Louis I of Bar (between 1370 and 1375 – 23 June 1430) was a French bishop of the 15th century and the ''de jure'' Duke of Bar from 1415 to 1430, ruling from the 1420s alongside his grand-nephew René of Anjou.

Life

He was a son of Robert I of Bar and his wife Marie Valois, (daughter of John II of France). As the couple's fifth son, he was destined for a career in the church. He was

Bishop of Poitiers The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Poitiers (Latin: ''Archidioecesis Pictaviensis''; French: ''Archidiocèse de Poitiers'') is an archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church in France. The archepiscopal see is in the city of Poitiers. Th ...

from 1391 to 1395 (also being made a

cardinal Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to: Animals * Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **''Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae **''Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, the ...

in 1391) before becoming Bishop of Langres (1397–1413), and then Bishop of Châlons-sur-Marne (1413–30). At the same time, he acted as bishop-administrator of Verdun (1419–23 and 1424–30). He played an important role in French politics after the assassination of the

Duke of Orleans Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ran ...

in 1407. In 1409, he attended the Council of Pisa with

Guy of Roye Guy de Roye (died 1409) was a French prelate. Biography Originating from a noble house in Picardy, he attached himself to the Avignon popes Clement VII and Benedict XIII. He was bishop of Verdun, Castres, and then Dol before becoming archbish ...

, Archbishop of Reims, and

Peter of Ailly Pierre d'Ailly (; Latin ''Petrus Aliacensis'', ''Petrus de Alliaco''; 13519 August 1420) was a French theologian, astrologer and cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. Academic career D'Ailly was born in Compiègne in 1350 or 1351 of a prospero ...

, Bishop of Cambrai. At Volti, near Gênes, a quarrel between the marshals of the town and the Archbishop of Reims degenerated into a riot, with the archbishop being killed and Louis missing-presumed dead. The cardinals, arriving at Pisa, attempted to depose Benedict XIII of Avignon and Gregory XII of Rome, and elected Pope Alexander V, hoping to put an end to the Western Schism. Instead, there would be three popes until the Pisan pope John XXIII called the

Council of Constance The Council of Constance was a 15th-century ecumenical council recognized by the Catholic Church, held from 1414 to 1418 in the Bishopric of Constance in present-day Germany. The council ended the Western Schism by deposing or accepting the res ...

(1414–1418). The Council arranged the abdication of both the Roman pope Gregory XII and the Pisan antipope John XXIII, excommunicated the Avignon antipope Benedict XIII, and elected Martin V as the new pope reigning from Rome. On the death of his brother

Edward III, Duke of Bar Edward III of Bar (late June 1377 – 25 October 1415) was made Marquis of Pont-à-Mousson by his father Robert I, Duke of Bar in 1399 (his mother was Mary of France, daughter of John II of France) and held it until his death. He then became he ...

at the

Battle of Agincourt The Battle of Agincourt ( ; french: Azincourt ) was an English victory in the Hundred Years' War. It took place on 25 October 1415 (Saint Crispin's Day) near Azincourt, in northern France. The unexpected English victory against the numerica ...

in 1415, Louis inherited the dukedom and successfully defended his claim to it against that of his brother-in-law Adolphe, Duke of Juliers and of Berg, who felt that, as a clergyman, Louis was not suited to inherit the dukedom and its revenues. In 1419, in order to put an end to the differences that had existed for several centuries between the dukes of Bar and Lorraine, Louis negotiated the marriage of his grand-nephew René of Anjou to Isabella, Duchess of Lorraine (daughter and heiress of

Charles II, Duke of Lorraine Charles II (11 September 1364 – 25 January 1431), called the Bold (french: le Hardi) was the Duke of Lorraine from 1390 to his death and Constable of France from 1418 to 1425. Charles joined the Barbary Crusade, fought at Nicopolis, and aided ...

), and entrusted them with ruling the Duchy of Bar in the 1420s.

References

Sources

* * Georges Poull, ''La Maison souveraine et ducale de Bar'', 1994 * D. De Smyttère, "Enfants du duc de Bar Robert et de la princesse Marie," in: {{DEFAULTSORT:Louis 01 Of Bar 15th-century French cardinals Cardinal-bishops of Porto Bishops of Beauvais Bishops of Châlons-sur-Marne Bishops of Langres Bishops of Poitiers Bishops of Verdun 14th-century peers of France 15th-century peers of France 14th-century French Roman Catholic bishops