List of rulers of Bavaria

Dukes of Bavaria

1180–1183

Otto I

1183–1231

Louis I

1231–1253

Otto II

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

Dukes of Lower Bavaria

Dukes of Upper Bavaria

1253–1290

Henry XIII

1253–1294

Louis II

1290–1312

Otto III, King of Hungary, 1305-1307

1294–1317

Rudolf I

1290–1296

Louis III

1294–1347

Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor, as Louis IV 1314–1347

1290–1309

Stephen I

Following the death of the last Duke of Lower Bavaria, Bavaria was reunited under Emperor Louis IV (Louis IV of Bavaria).

1309–1334

Otto IV

1309–1339

Henry XIV the Elder

1312–1333

Henry XV the Natterberger

1339–1340

John I the Child

Dukes of Bavaria

1340–1347

Louis IV

1347–1349

jointly held by Louis V the Brandenburger, Stephen II, Louis VI the Roman, William I, Albert I, Otto V

In 1349, the six sons of Louis IV again partitioned Bavaria into Upper and Lower Bavaria.

Dukes of Lower Bavaria

Dukes of Upper Bavaria

1349–1353

jointly held by Stephen II, William I, and Albert I

1349–1351

jointly held by Louis V the Brandenburger, Louis VI the Roman, and Otto V

In 1353, Lower Bavaria was partitioned into Bavaria-Landshut and Bavaria-Straubing.

1351–1361

Louis V the Brandenburger

1361–1363

Meinhard

On the death of Meinhard, Upper Bavaria was divided between Bavaria-Straubing and Bavaria-Landshut. In 1392 Bavaria-Landshut itself was divided between a reduced Bavaria-Landshut, Bavaria-Ingolstadt and Bavaria-Munich.

Dukes of Bavaria-Straubing

Dukes of Bavaria-Landshut

Dukes of Bavaria-Ingolstadt

Dukes of Bavaria-Munich

1353–1388

jointly held by William I and Albert I

1353–1375

Stephen II

1392–1413

Stephen III

1392–1397

John II

1388–1404

Albert I''

1375–1379

jointly held by Otto V, Stephen III, Frederick, and John II

1413–1443
(d. 1447)

Louis VII the Bearded

1397–1438

Ernest

1389–1397

Albert II, jointly held with Albert I

1379–1392

jointly held by Stephen III, Frederick, and John II

1443–1445

Louis VIII the Younger

1397–1435

William III, jointly held with Ernest

1404–1417

William II

In 1392 Bavaria-Ingolstadt and Bavaria-Munich were created from Bavaria-Landshut

In 1447 Bavaria-Ingolstadt was united with Bavaria-Landshut

1438–1460

Albert III

1418–1425

John III, disputed with

1392–1393

Frederick

1460–1463

jointly held by John IV and Sigismund

1417–1432

1393–1450

Henry XVI the Rich

1463–1467

jointly held by Albert IV the Wise and Sigismund

After the succession struggle between Jacqueline and her uncle John, Bavaria-Straubing was divided between Bavaria-Ingolstadt, Bavaria-Landshut, and Bavaria-Munich.

1450–1479

Louis IX the Rich

1467–1508

Albert IV

1479–1503

George the Rich

In 1467, Bavaria-Dachau was created from Bavaria-Munich for Duke Sigismund. After his death in 1501, it reverted to Bavaria-Munich. In 1503, all the Bavarian lands were reunited under Albert IV

In 1503, Bavaria-Landshut was united with Bavaria-Munich.

Dukes of Bavaria

1503–1508

Albert IV

1508–1550

William IV

1516–1545

Louis X jointly held with William IV

1550–1579

Albert V

1579-1597

William V

1597-1623

Maximilian I