List of Rulers of Bavaria - Table of Rulers - Ducal Bavaria

Ducal Bavaria

Name Image Title Start term End term House Part Note
Garibald I Duke of Bavaria 555 (c.) 591 Agilolfings Some sources call him "King of the Bavarians".
Tassilo I Duke of Bavaria 591 (c.) 610 Agilolfings Named rex (king) at his ascension.
Garibald II Duke of Bavaria 610 (c.) 630 Agilolfings
Theodo Duke of Bavaria 680 (c.) 716 (?) Agilolfings By the time of Theodo, 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 Grimoald.
Theodbert Duke 702 (c.) 719 Agilolfings Salzburg Son of Theodo.
Theobald Duke 711 (c.) 719 Agilolfings Parts of Bavaria Son of Theodo.
Tassilo II Duke 716 (c.) 719 Agilolfings Passau Son of Theodo.
Grimoald Duke 716 (c.) 725 Agilolfings Freising Son of Theodo, later ruling all of Bavaria.
Hugbert Duke 725 737 Agilolfings Son of Theudbert. In 725(?), Charles Martel, ruler in fact though not in name of the Frankish realm, reasserted royal supremacy over Bavaria, defeating and killing Grimoald and annexing portions of Bavaria during the rule of Hugbert.
Odilo 737 748 Agilolfings Son of Gotfrid.
Grifo 748 748 Agilolfings Usurper
Tassilo III Duke of Bavaria 748 788 Agilolfings In 757 Tassilo III recognized the suzerainty of the Frankish kings Pippin III 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 am Main in 794.
Charlemagne Emperor 788 794 Carolingian
Gerold of Vinzgouw Prefect of Bavaria 794 799 Udalriching Appointed Baioariæ præfectus by Charlemagne. Died in battle.
Charlemagne Emperor 794 814 Carolingian
Lothair I Emperor 814 817 Carolingian
Louis I the Pious Emperor 817 829 Carolingian In 817, Louis bestowed Bavaria upon his then-youngest son, Louis the German.
Louis II the German King of Bavaria 817 865 Carolingian Louis was to rule as King of Bavaria, subordinate to his father, until the latter's death in 840. From 843, Bavaria was merged in Louis the German's Kingdom of East Francia. In 864, Louis the German 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 King of Bavaria 864 880 Carolingian Eldest son of Louis the German.
Louis III the Younger King of Bavaria 880 882 Carolingian Son of Louis the German.
Charles the Fat King of Bavaria 882 887 Carolingian Youngest son of Louis the German.

Carloman's bastard son, Arnulf of Carinthia, rebelled against Charles and took power in eastern Francia shortly before Charles' death.
Arnulf of Carinthia King of Bavaria 887 899 Carolingian Son of Carloman.
Louis IV the Child King of Bavaria 899 911 Carolingian Son of Arnulf of Carinthia.
Engeldeo Margrave of Bavaria 890 895 Deprived of his title marchio Baioariorum and replaced by Luitpold.
Luitpold Margrave of Bavaria 895 907 Luitpolding
Arnulf the Bad Duke of Bavaria 907 937 Luitpolding Son of Luitpold.

Arnulf the Bad claimed the title of Duke — implying full autonomy — in 911, and was recognized as such by the German King Henry the Fowler, in 920.
Eberhard Duke of Bavaria 937 938 Luitpolding
Berthold Duke of Bavaria 938 947 Luitpolding Younger son of Luitpold.

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.
Henry I Duke of Bavaria 947 955 Ottonian Son of Henry the Fowler.

On Berthold's death, Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor, gave the duchy to his own brother Henry (I), who was also Arnulf the Bad's son-in-law.
Henry II the Quarrelsome Duke of Bavaria 955 976 Ottonian Henry II made war upon his cousin, Emperor 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 Duke of Bavaria 976 982 Ottonian
Henry III the Younger Duke of Bavaria 983 985 Luitpolding Bavaria was given to Berthold's son Henry III, briefly restoring the Luitpolding dynasty. Henry III exchanged Bavaria for Carinthia, and Henry II received Bavaria again.
Henry II the Quarrelsome Duke of Bavaria 985 995 Ottonian Restored
Henry IV Duke of Bavaria 995 1004 Ottonian Son of Henry II the Quarrelsome.

Henry IV was elected as Holy Roman Emperor Henry II, who gave Bavaria to his brother-in-law Henry V, Count of Luxemburg in 1004.
Henry V Duke of Bavaria 1004 1009 Luxemburg Son of Siegfried of Luxembourg.
Henry IV Duke of Bavaria 1009 1017 Ottonian Henry IV reasserted direct control.
Henry V Duke of Bavaria 1017 1026 Luxemburg Son of Siegfried of Luxembourg.

Conrad II, Holy Roman Emperor, King of Germany, gave Bavaria to his son Henry VI after the death of Henry V in 1026.
Henry VI the Black Duke of Bavaria 1026 1042 Salian Son of Conrad II, Holy Roman Emperor.

Later Henry was elected as Holy Roman Emperor Henry III, and became King of Germany in 1039.
Henry VII Duke of Bavaria 1042 1047 Luxemburg Son of Frederick, Duke of Lower Lorraine.

In 1042, Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor, granted the duchy to Henry VII, Count of Luxemburg, nephew of Henry V.
Conrad I (Kuno) Duke of Bavaria 1049 1053 Ezzonen Son of Liudolf of Lotharingia.

After Henry VII's death, the dukedom was vacant for a couple of years. Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor, then gave the duchy to Kuno, Count of Zütphen, in 1049. Kuno was deposed in 1053.
Henry VIII Duke of Bavaria 1053 1054 Salian Son of Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor.

During his reign in Bavaria Henry VIII was a minor (born 1050). In 1056 he became King of Germany and Holy Roman Emperor as Henry IV in 1084.
Conrad II Duke of Bavaria 1054 1055 Salian (minor, born 1052, died 1055) Son of Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry VIII Duke of Bavaria 1055 1061 Salian (minor: born 1050) Son of Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor. Henry VIII became King of Germany (1056) and Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor in 1084.
Otto II Duke of Bavaria 1061 1070 Northeim In 1061 Empress Agnes — the 11-year-old King Henry IV's mother and regent — entrusted the duchy to Otto of Nordheim.
Welf I Duke of Bavaria 1070 1077 Welf Welf I subsequently quarreled with Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor and was deprived of his duchy for nineteen years, during which it was directly administered by the German crown.
Henry VIII Duke of Bavaria 1077 1096 Salian (minor: born 1050) Son of Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor. Henry VIII became King of Germany (1056) and Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor in 1084.
Welf I Duke of Bavaria 1096 1101 Welf Welf I recovered the duchy in 1096.
Welf II Duke of Bavaria 1101 1120 Welf Son of Welf I
Henry IX the Black Duke of Bavaria 1120 1126 Welf Son of Welf I.

Abdicated.
Henry X the Proud Duke of Bavaria 1126 1138 Welf Son of Henry IX the Black.

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.
Leopold I Duke of Bavaria 1139 1141 Babenberg When Leopold died, Conrad III of Germany resumed the duchy and granted it to Leopold's brother Henry XI.
Henry XI Jasomirgott Duke of Bavaria 1143 1156 Babenberg Brother of Leopold.
Henry XII the Lion Duke of Bavaria 1156 1180 Welf When Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor, 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.
Otto III Duke of Bavaria 1180 1183 Wittelsbach In 1180 Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor gave Bavaria to Otto I Wittelsbach, Duke of Bavaria of the House of Wittelsbach.
Louis I Duke of Bavaria 1183 1231 Wittelsbach Son of Otto I.

Louis obtained the Palatinate of the Rhine in 1214. So Louis I served also as Count Palatine of the Rhine. He was assassinated 1231.
Otto IV Duke of Bavaria 1231 1253 Wittelsbach Otto II served also as Count Palatine of the Rhine. 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.
Henry XIII Duke of Bavaria 1253 1290 Wittelsbach Lower Bavaria Son of Otto II (co-ruler)
Louis II Duke of Bavaria 1253 1294 Wittelsbach Upper Bavaria Son of Otto II (co-ruler)
Louis III Duke of Bavaria 1290 1296 Wittelsbach Lower Bavaria Son of Henry XIII (co-ruler)
Stephen I Duke of Bavaria 1290 1309 Wittelsbach Lower Bavaria Son of Henry XIII (co-ruler)
Otto V Duke of Bavaria 1290 1312 Wittelsbach Lower Bavaria Son of Henry XIII (co-ruler). King of Hungary 1306–08
Rudolf I Duke of Bavaria 1294 1317 Wittelsbach Upper Bavaria Son of Louis II (co-ruler)
Louis IV Duke of Bavaria 1294 1347 Wittelsbach Upper Bavaria
Bavaria (1340–1347)		 Son of Louis II.

Co-ruled with his brother Rudolf I until 1317 — then alone. Louis IV was elected King of Germany in 1314. In the Treaty of Pavia (1329) Louis IV released the Palatinate of the Rhine including the Bavarian Upper Palatinate to the sons of Rudolf I. After John I the Child's death in 1340, Louis IV unified the Bavarian duchy.
Otto VI Duke of Bavaria 1309 1334 Wittelsbach Lower Bavaria Son of Stephen I (co-ruler)
Henry XIV the Elder Duke of Bavaria 1309 1339 Wittelsbach Lower Bavaria Son of Stephen I (co-ruler)
Henry XV the Natterberger Duke of Bavaria 1312 1333 Wittelsbach Lower Bavaria Son of Otto III (co-ruler)
John I the Child Duke of Bavaria 1339 1340 Wittelsbach Lower Bavaria Son of Henry XIV the Elder (co-ruler). After John I's death in 1340, Louis IV unified the Bavarian duchy (1340–1349).
Louis V the Brandenburger Duke of Bavaria 1347 1361 Wittelsbach Bavaria and 2nd partition Son of Louis IV.
  • United Bavaria (1340–1349): Co-ruler with Stephan II, Louis VI the Roman, William I, Albert I, Otto V
  • Upper Bavaria (1349–1361): Co-ruler with Louis VI the Roman and Otto V
Stephan II Duke of Bavaria 1347 1375 Wittelsbach Bavaria and 2nd partition Son of Louis IV.
  • United Bavaria (1340–1349): Co-ruler with Louis V the Brandenburger, Louis VI the Roman, William I, Albert I, Otto V
  • Lower Bavaria (1349–1353): Co-ruler with Albert I and William I
  • Bavaria-Landshut (1353–1375)
Louis VI the Roman Duke of Bavaria 1347 1351 Wittelsbach Bavaria and 2nd partition Son of Louis IV.
  • United Bavaria (1340–1349): Co-ruler with Louis V the Brandenburger, Stephan II, William I, Albert I, Otto V
  • Upper Bavaria (1349–1351): Co-ruler with Louis V the Brandenburger and Otto V
William I Duke of Bavaria 1347 1388 Wittelsbach Bavaria and 2nd partition Son of Louis IV.
  • United Bavaria (1340–1349): Co-ruler with Louis V the Brandenburger, Stephan II, Louis VI the Roman, Albert I, Otto V
  • Lower Bavaria (1349–1353): Co-ruler with Albert I and Stephan II
  • Bavaria-Straubing (1353–1388): Co-ruler with Albert I and Albert II
Albert I Duke of Bavaria 1347 1404 Wittelsbach Bavaria and 2nd partition Son of Louis IV.
  • United Bavaria (1340–1349): Co-ruler with Louis V the Brandenburger, Stephan II, Louis VI the Roman, William I, Otto V
  • Lower Bavaria (1349–1353): Co-ruler with Stephan II and William I
  • Bavaria-Straubing (1353–1404): Co-ruler with William I and Albert II (Since 1397 alone)
Otto VII Duke of Bavaria 1347 1351 Wittelsbach Bavaria and 2nd partition Son of Louis IV.
  • United Bavaria (1340–1349): Co-ruler with Louis V the Brandenburger, Stephan II, Louis VI the Roman, William I, Albert I
  • Upper Bavaria (1349–1351): Co-ruler with Louis VI the Roman and Louis V the Brandenburger
  • Bavaria-Landshut (1375–1379): Co-ruler with John II, Frederick and Stephen III
Meinhard 1361 1363 Wittelsbach Upper Bavaria Son of Louis V the Brandenburger. Margrave of Tyrol. After his death in 1363, Upper Bavaria was partitioned between Bavaria-Straubing and Bavaria-Landshut.
John II Duke of Bavaria 1375 1397 Wittelsbach Bavaria-Landshut Bavaria-Munich Son of Stephan II
  • Bavaria-Landshut (1375–1392): Co-ruler with Otto V, Frederick, Stephen III
  • Bavaria-Munich (1392–1397)
Frederick Duke of Bavaria-Landshut 1375 1393 Wittelsbach Bavaria-Landshut Son of Stephan II
  • Bavaria-Landshut (1375–1392): Co-ruler with Otto V, John II, Stephen III
  • 1392–1392 alone
Stephen III 1375 1413 Wittelsbach Bavaria-Landshut Bavaria-Ingolstadt Son of Stephan II
  • Bavaria-Landshut (1375–1392): Co-ruler with Otto V, John II, Frederick
  • Bavaria-Ingolstadt (1392–1413)
Albert II Duke of Bavaria-Straubing 1389 1397 Wittelsbach Bavaria-Straubing Son of Albert I. Co-ruler with Albert I.
Henry XVI the Rich Duke of Bavaria-Landshut 1392 1450 Wittelsbach Bavaria-Landshut Son of Frederick, annexed Bavaria-Ingolstadt in 1447.
William III Duke of Bavaria-Munich 1397 1435 Wittelsbach Bavaria-Munich Son of John II. Co-ruler with Ernest
Ernest Duke of Bavaria-Munich 1397 1438 Wittelsbach Bavaria-Munich Son of John II. Co-ruler with William III (Alone from 1435)
William II Duke of Bavaria-Straubing 1404 1417 Wittelsbach Bavaria-Straubing Son of Albert I
Louis VII the Bearded Duke of Bavaria-Ingolstadt 1413 1443 Wittelsbach Bavaria-Ingolstadt Son of Stephen III
Jacqueline Duchess of Bavaria-Straubing 1417 1432 Wittelsbach Bavaria-Straubing Daughter of William II, Duke of Bavaria-Straubing. Until 1425 contested by John III the Pitiless. In 1432 Bavaria-Straubing was partitioned among the other Bavarian duchies.
John III the Pitiless Duke of Bavaria-Straubing 1418 1425 Wittelsbach Bavaria-Straubing Son of Albert I. Contested Jacqueline until his death 1425.
Albert III Duke of Bavaria-Munich 1438 1460 Wittelsbach Bavaria-Munich Son of Ernest
Louis VIII the Younger Duke of Bavaria-Ingolstadt 1443 1445 Wittelsbach Bavaria-Ingolstadt Son Louis VII the Bearded. Bavaria-Ingolstadt was annexed by Bavaria-Landshut in 1447.
Louis IX the Rich Duke of Bavaria-Landshut 1450 1479 Wittelsbach Bavaria-Landshut Son of Henry XVI the Rich
John IV Duke of Bavaria 1460 1463 Wittelsbach Bavaria-Munich Son of Albert III. Co-ruler with Sigismund and Albert IV the Wise
Sigismund 1460 1501 Wittelsbach Bavaria-Munich Bavaria-Dachau Son of Albert III
  • Bavaria-Munich (1460–1467): Co-ruler with John IV and Albert IV the Wise
  • Bavaria-Dachau (1467–1501)

Bavaria-Dachau was reunited with Bavaria-Munich in 1501.
George the Rich Duke of Bavaria-Landshut 1479 1503 Wittelsbach Bavaria-Landshut Son of Louis IX the Rich.

Bavaria-Landshut was annexed by Bavaria-Munich.

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