Elisabeth of Bavaria, Queen of Germany

For other people with the same name, seeElisabeth of Bavaria.

Elisabeth of Bavaria
Seal of Elisabeth of Bavaria.
Queen consort of GermanyandJerusalem
Tenure	1 September 1246 – 21 May 1254
Queen consort of Sicily
Tenure	13 December 1250 – 21 May 1254
Born	c. 1227 Trausnitz Castle,Landshut,Bavaria
Died	9 October 1273 (aged 45–46) Goyen Castle,Schenna,Tyrol
Burial	StamsAbbey
Spouse	Conrad IV, King of Germany Meinhard, Duke of Carinthia
Issue	Conradin, King of Sicily Elizabeth, Queen of Germany Otto III, Duke of Carinthia Henry, King of Bohemia
House	House of Wittelsbach
Father	Otto II, Duke of Bavaria
Mother	Agnes of the Palatinate

Elisabeth of Bavaria(c. 1227,Trausnitz Castle,Landshut,Bavaria– 9 October 1273, Goyen Castle,Schenna,Tyrol), a member of theHouse of Wittelsbach,wasQueen of GermanyandJerusalemfrom 1246 to 1254 by her marriage to KingConrad IV of Germany.

Life

Elisabeth was born atTrausnitz CastleinLandshut,the eldest daughter ofOtto II Wittelsbachand his wifeAgnes of the Palatinate,herself a daughter of theWelfcount palatineHenry VandAgnes of Hohenstaufen.

Otto II succeeded his fatherLouis IasBavarianduke and asCount palatinein 1231. In the conflict between theHohenstaufenemperorFrederick IIand theRoman Curia,he initially sided with the pope, but became a supporter of Frederick in 1241. Otto II had initially betrothed Elisabeth to DukeFrederick II of Austria,however, the new political alliance would lead to the marriage of the elder daughter of the Wittelsbach and the elder son of the Hohenstaufen,Conrad IV.The wedding ceremony took place on 1 September 1246, probably atVohburgin Bavaria, against fierce protests by the papal legateAlbert von Behaim.

Conrad IV had inherited the title of aKing of Jerusalemfrom his motherIsabella II of Jerusalem.AppointedDuke of Swabiain 1235, he was electedKing of the Romansin 1237 to represent his father in hisGermandominions. Upon Frederick's death on 13 December 1250, still involved in a war againstPope Innocent IVand his allies, he also succeeded him asKing of Sicily.He would continue the war and left for Sicily in 1251, leaving his wife behind, who gave birth to their only childConradinin March next year. On 21 May 1254 Conrad IV died ofmalariaat his army camp inLavello,Basilicata,without ever having seen his son.

During theinterregnumafter the death of Emperor Frederick II, Elisabeth tried to secure the rights of her minor son Conradin, backed by her brothers, the Bavarian dukesHenry XIIIandLouis II.In 1256 Elisabeth had to witness the execution of Louis' wifeMaria of Brabant,whereafter she gave Conradin to theBishop of Constancefor care and education. Beset by intriguingPope Alexander VI,she agreed to appoint Conradin's uncleManfred,an illegitimate son of Frederick,regentin theKingdom of Sicilyon her son's behalf. However, she could not prevent the election ofRichard of Cornwallas King of the Romans in 1256/57.

Elisabeth remained a widow for five years. On 6 October 1259 inMunich,she married her second husband CountMeinhard II of Gorizia–Tyrol,a member of theMeinhardiner dynasty,who becameDuke of Carinthiain 1286. Her second husband, just released from custody by ArchbishopPhilip of Salzburg,was of inferior status and about ten years younger than her, nevertheless hisTyroleandomains comprised the strategically important mountain passes across theAlpstoItaly.The couple had six surviving children.

Elisabeth's relationship to her firstborn son Conradin remained a reserved one. WhenCharles of Anjoudefeated Manfred of Sicily in the 1266Battle of Benevento,her brother Louis and her husband Meinhard encouraged Conradin's decision to go on campaign. In August 1267, mother and son met for a last time atHohenschwangau Castlebefore Conradin left for Italy, together with his uncle and his stepfather, who however deserted him inVerona.After Elisabeth heard of his defeat and execution in 1268, she had theSanta Maria del CarmineChurch erected inNaplesin his memory. In 1272 she founded theCistercianabbey ofStamsin Tyrol, together with her husband Meinhard, where she is also buried.

Marriages and children

Elisabeth and Conrad had:

• Conradin(25 March 1252 – 29 October 1268)

Elisabeth and her second husband Meinhard had six children:

• Elisabeth of Gorizia-Tyrol(1262–1312), wife ofAlbert I, Duke of Austria(1248–1308), became queen consort of the Romans in 1298.
• Otto III of Carinthia(d. 1310), father ofElisabeth of Carinthia(1298–1352), queen-consort of Sicily as wife ofPeter II of Sicily(1304-1342).
• Albert II, died 1292.
• Louis, died 1305.
• Henry I(c. 1270–1335), King of Bohemia 1306 and 1307–10, Duke of Carinthia 1310–35, Count of Tyrol
• Agnes of Carinthia (d. 1293), wife ofFrederick I, Margrave of Meissen(1257–1323), grandson ofEmperor Frederick II(1194-1250), her only son Frederick of Meissen (9 May 1293 – 13 January 1315, Zwenkau) predeceased his father.

Sources

• Arnold, Benjamin (1991a).Count and Bishop in Medieval Germany: A Study of Regional Power, 1100-1350.University of Pennsylvania Press.
• Arnold, Benjamin (1991b).Princes and Territories in Medieval Germany.Cambridge University Press.

External links

• Alio, Jacqueline (2018).Queens of Sicily 1061-1266.Trinacria.
• Marek, Miroslav."A listing of descendants of the Wittelsbach family".Genealogy.EU.