List of Bavarian monarchs

The following is a list of rulers during the history of Bavaria:

Dukes of Bavaria

United Bavaria 548-1253

Agilolfing Dynasty 548-788

Around 548 the kings of the Franks placed the border region of Bavaria under the administration of a duke -- possibly Frankish or possibly chosen from amongst the local leading families -- who was supposed to act as a regional governor for the Frankish king. The first duke we know of, and likely the first, was Gariwald, or Garibald I, a member of the powerful Agilolfing family. This was the beginning of a series of Agilolfing dukes that was to last until 788.

Garibald I, ca. 548-591
Tassilo I, ca. 591-610, was named rex (king) at his ascension
Garibald II, ca. 610-630

Rulers unknown, ca. 630-680

By the time of Duke Theodo I, who died in 716 or 717, the Bavarian duchy had achieved complete independence from the Frankish kings. Theodo's sons divided the duchy, but by 719 the rule had returned to Duke Grimoald.

Theodo, ca. 680-716
Theudbert, son of Theodo, Duke in Salzburg ca. 702-719
Theobald, son of Theodo, Duke of parts of Bavaria ca. 711-719
Tassilo II, son of Theodo, Duke in Passau ca. 716-719
Grimoald, son of Theodo, Duke in Freising ca. 716-725, later ruling all of Bavaria

Charles Martel, ruler in fact though not in name of the Frankish realm, reasserted royal supremacy over Bavaria, defeating and killing Duke Grimwald and annexing portions of Bavaria during the rule of Hugbert.

Hugbert, son of Theudbert, Duke 725-737
Odilo, 737-748
Grifo, 748 (usurper)
Tassilo III, 748-788

Tassilo III recognized the suzerainty of the Frankish kings Pippin III in 757 and did homage to Charlemagne in 781, and again in 787, while pursued an independent policy. In 788, Charlemagne had Tassilo sentenced to death on a charge of treason. Tassilo, granted pardon, entered a monastery and formally renounced his duchy at Frankfurt in 794.

Carolingian Dynasty 788-911

The Kings (later Emperors) of the Franks now assumed complete control, placing Bavaria under the rule of non-hereditary governors and civil servants. The Emperor Louis the Pious divided control of the Empire among his sons, and the divisions became permanent in the decades following his death in 840. The following Frankish rulers controlled Bavaria as part of their possessions:

Charlemagne, 788-814 (Gerold, subordinate duke 794-799)
Louis the Pious, 814-815 (d. 840)

Louis gave his son Lothair the kingship of Bavaria in 815:

Lothair I, 815-817 (under Louis the Pious)

In 817, Lothair was crowned joint Emperor with his father, and the realm was redivided. A younger son of Louis', Louis the German, took control of Bavaria.

Louis the German, 817-865

Louis the German became king of the eastern third of the Empire in 843. In 864 he gave control of Bavaria to his son Carloman, and died in 876. Louis' two younger sons, Louis and Charles (the latter of whom briefly recovered control of all the Frankish possessions), ruled Bavaria in succession after Carloman.

Carloman, 864-880
Louis the Younger, 880-882
Charles the Fat, 882-887

Carloman's bastard son, Arnulf, rebelled against Charles and took power in eastern Francia shortly before Charles' death. He was succeeded by his son Louis.

Arnulf of Carinthia, 887-899
Louis the Child, 899-911

Luitpolding Dynasty, 911-947

Luitpold, founder of the Luitpolding dynasty, was not a Duke of Bavaria but a Margrave of Carinthia under the rule of Louis the Child. Frankish power had waned in the region due to Hungarian attacks, allowing the local rulers greater independence. Luitpold's son, Arnulf, claimed the title of Duke (implying full autonomy) in 911, and was recognized as such by the German king, Henry the Fowler, in 920.

Luitpold (889-907)
Arnulf the Bad (907) 911-937, Duke 911
Eberhard 937-938

The German King Otto I reasserted central authority, banishing Arnulf's son Eberhard and re-granting the title to Berthold, a younger son of Luitpold.

Berthold 938-947

Bavaria under the German Kings, 947-1070

From Otto I onward until the 12th century, the Kings of Germany repeatedly transferred Bavaria into different hands (including their own), never allowing any one family to establish itself. Bavaria was ruled by a series of short-lasting, mostly unrelated dynasties.

On Berthold's death, Otto gave the duchy to his own brother Henry (I), who was also Arnulf's son-in-law.

Henry I of Bavaria 947-955 Ottonian
Henry II the Quarrelsome 955-976 Ottonian

Henry's son, also named Henry (II), made war upon his cousin Otto II, and was deprived of his duchy in 976 in favor of his cousin Otto, Duke of Swabia (who now acquired two dukedoms).

Otto I 976-982 Ottonian

The death of Otto saw a shuffling of crowns. First Bavaria was given to Berthold's son Henry (III), briefly restoring the Luitpolding dynasty.

Henry III the Younger 983-985 Luitpolding

Henry III then exchanged Bavaria for Carinthia, and Henry II received Bavaria again. His son, Henry IV of Bavaria, was elected King of Germany as Henry II.

Henry II the Quarrelsome 985-995 Ottonian (restored)
Henry IV 995-1004 Ottonian

King Henry II gave Bavaria to his brother-in-law Henry (V), Count of Luxemburg in 1004. The King reasserted direct control over the duchy 1009-1017.

Henry V 1004-1009, 1017-1026 Luxemburg

King Conrad II of Germany, gave Bavaria to his son Henry (VI), following the death of Henry V in 1026.

Henry VI the Black 1026-1042 Salian

In 1042, Henry VI, who had become King of Germany in 1039 as Henry III, granted the duchy to another Henry (VII), Count of Luxemburg, nephew of Henry V.

Henry VII 1042-1047 Luxemburg

After Henry VII's death, the dukedom was vacant for a couple of years. Emperor Henry III then gave the duchy to Kuno, Count of Zütphen, in 1049. Kuno was deposed in 1053.

Conrad I (Kuno) 1049-1053 Ezzonen

Emperor Henry III now gave the duchy first to his young son Henry (VIII), then to an even younger son, Conrad, and upon the latter's death gave it back to Henry VIII again. Henry VIII became King of Germany (as Henry IV) in 1056.

Henry VIII 1053-1054, 1055-1061 (minor) Salian
Conrad II 1054-1055 (minor) Salian

In 1061, Empress Agnes, the 11-year-old King Henry IV's mother and regent, entrusted the duchy to Otto of Nordheim.

Otto II 1061-1070 Northeim

Bavaria under the Welfs and Babenbergs 1070-1180

In 1070, King Henry IV deposed duke Otto, granting the duchy instead to Count Welf, a member of the Italo-Bavarian family of Este. Welf subsequently quarreled with King Henry and was deprived of his duchy for nineteen years, during which it was directly administered by the German crown. Welf recovered the duchy in 1096, and was succeeded by his sons Welf (II) and Henry (IX); the latter was succeeded by his son, Henry (X), who also became Duke of Saxony.

Welf I 1070-1077, 1096-1101 Welf
Welf II 1101-1120 Welf
Henry IX the Black 1120-1126 Welf, abdicated.
Henry X the Proud 1126-1139 Welf

In a power struggle with King Conrad III of Germany, Henry X lost his duchy to the King, who granted it to his follower Leopold Margrave of Austria. When Leopold died, Conrad resumed the duchy and then granted it to Leopold's brother Henry (XI).

Leopold 1139-1141 Babenberg
Henry XI Jasomirgott 1143-1156 Babenberg

When Frederick I became King of Germany, he restored Bavaria to the Welf line in the person of Henry X's son, Henry (XII) the Lion, Duke of Saxony.

Henry XII the Lion 1156-1180 Welf

Wittelsbach Dynasty 1180-1253

In 1180, Henry XII and Emperor Frederick fell out, and Frederick dispossessed the Duke and gave his territory to Otto (I) of the House of Wittelsbach. Bavaria remained in the possession of various branches of the family until the First World War.

Otto I 1180-1183. Succeeded by his son,
Louis I 1183-1231 – obtained the Palatinate of the Rhine in 1214; assassinated 1231. Succeeded by his son,
Otto II 1231-1253

Though Otto I of Wittelsbach was the third duke of Bavaria named Otto he is mostly called Otto I as founder of a new dynasty. Louis I and Otto II served also as Counts Palatine of the Rhine.

Bavaria partitioned, 1253-1503

First partition, 1253-1340

On Otto II's death, Bavaria was divided between his sons. Henry became Duke of Lower Bavaria, and Louis of Upper Bavaria. From this point until the beginning of the 16th century, the territories were frequently divided between brothers, making the Dukes difficult to list.

In Lower Bavaria, Henry XIII was succeeded by his three sons, Otto III, Louis III, and Stephen I ruling jointly. Otto III's successor in the joint dukedom was his son Henry XV. Stephen's successors were his sons Otto IV and Henry XIV. Henry XIV's son was John I.

In Upper Bavaria, Louis II was succeeded by his sons Rudolf I and Louis IV. The latter was elected King of Germany in 1314. After John I's death in 1340, Louis IV unified the Bavarian duchy.

Dukes of Lower Bavaria	Dukes of Upper Bavaria
Henry XIII 1253–1290, son of Otto II Co-rulers: Louis III 1290–1296, son of Henry XIII Stephen I 1290–1309, son of Henry XIII Otto III 1290–1312 (King of Hungary 1305-7), son of Henry XIII Otto IV 1309–1334, son of Stephen I Henry XIV the Elder 1309–1339, son of Stephen I Henry XV the Natterberger 1312–1333, son of Otto III John I the Child 1339–1340, son of Henry XIV	Louis II 1253–1294, son of Otto II Co-rulers, sons of Louis II: Rudolf I 1294–1317 Louis IV 1294–1349 (alone from 1317)

The dukes of Upper Bavaria served also as Counts Palatinate of the Rhine. In 1329 Louis IV released the Palatinate of the Rhine including the Bavarian Upper Palatinate to the sons of Rudolf I. The Upper Palatinate would be reunited with Bavaria in 1623, the Lower Palatinate in 1777.

Reunion, 1340-1349

Louis IV 1340-1347
Co-rulers 1347-1349, sons of Louis IV:

Second partition, 1349-1503

In 1349, the six sons of Louis IV again partitioned Bavaria into Upper and Lower Bavaria. Further partitions followed, which are most easily represented in tabular format:

Dukes of Lower Bavaria					Dukes of Upper Bavaria
Co-rulers, sons of Louis IV: Stephen II 1349–1353 William I 1349–1353 Albert I 1349–1353 In 1353, Lower Bavaria was partitioned into Bavaria-Landshut and Bavaria-Straubing.					Co-rulers, sons of Louis IV: Louis V the Brandenburger 1349–1361 (alone from 1351; also Margrave of Brandenburg and Count of Tyrol) Louis VI the Roman 1349–1351 (also Margrave of Brandenburg) Otto V 1349–1351 (also Margrave of Brandenburg) Meinhard 1361–1363, son of Louis V (also Count of Tyrol) In 1363, Upper Bavaria was partitioned between Bavaria-Straubing and Bavaria-Landshut.
Duke of Bavaria-Landshut			Dukes of Bavaria-Straubing also Counts of Holland, Zeeland and Hainaut
Stephen II 1353–1375			Co-rulers: William I 1353–1388 Albert I 1353–1404
Dukes of Bavaria-Landshut						Dukes of Bavaria-Straubing
Stephen II 1353–1375 Co-rulers: Otto V 1375–1379, son of Louis IV John II 1375–1392, son of Stephen II Frederick 1375–1392, son of Stephen II Stephen III 1375–1392, son of Stephen II In 1392 Bavaria-Landshut was broken into three duchies, Bavaria-Munich, a smaller Bavaria-Landshut, and Bavaria-Ingolstadt.						Co-rulers: William I 1353–1388 Albert I 1353–1404 (alone from 1397) Albert II 1389–1397, son of Albert I William II 1404–1417, son of Albert I Contested rule: John III 1418–1425, son of Albert I Jacqueline 1417–1432, daughter of William II (uncontested from 1425) Bavaria-Straubing was partitioned among the other Bavarian duchies.
Dukes of Bavaria-Munich		Dukes of Bavaria-Landshut		Dukes of Bavaria-Ingolstadt
John II 1392–1397 Co-rulers, sons of John II: William III 1397–1435 Ernest 1397–1438 (sole ruler from 1435)		Frederick 1392–1393 Henry XVI the Rich 1392–1450, son of Frederick		Stephen III 1392–1413 Louis VII the Bearded 1413–1443 (d. 1447), son of Stephen III
Dukes of Bavaria-Munich			Duke of Bavaria-Landshut		Dukes of Bavaria-Ingolstadt
Co-rulers: William III 1397–1435 Ernest 1397–1438 (sole ruler from 1435) Albert III 1438–1460, son of Ernest Co-rulers, sons of Albert III: John IV 1460–1463 Sigismund 1460–1467 Albert IV the Wise 1463–1467 Bavaria-Munich was partitioned into a smaller Bavaria-Munich and Bavaria-Dachau in 1467			Henry XVI the Rich 1392–1450		Louis VII the Bearded 1413–1443 (d. 1447) Louis VIII the Younger 1443–1445, son of Louis VII Bavaria-Ingolstadt was annexed by Bavaria-Landshut in 1447.
			Dukes of Bavaria-Landshut
			Henry XVI the Rich 1392–1450 Louis IX the Rich 1450–1479, son of Henry XVI George the Rich 1479–1503, son of Louis IX Bavaria-Landshut was annexed by Bavaria-Munich in 1503.
Duke of Bavaria-Munich	Duke of Bavaria-Dachau
Albert IV the Wise 1467–1508	Sigismund 1467–1501 Bavaria-Dachau was reunited with Bavaria-Munich in 1501.
Duke of Bavaria-Munich
Albert IV the Wise 1467–1508 (Duke of all Bavaria from 1505)

Reunited Bavaria, 1505-1918

Dukes of Bavaria 1505-1623

Dukes of Bavaria
Image	Name	Date	Notes
	Albert IV	1504-1508	Called "the Wise". Duke of Bavaria-Munich, he became ruler of the greater part of Bavaria following the Landshut War (1503-1505). In 1506 Albert decreed that the duchy should pass according to the rules of primogeniture.
	William IV Louis X	1508-1550 1516-1545	Co-rulers, sons of Albert IV.
	Albert V	1550-1579	Son of William IV.
	William V	1579-1597	Son of Albert V, abdicated, died 1626.
File:Maximilian 1.jpg	Maximilian I	1597-1623	Son of William V.

Electors of Bavaria, 1623-1805

Electors of Bavaria
Image	Name	Date	Notes
File:Maximilian 1.jpg	Maximilian I	1623-1651	Maximilian I, was an occasional ally of Emperor Ferdinand II in the Thirty Years' War. When the Elector Palatine, Frederick V, head of a senior branch of the Wittelsbachs, became involved in a war against the Emperor, he was stripped of his Imperial offices and Electoral title. Maximilian I was granted the Electorship and its offices in 1623, together with a portion of the Palatinate territory (the Oberpfalz). In 1648, Frederick's heir was restored to his territory together with an electorship; however, Maximilian retained the electorship granted him in 1623.
	Ferdinand Maria	1651-1679	Son of Maximilian I.
	Maximilian II Emanuel	1679-1706 1714-1726	Son of Ferdinand Maria. Maximilian II took part in the War of the Spanish Succession on the side of France, against the Emperor. He was accordingly forced to flee Bavaria following the Battle of Blenheim and deprived of his Electorate in 1706. He regained his Electorate in 1714 by the Peace of Baden.
	Charles Albert	1726-1745	Son of Maximilian II. Charles Albert once again took on the House of Habsburg in the War of the Austrian Succession, again in combination with France, succeeding so far as to be elected Holy Roman Emperor in 1742 (as Charles VII). However, the Austrians occupied Bavaria (1742-1744), and the Emperor died shortly after returning to Munich.
	Maximilian III Joseph	1745-1777	Son of Charles Albert. Maximilian III, who had no children, was the last of the direct Bavarian Wittelsbach line descended from Louis IV. He was succeeded by the Elector Palatine, Charles Theodore, who thereby regained their old titles for the senior Wittelsbach line (descended from Louis IV's older brother Rudolf I).
	Charles Theodore	1777-1799	Elector Palatine from 1743. Charles Theodore was also childless, and was succeeded by a distant cousin, the Count Palatine of Zweibrücken, Maximilian Joseph.
	Maximilian IV Joseph	1799-1805	Count Palatine of Zweibrücken from 1795. In the chaos of the wars of the French Revolution, the old order of the Holy Roman Empire collapsed. In the course of these events, Bavaria became once again the ally of France, and Maximilian Joseph abandoned his Electoral title (as there would soon be no Emperor to elect) for the title of King of Bavaria (1805), becoming Maximilian I.

Kings of Bavaria, 1805-1918

Kings of Bavaria
Image	Name	Date	Notes
	Maximilian I Joseph	1805-1825	Adopted the style of king on January 1, 1806.
	Ludwig I Augustus	1825-1848 (d.1868)	Son of Maximilian I. Abdicated in the Revolutions of 1848
	Maximilian II	1848-1864	Son of Ludwig I.
File:LouisII.jpg	Ludwig II	1864-1886	Son of Maximilian II. Acceded to Bavaria becoming a component of the German Empire in 1871. Declared insane in 1886.
	Otto	1886-1913 (d.1916)	Brother of Ludwig II. Otto was mentally ill throughout his reign, and his functions were carried out by the following regents: Prince Luitpold of Bavaria 1886-1912 Prince Ludwig of Bavaria 1912-1913
File:LodIIIB.jpg	Ludwig III	1913-1918	First cousin of Otto, son of Prince Luitpold. Regent 1912-1913. Lost his throne in the German revolutions at the end of the First World War.