Henry XVI, Duke of Bavaria

Henry XVI of Bavaria (1386 – 30 July 1450, in Landshut), (German: Heinrich der Reiche, Herzog von Bayern-Landshut), since 1393 Duke of Bavaria-Landshut.^[1] He was a son of duke Frederick and his wife Maddalena Visconti, a daughter of Bernabò Visconti.

Henry XVI
Duke of Bavaria-Landshut
Reign	4 December 1393 – 30 July 1450
Predecessor	Frederick
Successor	Louis IX
Duke of Bavaria-Ingolstadt
Reign	7 April 1445 – 30 July 1450
Predecessor	Louis VIII
Successor	Louis IX
Born	1386 probably Burghausen Castle
Died	30 July 1450(1450-07-30) (aged 63–64) Landshut
Spouse	Margaret of Austria
Issue	Albrecht Friedrich Ludwig IX "der Reiche" Johanna Elisabeth Margarete
House	House of Wittelsbach
Father	Frederick, Duke of Bavaria
Mother	Maddalena Visconti

Life

Henry was the oldest child of Frederick and Maddalena and he had two younger sisters Elizabeth and Magdalena, as well as an older half-sister, Isabella from his fathers first marriage to Anna of Neuffen.

After the death of his father in 1393 when Henry was only seven years old, his mother Maddalena was made regent for her young son, while Henry`s two paternal uncles Stephen and John were made guardians.

Maddalena died in 1404 and from then on Henry ruled by himself.

Henry became engaged to Margaret of Austria in 1405. Since Henry and Margaret were related within the third degree, a papal dispensation had to be granted from Pope Alexander VI. The dispensation was granted on November 12,1412. Henry and the 17-year old Margaret were then married at Bayern-Landshut on the 25 November of the same year.

Duke Henry XVI was the first of the three famous rich dukes, who reigned Bavaria-Landshut in the 15th century. Their residence was Trausnitz Castle in Landshut, a fortification which attained enormous dimensions. Having inherited not only the black hair but also the despotic temperament of the Visconti, Henry oppressed very cruelly uprisings of the citizenry of Landshut in 1410 and fought successfully against his cousin Louis VII the Bearded, the duke of Bavaria-Ingolstadt. He united Louis’ enemies in the Parakeet Society of 1414 and the League of Constance of 1415.

While the duchy of Bavaria-Straubing was still divided between Bavaria-Ingolstadt, Bavaria-Munich and Bavaria-Landshut after the extinction of the dukes of Straubing in 1429, Henry managed to receive the duchy of Bavaria-Ingolstadt almost completely in 1447. Henry died in 1450, it is not sure if the plague was the cause as sometimes reported. He was succeeded by his only surviving son Louis IX the Rich.

Henry banished his wife to Burghausen Castle^[2] to extend his freedom. His son and grandson took over this tradition, even though not all later marriages were that unhappy.

Family and children

Henry XVI and his wife Margaret

He was married in Landshut 25 November 1412 to Margaret, daughter of Duke Albert IV of Austria and Joanna Sophia of Bavaria. Their children were:

1. Albert (1414, Burghausen – ca. 1418).
2. Frederick (1415 – 7 June 1416, Burghausen).
3. Louis IX (23 February 1417, Burghausen – 18 January 1479, Landshut).
4. Joanna (1413 – 20 July 1444, Mosbach), married in Burghausen in 1430 to Count Palatine Otto I of Mosbach.
5. Elizabeth (1419 – 1 January 1451, Landshut), married in Stuttgart 1445 to Ulrich V, Count of Württemberg.
6. Margaret (b. 1420), a nun at Seligental.

He also had illegitimate children, including Georg von Zangberg, Elisabeth, and Barbara.