Louis X (German: Ludwig X, Herzog von Bayern), ( Grünwald, 18 September 1495 – 22 April 1545 in

Landshut Landshut (; ) is a town in Bavaria, Germany, on the banks of the Isar, River Isar. Landshut is the capital of Lower Bavaria, one of the seven administrative regions of the Free state (government), Free State of Bavaria, and the seat of the surrou ...

) was

Duke of Bavaria The following is a list of monarchs during the history of Bavaria. Bavaria was ruled by several dukes and kings, partitioned and reunited, under several dynasties. Since 1918, Bavaria has been under a republican form of government, and from 19 ...

(1516–1545), together with his older brother

William IV, Duke of Bavaria William IV (; 13 November 1493 – 7 March 1550) was Duke of Bavaria from 1508 to 1550, until 1545 together with his younger brother Louis X, Duke of Bavaria. He was born in Munich to Albert IV and Kunigunde of Austria, a daughter of Emperor ...

. His parents were Albert IV and Kunigunde of Austria, a daughter of Emperor Frederick III.

Biography

Though his father had determined the everlasting succession of only the firstborn prince in 1506, Louis as a second-born son refused a spiritual career with the argument that he was born before the edict became valid. With support of his mother and the States-General, Louis forced his elder brother William IV to accept him as co-regent in 1516. Louis then ruled the districts of

and

Straubing Straubing (; Central Bavarian: ''Strauwing'') is an independent city in Lower Bavaria, southern Germany. It is seat of the Districts of Germany, district of Straubing-Bogen. Annually in August the Gäubodenvolksfest, the second largest fair in Ba ...

, in general concord with his brother. In 1516, he refurnished the

medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with the fall of the West ...

Trausnitz Castle in Landshut decorating it in the south

German Renaissance The German Renaissance, part of the Northern Renaissance, was a cultural and artistic movement that spread among German thinkers in the 15th and 16th centuries, which developed from the Italian Renaissance. Many areas of the arts and sciences ...

style. Like his elder brother, he first showed sympathy for the

Protestant Reformation The Reformation, also known as the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation, was a time of major theological movement in Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the papacy and ...

but decided to take action against its expansion in Bavaria already in 1522. Both the dukes also suppressed the uprising of farmers in South Germany in their duchies in 1525. Since Louis claimed the Bohemian crown Bavaria was in opposition to the

Habsburg The House of Habsburg (; ), also known as the House of Austria, was one of the most powerful dynasties in the history of Europe and Western civilization. They were best known for their inbreeding and for ruling vast realms throughout Europe d ...

s until 1534 when both dukes reached an agreement with Ferdinand I in

Linz Linz (Pronunciation: , ; ) is the capital of Upper Austria and List of cities and towns in Austria, third-largest city in Austria. Located on the river Danube, the city is in the far north of Austria, south of the border with the Czech Repub ...

. After his visit in Italy, Louis built the first

Italian Renaissance The Italian Renaissance ( ) was a period in History of Italy, Italian history between the 14th and 16th centuries. The period is known for the initial development of the broader Renaissance culture that spread across Western Europe and marked t ...

style palace constructed north of the Alps, the Landshut Residence which was modeled 1537–1543 after the

Palazzo del Te , or simply , is a palace in the suburbs of Mantua, Italy. It is an example of the mannerist style of architecture, and the acknowledged masterpiece of Giulio Romano. Name The palace is mostly referred to by English-speaking writers, especia ...

Mantua Mantua ( ; ; Lombard language, Lombard and ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Italian region of Lombardy, and capital of the Province of Mantua, eponymous province. In 2016, Mantua was designated as the "Italian Capital of Culture". In 2 ...

. The Landshut Residence also consisted of an adjoining palace to the previous mentioned which was built in

style under the architect Bernhard Zwitzel of Augsburg. Both the palaces were connected together by two wings. Having no son, the districts that Louis ruled were passed up to his brother William in the end at his death in 1545. This was finally the end of the divisions of the duchy of Bavaria. His illegitimate daughter was Anna von Leonsberg (1525–1556) who married Johann Albrecht Widmannstetter (1506–1557).

Ancestors

External links

{{Authority control 1495 births 1545 deaths 16th-century dukes of Bavaria German Roman Catholics House of Wittelsbach