Louis IV of Legnica was a Duke of Brzeg

Brzeg

Brzeg is a town in southwestern Poland with 38,496 inhabitants , situated in Silesia in the Opole Voivodeship on the left bank of the Oder...

 since 1633 (together with his brothers until 1654), of Wołów (during 1653-1654 with his brothers) and Legnica

Legnica

Legnica is a town in south-western Poland, in Silesia, in the central part of Lower Silesia, on the plain of Legnica, riverside: Kaczawa and Czarna Woda. Between 1 June 1975 and 31 December 1998 Legnica was the capital of the Legnica Voivodeship. It is currently the seat of the county...

 since 1653 (until 1654 with his brothers, after this alone).

He was the fifth but second surviving son of John Christian

John Christian of Brieg

John Christian of Brieg , 25 December 1639), was a Duke of Brzeg–Legnica–Wołów ....

, Duke of Brzeg

Brzeg

Brzeg is a town in southwestern Poland with 38,496 inhabitants , situated in Silesia in the Opole Voivodeship on the left bank of the Oder...

-Legnica

Legnica

Legnica is a town in south-western Poland, in Silesia, in the central part of Lower Silesia, on the plain of Legnica, riverside: Kaczawa and Czarna Woda. Between 1 June 1975 and 31 December 1998 Legnica was the capital of the Legnica Voivodeship. It is currently the seat of the county...

-Wołów-Oława, by his first wife Dorothea Sybille, daughter of John George, Elector of Brandenburg

John George, Elector of Brandenburg

John George of Brandenburg was a Prince-elector of the Margraviate of Brandenburg and a Duke of Prussia...

.

Life

After the death of his father in 1639, Louis IV and his younger brother Christian inherited Brzeg and Oława together with their oldest brother George III, who was appointed administrator of the Duchies by the Emperor six years before. After the death of his uncle George Rudolf in 1653 without issue, the brothers inherited his lands of Legnica and Wołów. One year later (1654) they decided to made the division of their domains: Louis IV obtain Legnica

Legnica

Legnica is a town in south-western Poland, in Silesia, in the central part of Lower Silesia, on the plain of Legnica, riverside: Kaczawa and Czarna Woda. Between 1 June 1975 and 31 December 1998 Legnica was the capital of the Legnica Voivodeship. It is currently the seat of the county...

, George III retain Brzeg

Brzeg

Brzeg is a town in southwestern Poland with 38,496 inhabitants , situated in Silesia in the Opole Voivodeship on the left bank of the Oder...

 and Christian received the small towns of Oława and Wołów.

Marriage and issue

In Brzeg

Brzeg

Brzeg is a town in southwestern Poland with 38,496 inhabitants , situated in Silesia in the Opole Voivodeship on the left bank of the Oder...

 on 8 May 1649, Louis IV married with Anna Sophie (b. Harzgerode, 29 September 1628 - d. Prochowice, 10 February 1666), daughter of John Albert II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Güstrow

Mecklenburg-Güstrow

Mecklenburg-Güstrow was a state of the Holy Roman Empire in Northern Germany, that existed on three separate occasions ruled by the House of Mecklenburg at Güstrow.-History:...

 by his third wife Eleonore Maria of Anhalt-Bernburg, first cousin of Louis IV's father John Christian; in consencuence, both spouses are second cousins

Cousin

In kinship terminology, a cousin is a relative with whom one shares one or more common ancestors. The term is rarely used when referring to a relative in one's immediate family where there is a more specific term . The term "blood relative" can be used synonymously and establishes the existence of...

. They had one son:

1. Christian Albert (b. 7 November 1651 - d. 20 January 1652).

After his death without surviving issue, Louis IV was succeeded by his brothers George III and Christian; however, George III died soon after, and Christian reunited all their lands under his rule.