George, Duke of Bavaria

Duke George of Bavaria

George of Bavaria referred to as the Rich (15 August 1455 in Burghausen, Bavaria – 1 December 1503 in Ingolstadt), (German: Georg , Herzog von Bayern-Landshut) was the last Duke of Bavaria-Landshut. He was a son of Louis IX the Rich and Amalia of Saxony.

Biography

Together with his cousin Albert IV of Bavaria-Munich George tried to extend his influence in Further Austria, but in 1489 he abandoned these plans to settle the difference with Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor. George later became a strong ally of Emperor Maximilian I and supported his campaigns in Swabia, Switzerland, Geldern and Hungary.

Hedwig Jagiellon

His wedding with the princess Hedwig Jagiellon, a daughter of King Casimir IV of Poland, in 1475 was celebrated in the Landshut Wedding with one of the most splendid festivals of the Middle Ages. The couple had five children, three sons and two daughters. However, none of their sons survived until George's death, and per the restrictions of the Salic law practiced in medieval Germany, their daughters could not inherit the duchy. However, George tried to bequeath the duchy to his daughter Elizabeth and her husband Ruprecht of the Palatinate, third son of Philip, Elector Palatine. This led to a destructive war of succession after George's death in 1503/1504. Finally he was succeeded by Albert IV of Bavaria-Munich. Only the new duchy of Palatinate-Neuburg passed to Ruprecht's sons Otto-Henry, Elector Palatine (Ottheinrich) and Philip. The most southern districts of Bavaria-Landshut Kufstein, Kitzbühel and Rattenberg passed to Emperor Maximilian and were united with Tyrol.

Issue

George and Hedwig had the following children:

1. Ludwig of Bavaria (1476–1496)
2. Rupert of Bavaria (1477)
3. Elisabeth of Bavaria (1478–1504), married Ruprecht of the Palatinate and was mother of Otto Henry, Elector Palatine.
4. Margaret of Bavaria (1480–1531)
5. Wolfgang of Bavaria (*/† 1482)

Ancestors

Ancestors of George, Duke of Bavaria

16. Stephen II, Duke of Bavaria 8. Frederick, Duke of Bavaria 17. Elisabeth of Sicily, Duchess of Bavaria 4. Henry XVI, Duke of Bavaria 18. Bernabò Visconti 9. Maddalena Visconti 19. Beatrice Regina della Scala 2. Louis IX, Duke of Bavaria 20. Albert III, Duke of Austria 10. Albert IV, Duke of Austria 21. Beatrix of Nuremberg 5. Margarete of Austria 22. Albert I, Duke of Bavaria 11. Joanna Sophia of Bavaria 23. Margaret of Brieg 1. George, Duke of Bavaria 24. Frederick III, Landgrave of Thuringia 12. Frederick I, Elector of Saxony 25. Catherine of Henneberg 6. Frederick II, Elector of Saxony 26. Henry the Mild, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg 13. Catherine of Brunswick-Lüneburg 27. Sophie of Pomerania 3. Amalia of Saxony 28. Leopold III, Duke of Austria 14. Ernest, Duke of Austria 29. Viridis Visconti 7. Margaret of Austria, Electress of Saxony 30. Siemowit IV, Duke of Masovia 15. Cymburgis of Masovia 31. Alexandra of Lithuania