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The Wittelsbach dynasty is one of the oldest royal family in Europe. The different branches of the Wittelsbach family and the title Duke in Bavaria is a complicated story. It needs to be addressed because some European monarchs emerged from the cadet branches of the family. The story begins with the death of Kurfürst Karl Theodor. The question of secession was complicated because he had no direct descendents. A distant cousin was selected, Kurfürst Max IV Joseph/King Maximilian I Joseph. In the seccession process, two cadet branches of the Wittelsbach family became established, in part because of the various territories the family possessed, especially those outside of Bavaria proper. The rather curious title of Duke IN Bavaria (Herzog in Bayern) began to be used at the time that primogeniture was established (1506). The title was used by the many members of the House of Wittelsbach except the ruling duke. The title of the ruling duke was complicated. Karl I styled himself Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld and patriarch of the House of Palatinate-Birkenfeld: "Count Palatine by Rhine, Duke in Bavaria, Count to Veldenz and Sponheim". Wilhelm, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld-Gelnhausen began to use it as his primary title. This choice has also had effect for his descendants.
The Wittelsbach dynasty is one of the oldest royal family in Europe. After the decay of Roman power, the Ostrogoths and Franks successively held possession of Bavaria. It was a part of Charlemagne's empire. Bavaria was transferred by imperial grant to Otto Count of Wittelsbach (1180). The title conferred was Duke of Bavaria. The Rhenish Palatinate was conferred on this family by the Emperor Frederick III (1216). The different branches of the Wittelsbach family and the title Duke in Bavaria is a complicated story. It needs to be addressed because some European monarchs emerged from the cadet branches of the family.
The Duchy of Bavaria (Bayern) as a result of dukes spliting the inheritance among sons was split into three rival lines (14th century). These included 1) Baiern-Straubing (-Ingolstadt), 2) Baiern-Landshut, and 3) Baiern-München. The most important was Baiern-Landshut. Duke Heinrich of Baiern-Landshut seized the annexed the territory of Baiern-Straubing (1447). He took the last duke of Baiern-Straubing prisoner and he died without an heir. Duke Georg 'The Rich' of Baiern-Landshut, whose residence was in Burghausen, died without an heir (1503). This essentially left Bavaria up for grabs and two rival branches of the Wittelsbach dynasty viwd for the prize. The rival factions were Count Ruprecht von der Pfalz (the 'Palatinate') and Duke Albrecht of Baiern-München this was basically a dynastic civil war between Upper and Lower Bavaria. Count Ruprecht at the beginning of the War controlled most of Bavaria (April 1504). He held the most important cities a strtegic castles. The nobility of Lower Bavaria supported him and Bohemian he recruited Bohemian mercenaries. He commanded a military force of 30,000 men. This was far in excess of the force Duke Albrecht in Upper Bavaria was able to muster.
There were, however, forces outside Bavaria at play. The Swabian League came to the support of Duke Albrecht.
Emperor Maximilian also supported Duke Albrecht, as did Margrave Friedrich of Bayreuth and Brandenburg.
The first major engagement occurred at Waldengefälle. A Bayreuth force of 3,000 men which as was common zt the time, pillaged the Oberpfalz, was surprised by a smaller force of 1,000 Upper Palatine forces which defeated them (August 8, 1504). Count Ruprecht could not, however, overcome the superior forces arrayed against him. t
The Habsburg-Upper Bavarian alliance amssed a 60,000 man-strong army. They defeated Count Ruprecht with his
Lower Bavarianvarmy and Bohemian mercenaries at Wenzenbach (September 12, 1504). The Upper Bavarian forces proceeded to occupy Lower Bavaria. An Imperial force laid siege to one of Count Ruprecht's most important positions--the forrtress at Kufstein. The fortress surrendered (October 12). This essentially ended the War.
Duke Albrecht as a kind of payment to the Emperor ceded the districts of Kufstein, Kitzbühel and Rattenburg to the (Habsburg) County of Tyrol. He also ceded the Bavarian territory in Burgau to Habsburg Burgau (July 20, 1505). This is known as the Cologne Recess. Neuburg became seat of the Wittelsbach cadet line Pfalz-Neuburg.
The War unified Bavaria. Andc the principle of primogenteur was firmly established. Even though some territory was lost, unified Bavaria one of the Holy Roman Empire's larger territories.
The Treaty of Westphalia brought an end to the Thirty Years' War (1648). The War had been fought over both religion and dunastic claims. It was one of the bloodiest in European history. Under the cterms if the Treaty, modern Europe began to take shape, in particular the beginning of the development iof modern Germany. The Treaty in effect legitimized Protestantism which dominated northern Germany and the Cathlics dominant in the south. The Treaty instituionalized the principle that the ruler's religion would be the principality's religion. One of the development was to grant the Duke of Bavaria the title Elector of the Holy Roman Empire. This was more prestigious than duke.
The rather curious title of Duke IN Bavaria (Herzog in Bayern) began to be used at the time that primogeniture was established (1506). The title was used by the many members of the House of Wittelsbach except the ruling duke. The title of the ruling duke was complicated. Karl I styled himself Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld and patriarch of the House of Palatinate-Birkenfeld: "Count Palatine by Rhine, Duke in Bavaria, Count to Veldenz and Sponheim". Wilhelm, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld-Gelnhausen began to use it as his primary title. This choice has also had effect for his descendants.
Karl Theodor unified Bavaria with the Palatinate and the other major possessions of Jülich and Berg in his own person. The modern story begins with the death of Kurfürst Charles Karl Theodor (1799). He was the head of the House of Wittelsbach and he died without children. The question of secession was complicated because he had no direct descendents. A distant cousin was selected, Kurfürst Max IV Joseph/King Maximilian I Joseph. In the seccession process, the old rivakries between braches of the family surfaced, in part because of the various territories the family had possessed.
One result of the Landshut War of Succession was the establishment of primogeniture as a firm principle for Bavaria and the Wittelsbach lands. This meant there could be only one Duke of Bavaria. The result was the creation of the novel title, Duke in Bavaria that could be used by the rest if the family. This included the older Palatine branch which had been defeated in the Landshut War. All the Wittelbachs were also Counts Palatine by Rhine.
Two cadet branches survived in Bavaria at the time Karl Theodor died (1799). One was headed by Maximilian I Joseph, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken. The other was headed by William, Count Palatine of Gelnhausen. At the time, however the French Revolution had convulsed Europe and Napoleon had begun his military campaigns, Both Zweibrücken and Gelnhausen were seized by Frencharmies. As a result, the custom of naming branches by the title of their possessions ceased. Maximilian and Wilhelm agreed that the Wittelsbach inheritances should be indivisible. We have noted a reference to the Treaty of Ansbach, but have been unable to find any information about it.
Maximilian Joseph, as from the senior branch, inherited Charles Theodor's title of Duke of Bavaria and Elector of Bavaria. He was elevated to King Maximilian I Joseph by Napoleon through the treaty of Pressburg (1806). This was in thanks for Bavaria's joining the French cause. Bavaria was now a kingdom for the first time in its history and the Wittelsbachs became a royal house.
The Wittelsbach cadet branch was headed by William, Count Palatine of Gelnhausen. William was also Maximillian Joseph's brother-in-law. As part of the arrangement with Maximillian Joseph, William received the title of Duke in Bavaria. Thus the cadet brancg became the The Duke in Bavaria family branch. And when the Wittelsbach became a Royal House, the Dukes in Bavaria also benefitted, achieving the dignity of a Royal Highness. The Duke in Bavaria title cesed being used by the senior or Royal branch of the family who became Princes of Bavaria. It is important to understand in assessing the status of the cadet line that that while we refer to a senior or royal line, the cadet or ducal branch was also of royal rank. Among the important members of the cadet branch were Duke Max, who was a gifted Zither player and composer himself. He played a major role in reviving Bavarian folk-music. His daughters included Empress Elisabeth of Austria, Queen of Hungary and Queen Mary Sophie of the Two Sicilies. Other descendents include Queen Elizabeth of Belgium and Sophie, Hereditary Princess of Liechtenstein.
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