LOUIS IV., TIIE BAVARIAN, Emperor of Germany, 1285-1347; b. Germany; son of Louis the severe, duke of Bavaria; pursued his early studies under the direction of his mother, 3latilda, daughter of the emperor Rudolph I. of Hapsburg. His father being dead, he became co-heir with his brother Rudolph, and co-regent of the realm. In 1314 he was elected the successor of Henry VII. of Luxembourg, who had died in Italy the previous year, the majority voting for him, but a large minority declaring at Cologne in favor of his cousin, Frederick the fair, called Frederick le bel, of Austria (son of the em peror Albert I. and grandson of Rudolph of Hapsburg), proclaiming him emperor Freder ick III. Louis was victorious in the battle of Millildorf, Sept. 28,1322, bringing to a close a long and ruinous war, which had laid waste a large part of Germany, and taking Fred: .erick prisoner compelled him to renounce all claitn to the succession. In 1323, having by his support of the Viscontis in Milan caused the estrangement of pope John XXII., he was excommunicated Mar. 21,1324, and coinmauded by the pope to appear before lihn; but lie appealed to a general council, and the summons was declared null and void by the diet of Ratisbon. In 1324 he married Margaret of Holland. In 1325 a treaty
was formed by which Frederick was released from imprisonment on condition that he would return and deliver hhnself again to Louis if he found himself unable to induce his adherents to transfer their allegiance. The contrary being the result, the vanquished returned into captivity in conformity with his oath, and was appointed governor of his own Bavarian possessions. In 1327 Louis defied the pope of Rome, accusing him of heresy, and was crowned king in Milan, receiving at Rome in 1328 the sacred sanction of the bishops of Venice and Aleria. Through his influence pope John was deposed, and Peter de Corbiere, called Nicholas V., was established antipope. This movement resulting in general unpopularity, he returned to Germany to defend his possessions there, which were continually threatened by John XXII. and his successors, Benedict XII. and Clement VI., with their foreign allies, assisted by French intrigues. He added to his strength in Germany the dominions of Holland, Zealand, Friesland, etc., which had come to him with his wife, Margaret of Holland. He was suddenly killed by a fall from his horse while hunting at FtIrstenfeld, near Munich.