcraft and thrown into the River Danube
and drowned. The civil war with his son finally ended with a reconciliation. He is buried in the Frauenkirche
in Munich
.
26 January 1395 to Elisabetta Visconti
, daughter of Bernabò Visconti
and had the following children:
He also had at least three illegitimate children.
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, 1373 – 2 July 1438 in Munich), from 1397 Duke of Bavaria-Munich
Bavaria-Munich
-History:After the death of Stephen II in 1375, his sons Stephen III, Frederick, and John II jointly ruled Bavaria-Landshut. After seventeen years, the brothers decided to formally divide their inheritance. John received Bavaria-Munich, Stephen received Bavaria-Ingolstadt, while Frederick kept...
.
Biography
Ernest was a son of John IIJohn II, Duke of Bavaria
Duke John II of Bavaria-Munich , , since 1375 Duke of Bavaria-Munich. He was the third son of Stephen II and Elizabeth of Sicily.-Family:...
and ruled the duchy of Bavaria-Munich together with his brother William III
William III, Duke of Bavaria
William III , was Duke of Bavaria-Munich , together and in concord with his older brother Ernest, Duke of Bavaria....
.
He restrained uprisings of the citizenry of Munich in 1396 and 1410 and forced his uncle Stephen III
Stephen III, Duke of Bavaria
Duke Stephen III of Bavaria was a Duke of Bavaria since 1375. He was the eldest son of Stephen II and Elizabeth of Sicily.-Family:...
to confine his reign to Bavaria-Ingolstadt
Bavaria-Ingolstadt
Bavaria-Ingolstadt was a duchy which was part of the Holy Roman Empire from 1392 to 1447.-History:After the death of Stephen II in 1375, his sons Stephen III, Frederick, and John II jointly ruled Bavaria-Landshut. After seventeen years, the brothers decided to formally divide their inheritance...
in 1402. Afterwards Ernest still fought several times successfully against the dukes of Bavaria-Ingolstadt
Ingolstadt
Ingolstadt is a city in the Free State of Bavaria, in the Federal Republic of Germany. It is located along the banks of the Danube River, in the center of Bavaria. As at 31 March 2011, Ingolstadt had 125.407 residents...
Stephen III and his son Louis VII the Bearded
Louis VII, Duke of Bavaria
Duke Louis VII of Bavaria was Duke of Bavaria-Ingolstadt from 1413 until 1443. He was a son of Stephen III and Taddea Visconti.-Biography:...
as ally of Henry XVI of Bavaria
Henry XVI of Bavaria
Henry XVI of Bavaria , , since 1393 Duke of Bavaria-Landshut. He was a son of duke Frederick and his wife Maddalena Visconti, a daughter of Bernabò Visconti.-Life:...
-Landshut
Landshut
Landshut is a city in Bavaria in the south-east of Germany, belonging to both Eastern and Southern Bavaria. Situated on the banks of the River Isar, Landshut is the capital of Lower Bavaria, one of the seven administrative regions of the Free State of Bavaria. It is also the seat of the...
. He was a member of the Parakeet Society
Parakeet Society
The Parakeet Society was a union of the enemies of Louis VII the Bearded, duke of Bavaria-Ingolstadt. It was founded on April 17, 1414 by his cousin, duke Henry XVI of Bavaria-Landshut...
and of the League of Constance.
After the extinction of the Wittelsbach
Wittelsbach
The Wittelsbach family is a European royal family and a German dynasty from Bavaria.Members of the family served as Dukes, Electors and Kings of Bavaria , Counts Palatine of the Rhine , Margraves of Brandenburg , Counts of Holland, Hainaut and Zeeland , Elector-Archbishops of Cologne , Dukes of...
dukes of Bavaria-Straubing
Bavaria-Straubing
Bavaria-Straubing denotes the widely-scattered territorial inheritance in the Wittelsbach house of Bavaria that were governed by independent dukes of Bavaria-Straubing between 1353 and 1432; a map of these marches and outliers of the Holy Roman Empire, vividly demonstrates the fractionalisation of...
, counts of Holland
County of Holland
The County of Holland was a county in the Holy Roman Empire and from 1482 part of the Habsburg Netherlands in what is now the Netherlands. It covered an area roughly corresponding to the current Dutch provinces of North-Holland and South-Holland, as well as the islands of Terschelling, Vlieland,...
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....
, Ernest and his brother William struggled with Henry and Louis but finally received half of Bavaria-Straubing including the city of Straubing in 1429.
As ally of the House of Luxembourg
House of Luxembourg
The House of Luxembourg was a late medieval German dynasty, which between 1308 and 1437 ruled the Holy Roman Empire, twice interrupted by the rivaling House of Wittelsbach.-History:...
Ernest backed his deposed brother in law Wenceslaus against the new king Rupert
Rupert of Germany
Rupert of Germany from the House of Wittelsbach was Elector Palatine from 1398 and German King from 1400 until his death...
of the older branch of his own Wittelsbach
Wittelsbach
The Wittelsbach family is a European royal family and a German dynasty from Bavaria.Members of the family served as Dukes, Electors and Kings of Bavaria , Counts Palatine of the Rhine , Margraves of Brandenburg , Counts of Holland, Hainaut and Zeeland , Elector-Archbishops of Cologne , Dukes of...
dynasty as well as Wenceslaus' brother Sigismund
Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor
Sigismund of Luxemburg KG was King of Hungary, of Croatia from 1387 to 1437, of Bohemia from 1419, and Holy Roman Emperor for four years from 1433 until 1437, the last Emperor of the House of Luxemburg. He was also King of Italy from 1431, and of Germany from 1411...
in his wars against the supporters of Jan Hus
Jan Hus
Jan Hus , often referred to in English as John Hus or John Huss, was a Czech priest, philosopher, reformer, and master at Charles University in Prague...
. This led to devastations in Northern Bavaria until 1434.
When his son Albert III
Albert III, Duke of Bavaria
Albert III the Pious of Bavaria-Munich , , since 1438 Duke of Bavaria-Munich. He was born to Ernest, Duke of Bavaria and Elisabetta Visconti, daughter of Bernabò Visconti.-Life:Albert was born in Munich....
married secretly the maid Agnes Bernauer
Agnes Bernauer
Agnes Bernauer was the mistress and perhaps also the first wife of Albert, later Albert III, Duke of Bavaria...
in 1432, Ernest ordered her murdered. She was accused of witchcraft and thrown into the River Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
and drowned. The civil war with his son finally ended with a reconciliation. He is buried in the Frauenkirche
Munich Frauenkirche
The Frauenkirche is a church in the Bavarian city of Munich that serves as the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising and seat of its Archbishop. It is a landmark and is considered a symbol of the Bavarian capital city.The church towers are widely visible because of local height...
in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
.
Family and children
He was married in PfaffenhofenPfaffenhofen
Pfaffenhofen is the name ofin Germany:* Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm, a town in Bavaria* Pfaffenhofen , in Bavaria* Pfaffenhofen an der Glonn, a municipality in Dachau, Bavaria* a part of the municipality of Altomünster in Dachau, Bavaria...
26 January 1395 to Elisabetta Visconti
Elisabetta Visconti
Elisabetta Visconti , also known as Elisabeth or Elizabeth, was a younger child of Bernabò Visconti and his wife Beatrice Regina della Scala...
, daughter of Bernabò Visconti
Bernabo Visconti
Bernabò Visconti was an Italian soldier and statesman, who was Lord of Milan.-Life:He was born in Milan, the son of Stefano Visconti and Valentina Doria. From 1346 to 1349 he lived in exile, until he was called back by his uncle Giovanni Visconti...
and had the following children:
- Albert III, Duke of BavariaAlbert III, Duke of BavariaAlbert III the Pious of Bavaria-Munich , , since 1438 Duke of Bavaria-Munich. He was born to Ernest, Duke of Bavaria and Elisabetta Visconti, daughter of Bernabò Visconti.-Life:Albert was born in Munich....
(23 March 1401, Munich–29 February 1460, Munich). - Beatrix (ca. 1403–12 March 1447, NeumarktNeumarkt-Places:Austria*Neumarkt am Wallersee, in Salzburg*Neumarkt an der Raab, in Burgenland*Neumarkt an der Ybbs, in Lower Austria*Neumarkt im Hausruckkreis, in the Hausruckviertel, Upper Austria*Neumarkt im Mühlkreis, in the Mühlviertel, Upper Austria...
), married to:- 1424 in OrtenburgOrtenburgOrtenburg is a municipality and old market town in the district of Passau in Bavaria in Germany.-History:Set in the Wolfach River valley, Ortenburg can look back over a 900 year history. In about 1120 it was established by the Princes of Ortenburg. At the same time the upwardly mobile von Kamm...
Count Hermann III of Cilli; - 1428 in RiedenburgRiedenburgRiedenburg is a town in the district of Kelheim, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated on the river Altmühl, northwest of Kelheim and northeast of Ingolstadt.-References:...
Pfalzgraf Johann of Neuburg.
- 1424 in Ortenburg
- Elisabeth (ca. 1406–5 March 1468, HeidelbergHeidelberg-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
), married to:- 1430 in MainzMainzMainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire...
Adolf, Duke of Jülich-BergAdolf, Duke of Jülich-BergAdolf, Duke of Jülich-Berg , was the first Duke of the combined duchies of Jülich and Berg. He was the son of William VII of Jülich, 1st Duke of Berg and Anna of the Palatinate....
; - 1440 in WormsWorms, GermanyWorms is a city in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, on the Rhine River. At the end of 2004, it had 85,829 inhabitants.Established by the Celts, who called it Borbetomagus, Worms today remains embattled with the cities Trier and Cologne over the title of "Oldest City in Germany." Worms is the only...
Count Hesso of Leiningen.
- 1430 in Mainz
- Amalie (1408–1432), a nun in St.Klara Cloister in Munich.
He also had at least three illegitimate children.