Maria of Brabant, Duchess of Bavaria
Maria of Brabant (1226–1256) was a daughter of Henry II, Duke of Brabant, and Maria of Swabia. She married Louis II, Duke of Bavaria, being the first of three wives.
| Maria of Brabant | |
|---|---|
| Duchess of Bavaria | |
 Maria (centre), with her husband Louis (left) and his second wife, Anna of Glogau (right). | |
| Born | 1226 |
| Died | 1256 (aged 29–30) |
| Spouse | |
| House | Reginar |
| Father | Henry II, Duke of Brabant |
| Mother | Maria of Swabia |
Background
Maria was the fifth of six children born to Henry by his first wife, Maria,[1] a daughter of Philip of Swabia. Maria's siblings included Henry III, Duke of Brabant and Matilda of Brabant.[1] After the death of her mother, her father remarried to Sophie of Thuringia; from this marriage she gained two half-siblings, including Henry I of Hesse.
Betrothals and marriage
On 2 August 1254, Maria was married to Louis II, Duke of Bavaria.[2] The couple were married for only two years, during which time they had no children.
Execution
Maria was executed by beheading in Donauwörth in 1256, after being accused of adultery by her husband,[2] following the standard practice for women found guilty of adultery; however, proof of guilt of adultery on her part could never be validated. As expiation, Louis founded the Cistercian friary Fürstenfeld Abbey (Fürstenfeldbruck) near Munich.
References
- Dunbabin 2011, p. xiv.
- Bumke 1991, p. 392.
Sources
- Bumke, Joachim (1991). Courtly Culture: Literature and Society in the High Middle Ages. Translated by Dunlap, Thomas. University of California Press.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- Dunbabin, Jean (2011). The French in the Kingdom of Sicily, 1266–1305. Cambridge University Press.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
| Preceded by Agnes of the Palatinate (United Bavaria) |
Duchess of Upper Bavaria With Elisabeth of Hungary ?–1256 |
Succeeded by Anna of Glogau |
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