What's in a Name? - Ludwig

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In German, the name Ludwig is also applied to the French royals known in English and French as Louis (LU-EE). The "Sun King" (der Sonnenkönig, French "Roi Soleil"), Louis IV, is known in German as Ludwig IV. (spoken: Ludwig der Vierzehnte). However, in the chronicles below we concentrate mostly on the German Ludwigs and their colorful nicknames: "Ludwig the Blind," "Ludwig the Strict," "Ludwig the Fat" and so on. This is not meant to be a complete, exhaustive listing of every Ludwig, but a representative sample of the more colorfully named, or historically interesting Ludwigs. We have also listed some notable (non-oyal) 19th and 20th century Ludwigs.

Click on hyperlinked words or phrases for an English definition and/or more information.

• Ludwig I. (Ludwig der Fromme), L. the Pious, 778-840
  The third son of Charlemagne (Karl der Große) was Emperor of the Franks (fränkischer Kaiser) from 814 to 840, following the deaths of his two brothers (Karl and Pippin). Despite some political setbacks instigated by his sons, under his rule Carolingian reforms reached their highpoint. In French he is known as "Le Débonnaire," or "Louis the Good-Natured."

• Ludwig II. (Ludwig der Deutsche), L. the German, ca. 805-876
  King (König) after 843. Son of Ludwig I above, whom he deposed.

• Ludwig II., ca. 822-875
  Holy Roman Emperor (Kaiser) after 850. Fränkischer König, 855-75.

• Ludwig III. (Ludwig der Blinde), L. the Blind, ca. 882-928
  King of Lower Burgundy (Niederbergund, 900-905) and Italy (Italien, 901-905). As emperor (Kaiser, 901-905), he attempted to join his empire with Italy. Was blinded by Berengar I in 905.

• Ludwig IV. (Ludwig das Kind), L. the Child, ca. 893-911
  King after 900 (at the age of about 7 or 8). Born in what is today the Bavarian town of Altötting, Ludwig was the son of Arnulf of Corinthia (Arnulf von Kärnten). The very young Ludwig assumed the crown after his father's death.

• Ludwig II. (Ludwig der Eiserne), L. the Iron One, ca. 1128-1172
  Count (Landgraf) after 1140. Earned his name in battles against the Bishop of Mainz (der Bischof von Mainz, 1165) and Henry the Lion (Heinrich der Löwe, 1166-68).

• Ludwig IV. (Ludwig der Heilige), L. the Saint, 1200-1227
  Count (Landgraf), 1217-27. Husband of St. Elisabeth. Died during the 5th Crusade.

• Ludwig II. (Ludwig der Strenge), L. the Strict, 1229-1294
  Duke (Herzog) of Bavaria after 1253. Ruled over Upper Bavaria (Oberbayern) the Rhenish Palatinate (rheinische Pfalz).

• Ludwig IV. (Ludwig der Bayer), L. the Bavarian, 1282-1347
  König von Bayern, 1314-47. Belonged to the Wittelsbach royal house.

• Ludwig VI. (Ludwig der Römer), 1330-1365
  Margrave (Markgraf, 1351-65) of Brandenburg. Duke of Bavaria 1347-51.

• Ludwig I, 1786-1868
  König von Bayern, 1825-48. Grandfather of Ludwig II below.

• Ludwig II (1845-1886)
  König von Bayern, 1864-86. Ludwig, not yet 19 years old, ascended the Bavarian throne upon the death of his father in 1864. In faraway America a long, bitter Civil War was approaching its end. (Only two years later, Bavaria would be involved in its own war, fighting on the losing Austrian side in the Seven Weeks War against Prussia.) The German Karl Marx was in London working on volume one of Das Kapital, forming the First International, and starving. Ludwig's death by drowning was surrounded by mysterious circumstances. (More about Ludwig II.)

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• Ludwig Tieck (1773-1853)
  Deutscher Dichter/Schriftsteller. German poet and writer. Tieck is also known for his Shakespeare translations done in collaboration with A.W. Schlegel.

• Ludwig Uhland (1787-1862)
  Deutscher Schriftsteller. German writer.

• Ludwig Feuerbach (1804-1872)
  Deutscher Philosoph. German philosopher. Student of Hegel. Feuerbach's writings on materialism influenced Marx and Engels.

• Ludwig Thoma (1867-1921)
  Deutscher Schriftsteller und Humorist. Redakteur beim Simplicisimus. German author and humorist. Editor of the satiric Simplicisimus magazine.

• Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1886-1969)
  Deutscher Architekt und Lehrer am Bauhaus (1920-33. German architect and teacher at the Bauhaus. Considered one of the leading architects of the 20th century. After 1937 he lived in the USA.

• Ludwig Erhard (1897-1977)
  Deutscher Poltiker (CDU), Wirtschaftswissenschaftler und Bundeskanzler. German politician, economist and second chancelor of West Germany (1963-66). As the author of the "social market economy" (soziale Marktwirtschaft), Erhard is given much of the credit for West Germany's post-war "economic miracle" (Wirtschaftswunder).

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