LOUIS IV. (c.1287-1347). Holy Roman Em peror from 1314 to 1347, surnamed the Bavarian. lie was a son of Louis the Strict, Duke of Upper Bavaria, and Matilda, daughter of the Emperor Rudolph I. of Hapsburg. He succeeded his father in 1294. his mother being Regent. but after a long contest with his brother, Rudolph, allowed the latter a share in the Government. In 1314 he was elected King of the Romans as the suc cessor of Henry VII. of Luxemburg. Four of the electors voted for him, but three declared in favor of his cousin, Frederick the Fair, of Austria, son of the Emperor Albert 1. and grand son of Rudolph of Hapsburg. the latter being proclaimed Emperor as Frederick III. In the war which ensued Louis won the battle of. Miihldorf, September 28, 1322, and took Fred erick prisoner. Having by his support of the Visconti in Milan aroused the enmity of Pope John XXII., he was excommunicated in 1324, and was commanded by the Pope to appear be fore him; but Louis appealed to a general coun cil, and the summons was declared null and void by the Diet of Ratisbon. In the same year he married Margaret of Holland. In 1325 a treaty was concluded by which Frederick was released from imprisonment on condition that he return into captivity if Ile should find himself un able to induce his adherents to transfer their allegiance. Failing in his attempt. Frederick
gave himself up in conformity with his oath, and was appointed Governor of the Bavarian posses sions of Louis. In 1327 Louis plunged into con flict with the Pope, entered Italy, and was crowned King of Lombardy at Milan. In the fol lowing year he received the Imperial crown at Rome from the hands of Sciarra Colonna. (See CotoxxA.) Through his influence John XXII. was deposed, and Peter de Corbara was raised to the Papal throne as Nicholas V. On his way hack to Germany Louis was defeated near Milan (1329), and the Antipope Nicholas V. was soon compelled to abdicate. The German princes, how ever, aided Louis in his struggles against the Papacy at Avignon. and at a diet at Rhense (q.v.) in 132S the electors declared that the elec tion of an Emperor needed no Papal confirmation. In 1345 Louis added to his power by the acquisi tion of the dominions of Holland, Zealand. Hai nault, and Friesland, which after the death of William IV. of Holland descended to Louis's wife, Margaret of Holland. He died of a stroko of apoplexy. His Court was noted on account of the many famous writers who gathered there to aid in the struggle against John XXII. Alost notable among these was :Nlarsilius of l'adua (q.v.). Consult Fischer, Ludwig dcr Bur r (Leipzig, 1882).