European Heraldry

Dukes of Bavaria
1180-1777
Electors of Bavaria
1623-1777

Bavaria was portioned among the various branches from 1180 to 1503. The were called Duchy of Lower Bavaria, Duchy of Upper Bavaria, Duchy of Bavaria-Landshut, Duchy of Bavaria-Straubing, Duchy of Bavaria-Munich, Duchy of Bavaria-Ingolstadt and Duchy of Bavaria-Dachau.

• Albert IV of Bavaria-Munich “the Wise“ ( 1447 – 1508 ), from 1467 Duke of Bavaria-Munich, from 1503 Duke of the reunited Bavaria. In 1506 Albert decreed that the duchy should pass according to the rules of primogeniture.

• Ernest of Bavaria ( 1500 – 1560), Prince- Archbishop of Salzburg and Bishop of

Eichstädt from 1540 to 1554. Son of Albert IV.

• Maximilian I, ( 1573 – 1651), called "the Great", Duke of Bavaria from 1597 and Elector of Bavaria from 1623.

• Maximilian II ( 1662 - 1726), Elector of Bavaria from 1679-1706 and 1714-1726. Maximilian Emanuel founded in 1726 the Royal Order of Saint George for the Defense of the Immaculate Conception, a dynastic Order of the Royal House of Bavaria

• Joseph Ferdinand of Bavaria, Prince of Asturias (1692-1699), Crown Prince of Spain

• Emperor Charles VII Albert ( 1697 – ), Elector of Bavaria from 1726 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1742.

Line extinct 1777. See Palatinate.

• Johann Theodor of Bavaria, (1703-1763), Cardinal, Prince-Bishop of Liege from 1744, also Prince-Bishop of Freising and Regensburg.
• Albrecht Sigmund of Bavaria-Leuchtenberg, (1651-1685 ), Prince-Bishop of Freising and Regensburg from 1651.

Archbishop-Electors of Cologne 1583-1761

• Ernest of Bavaria ( 1554 - 1612), from 1583 to 1612. He was also bishop of Münster, Hildesheim, Freising and Liège.
• Ferdinand of Bavaria ( 1577 - 1650), Archbishop-Elector of Cologne from 1612 to 1650 as successor of Ernest of Bavaria. He was also bishop of Hildesheim, Freising, Liège, Münster, and Paderborn.
• Maximilian Heinrich of Bavaria ( 1621 - ), Archbishop-Elector of Cologne, was the third son and fourth child of Albert VI, landgrave of Leuchtenberg and his wife, Mechthilde von Leuchtenberg. In 1650, he was named , Bishop of Hildesheim and Bishop of Liège succeeding his uncle, Ferdinand of Bavaria. In 1683, he was named Bishop of Münster.
• Joseph Clemens von Wittelsbach ( 1671 - 1723), Archbishop-Elector of Cologne from 1688. He was also Prince-Bishop of Liège, and Bishop of Regensburg, of Freising and of Hildesheim.
• Clemens August of Bavaria ( 1700– 1761), Archbishop-Elector of Cologne from 1723 succeeding his uncle Joseph Clemens. He was also Prince-Bishop of Münster, Hildesheim, Osnabrück, Regensburg, the Prince-Provost of Berchtesgaden,and from 1732 Grand Master of the Teutonic Order.