Matilda of Habsburg facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Matilda of Habsburg |
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Portrait by Anton Boys
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| Duchess consort of Bavaria | |
| Tenure | 1273–1294 |
| Born | 1253 Rheinfelden |
| Died | 23 December 1304 Munich, Bavaria |
| Spouse |
Louis II, Duke of Bavaria
(m. 1273; died 1294) |
| Issue |
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| House | Habsburg |
| Father | Rudolf I of Germany |
| Mother | Gertrude of Hohenberg |
Matilda of Habsburg, also known as Melchilde, was born in 1253 in Rheinfelden. She passed away on December 23, 1304, in Munich, Bavaria. Matilda became a duchess of Bavaria when she married. She also served as a regent for her younger son, Louis IV. This happened in Upper Bavaria from 1294 to 1301. A regent is someone who rules a country when the king or queen is too young.
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Matilda's Family and Marriage
Matilda was the oldest daughter of Rudolf I of Germany. Her mother was Gertrude of Hohenberg. On October 24, 1273, Matilda became the third wife of Louis II, Duke of Bavaria. Their wedding took place in Aachen.
Matilda and Louis's Children
Matilda and Louis had four children together:
- Rudolf I was born on October 4, 1274, in Basel. He passed away on August 12, 1319.
- Mechthild was born in 1275. She died on March 28, 1319, in Lüneburg. In 1288, she married Duke Otto II of Brunswick-Lüneburg.
- Agnes died in 1345. She first married Henry the Younger of Hesse in 1290 in Donauwörth. Later, between 1298 and 1303, she married Henry I, Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal.
- Louis IV was born on April 1, 1282, in Munich. He passed away on October 11, 1347, in Puch, near Fürstenfeldbruck.
Matilda as a Regent
When her husband, Louis II, died in 1294, Matilda became a regent. She ruled for her younger son, Louis, who was still a child. It was decided that Matilda would rule part of the duchy with Louis. Her older son, Rudolf, was already an adult and would rule the other part.
Matilda took control of a large area of Upper Bavaria. Rudolf, her older son, took cities like Ingolstadt, Langenfeld, and Rietberg. After a few years, her son Louis became old enough to rule on his own.
Challenges and Conflicts
Matilda made sure her younger son, Louis, was partly educated in Vienna. With her support, and the help of her brother King Albert I, Louis became a co-ruler with his brother Rudolf I in Upper Bavaria in 1301.
However, Louis soon had disagreements with the Habsburg family. These arguments started in 1307 over land in Lower Bavaria. Louis also had a civil war with his brother Rudolf. This was because they argued about how to divide their lands. They finally made peace in Munich in 1313.
Matilda and Rudolf continued to have problems. In 1302, Rudolf arrested Matilda and brought her to Munich. There, she signed an agreement promising not to get involved in the government anymore. But as soon as she left Bavaria, Matilda said the agreement was not valid. She then got support from her brother Albert and her son Louis.
Matilda's son, Louis, later defeated his cousin, Frederick the Fair. Louis and Frederick had been friends and grew up together. But they started fighting when Frederick was given charge of the young Dukes of Lower Bavaria. These dukes were Henry XIV, Otto IV, and Henry XV. On November 9, 1313, Louis defeated Frederick in the Battle of Gammelsdorf. After this, Frederick had to give up his role as guardian.
Matilda died on December 23, 1304, in Munich, Bavaria.
