Albert III, Duke of Bavaria

Albert III the Pious of Bavaria-Munich
Albert III rejects the Bohemian crown; Painting by J.G.Hiltensberger, Hofgarten in Munich
Spouse(s)	Agnes Bernauer Anna of Brunswick-Grubenhagen-Einbeck
Noble family	House of Wittelsbach
Father	Ernest, Duke of Bavaria
Mother	Elisabetta Visconti
Born	27 March 1401 Munich
Died	29 February 1460 (aged 58) Munich
Buried	Andechs

Albert III the Pious of Bavaria-Munich (German: Albrecht III. der Fromme, Herzog von Bayern-München; 27 March 1401 – 29 February 1460), since 1438 Duke of Bavaria-Munich. He was born in Munich to Ernest, Duke of Bavaria and Elisabetta Visconti, daughter of Bernabò Visconti.

Life

He was first engaged in 1429, to Elisabeth, the daughter of Eberhard III, Count of Württemberg, but she eloped and married a Count of Werdenberg, who had been a page at her father's court.

In 1432, while he was administrator on behalf of his father, Duke Ernest, in the former duchy of Bavaria-Straubing he secretly married Agnes Bernauer, a maid from Augsburg. His father was against this marriage. In 1435, when she lived in Straubing, Ernest ordered the murder of Agnes Bernauer. She was accused of witchcraft, thrown into the River Danube and drowned while Albert was away hunting. After her death, Albert took himself to Duke Louis at Ingolstadt, but he reconciled with his father that November.

After reconciliation with his father Albert married princess Anna of Brunswick-Grubenhagen-Einbeck and had ten children with her.

In 1438 he succeeded his father as duke of Bavaria-Munich. In 1440 he refused the offered Bohemian crown. In 1444 and 1445 he initiated two campaigns against the Robber barons. After the extinction of the dukes of Bavaria-Ingolstadt he also released this duchy to his father's cousin Henry XVI of Bavaria-Landshut in 1447.

In 1455 Albert founded the Benedictine monastery in Andechs. He died in Munich in 1460 and is buried in Andechs.

• Agnes Bernauer in art
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  Agnes Bernauer as Duchess of Bavaria

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  Death of Agnes Bernauer (Straubing)

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  Sculpture of Agnes Bernauer with Albrecht III in Munich at the Blutenburg Castle.

Ancestors

Ancestors of Albert III, Duke of Bavaria

16. Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor               8. Stephen II, Duke of Bavaria                       17. Beatrice of Silesia               4. John II, Duke of Bavaria                             18. Frederick III of Sicily               9. Elisabeth of Sicily                       19. Eleanor of Anjou               2. Ernest, Duke of Bavaria                                   20. Albert II of Gorizia               10. Meinhard VI of Gorizia                       21. Euphemia of Mätsch               5. Catherine of Gorizia                             22. Ulrich V, Count of Pfannberg               11. Katharina of Pfannberg                       23. Margaret of Werdenberg               1. Albert III, Duke of Bavaria                                         24. Matteo I Visconti               12. Stefano Visconti                       25. Bonacossa Borri               6. Bernabò Visconti                             26. Bernabò Doria               13. Valentina Doria                       27. Eliana Fieschi               3. Elisabetta Visconti                                   28. Alboino I della Scala               14. Mastino II della Scala                       29. Beatrice da Correggio               7. Beatrice della Scala                             30. Jacopo I da Carrara               15. Taddea da Carrara                       31. Anna Gradenigo

Family and children

On 22 January 1437, in Munich, he married Anna of Brunswick-Grubenhagen-Einbeck, daughter of Duke Eric I of Brunswick-Grubenhagen and Elisabeth of Brunswick-Göttingen and they had the following children:

1. John IV, Duke of Bavaria (4 October 1437, Munich–18 November 1463, Haidhausen).
2. Ernest (26 August 1438, Munich–29 February 1460, Straubing).
3. Sigismund of Bavaria (1439, Straubing–1 February 1501, Blutenburg Castle).
4. Albert (24 December 1440–1445, Straubing).
5. Margaret (1 January 1442, Munich–14 October 1479, Mantua), married in Mantua 10 May 1463 to Federico I Gonzaga.
6. Elisabeth (2 February 1443–5 March 1486, Leipzig), married in Leipzig 19 November 1460 to Elector Ernst of Saxony.
7. Albert IV, Duke of Bavaria (15 December 1447, Munich–10 March 1508, Munich).
8. Christoph, Duke of Bavaria (6 January 1449–8 August 1493, Rhodos).
9. Wolfgang (1 November 1451–24 May 1514, Landsberg am Lech), a canon in Passau, Augsburg and Köln.
10. Barbara (9 June 1454, Munich–24 June 1472, Munich), a nun in Munich.

Also he had at least three illegitimate children.