Henry XIII, Duke of Bavaria

Henry XIII of Bavaria, member of the Wittelsbach dynasty (19 November 1235 – 3 February 1290 in Burghausen) was duke of Lower Bavaria. As duke of Lower Bavaria he is also called Henry I.

Family

He was the younger son of Otto II and the Countess of Palatinate Agnes of Brunswick.

His maternal grandparents were Henry V, Count Palatine of the Rhine and Agnes von Staufen. Agnes was a daughter of Conrad II, Margrave of Lower Lusatia.

Biography

In 1254 he succeeded his father together with his brother Louis II in Bavaria and the Palatinate. The brothers divided their land in 1255 against the law, Henry received Lower Bavaria and Louis Upper Bavaria and the Palatinate. It was the first of many divisions of the duchy.

This caused anger of the Bishops in Bavaria who allied with Otakar II in 1257. In August 1257 Otakar invaded Bavaria, but Henry and Louis managed to repulse the attack. It was one of the rare harmonious actions of both brothers who often argued.

Henry XIII was succeeded by his oldest son Otto III, who also became king of Hungary. Henry's branch died out in 1340 and was inherited by Louis' son Emperor Louis IV.

Marriage and children

In 1250, Henry married Elizabeth of Hungary. She was a daughter of Béla IV of Hungary and Maria Laskarina. They had ten children:

• Agnes of Wittelsbach (January, 1254 - 20 October, 1315). Joined the Cistercian Monastery at Seligenthal as a nun.
• Agnes of Wittelsbach. (17 July, 1255 - 10 May, 1260). Shares a name with her older sister.
• Agnes of Wittelsbach. (29 October, 1256 - 16 November, 1260). Shares a name with two older sisters.
• Elizabeth of Wittelsbach (23 April, 1258 - 8 August, 1314). Joined the Cistercian Monastery at Seligenthal as a nun.
• Otto III, Duke of Bavaria (11 February, 1261 - 9 November, 1312).
• Henry of Wittelsbach (23 February, 1262 - 16 September, 1280).
• Sophie of Wittelsbach (c. 1264 - 4 February, 1282). Married Poppo VIII, Count of Henneberg.
• Catherine of Wittelbach (9 June, 1267 - 9 January, 1310). Married Friedrich Tuta, Margrave of Meissen.
• Louis III, Duke of Bavaria (9 October, 1269 - 9 October, 1296).
• Stephen I, Duke of Bavaria (14 March, 1271 - 10 December, 1310).

External links

• His listing along with his wife in "Medieval lands" by Charles Cawley. The project "involves extracting and analysing detailed information from primary sources, including contemporary chronicles, cartularies, necrologies and testaments."
• A listing of descendants of Otto I, Count of Scheyern, including Henry XIII and his children