Elisabeth of Bavaria (1478–1504)
Encyclopedia
Elisabeth of Bavaria was a Princess of Bavaria-Landshut
by birth and by marriage a Countess Palatine of the Rhine. After her father's death, she was also Duchess of Bavaria-Landshut
.
She was the daughter of Duke George the Rich and his wife Hedwig Jagiellonica. After the death of her brother Louis in 1496, the Duchy of Bavaria-Landshut was without a male heir. The Wittelsbach House Treaties of 1392 and 1450 prescribed that the territory of Bavaria-Landshut should be divided among the other Bavarian duchies, if the line should die out in the male line. Duke George ignored these treaties and left his territory to his daughter in a last will and testament dated 19 September 1496.
In 1499 Elisabeth married Ruprecht of the Palatinate. She had twins, Rupert and George; they both died in 1504. Her other sons, Philip, Duke of Palatinate-Neuburg and Otto Henry, Elector Palatine
survived into adulthood.
In 1503 George appointed Ruprecht as governor of Lower Bavaria. George died on 1 December 1503 and she disbanded the Regency Council of the Estates
. Her resolute approach contributed to the oubreak of the Landshut War of Succession
.
Her opponent Albrecht IV
of Bavaria-Munich
had stronger allies, and soon Emperor Maximilian
joined his side. Her husband died of dysentery
on 20 August 1504. Elizabeth continued the war, and had her troops occupy the towns of Landshut, Dingwall
and Moosburg an der Isar. She was declared an outlaw
. Her Bohemian allies suffered a decisive defeat at Wenzenbach
on 12 September 1504.
Three days later, she, too, died of dysentery. She was buried the Cistercian monastery Seligenthal in Landshut
.
Bavaria-Landshut
-History:The creation of the duchy was the result of the death of Emperor Louis IV the Bavarian. In the Treaty of Landsberg 1349, which divided up Louis's empire, his sons Stephen, William, and Albert were to receive jointly Lower Bavaria and the Netherlands. Four years later the inheritance was...
by birth and by marriage a Countess Palatine of the Rhine. After her father's death, she was also Duchess of Bavaria-Landshut
Bavaria-Landshut
-History:The creation of the duchy was the result of the death of Emperor Louis IV the Bavarian. In the Treaty of Landsberg 1349, which divided up Louis's empire, his sons Stephen, William, and Albert were to receive jointly Lower Bavaria and the Netherlands. Four years later the inheritance was...
.
She was the daughter of Duke George the Rich and his wife Hedwig Jagiellonica. After the death of her brother Louis in 1496, the Duchy of Bavaria-Landshut was without a male heir. The Wittelsbach House Treaties of 1392 and 1450 prescribed that the territory of Bavaria-Landshut should be divided among the other Bavarian duchies, if the line should die out in the male line. Duke George ignored these treaties and left his territory to his daughter in a last will and testament dated 19 September 1496.
In 1499 Elisabeth married Ruprecht of the Palatinate. She had twins, Rupert and George; they both died in 1504. Her other sons, Philip, Duke of Palatinate-Neuburg and Otto Henry, Elector Palatine
Otto Henry, Elector Palatine
Otto-Henry, Elector Palatine, a member of the Wittelsbach dynasty was Count Palatine of Palatinate-Neuburg from 1505 to 1559 and prince elector of the Palatinate from 1556 to 1559...
survived into adulthood.
In 1503 George appointed Ruprecht as governor of Lower Bavaria. George died on 1 December 1503 and she disbanded the Regency Council of the Estates
Estates of the realm
The Estates of the realm were the broad social orders of the hierarchically conceived society, recognized in the Middle Ages and Early Modern period in Christian Europe; they are sometimes distinguished as the three estates: the clergy, the nobility, and commoners, and are often referred to by...
. Her resolute approach contributed to the oubreak of the Landshut War of Succession
Landshut War of Succession
The Landshut War of Succession resulted from an agreement between the duchies of Bavaria-Munich and Bavaria-Landshut . The agreement concerned the law of succession when one of the two Dukes should die without a male heir...
.
Her opponent Albrecht IV
Albert IV, Duke of Bavaria
Duke Albert IV of Bavaria-Munich , , from 1467 Duke of Bavaria-Munich, from 1503 Duke of the reunited Bavaria.-Biography:...
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...
had stronger allies, and soon Emperor Maximilian
Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor
Maximilian I , the son of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor and Eleanor of Portugal, was King of the Romans from 1486 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1493 until his death, though he was never in fact crowned by the Pope, the journey to Rome always being too risky...
joined his side. Her husband died of dysentery
Dysentery
Dysentery is an inflammatory disorder of the intestine, especially of the colon, that results in severe diarrhea containing mucus and/or blood in the faeces with fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated, dysentery can be fatal.There are differences between dysentery and normal bloody diarrhoea...
on 20 August 1504. Elizabeth continued the war, and had her troops occupy the towns of Landshut, Dingwall
Dingwall
Dingwall is a town and former royal burgh in the Highland council area of Scotland. It has a population of 5,026. It was formerly an east-coast harbor but now lies inland. Dingwall Castle was once the biggest castle north of Stirling. On the town's present-day outskirts lies Tulloch Castle, parts...
and Moosburg an der Isar. She was declared an outlaw
Outlaw
In historical legal systems, an outlaw is declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, this takes the burden of active prosecution of a criminal from the authorities. Instead, the criminal is withdrawn all legal protection, so that anyone is legally empowered to persecute...
. Her Bohemian allies suffered a decisive defeat at Wenzenbach
Wenzenbach
Wenzenbach is a municipality in the district of Regensburg in Bavaria in Germany....
on 12 September 1504.
Three days later, she, too, died of dysentery. She was buried the Cistercian monastery Seligenthal in 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...
.