Eberhard IV, Count of Württemberg

Eberhard IV (c. 1388 – 2 July 1419), called the Younger (German: der Jüngere), was Count of Württemberg from 1417 until his death in 1419.

Eberhard IV
Stained glass window in the Tübingen Collegiate Church depicting Eberhard as a praying knight, c. 1477–1478.
Count of Württemberg
Reign16 May 1417 – 2 July 1419
PredecessorEberhard III
SuccessorLudwig I and Ulrich V
Bornc. 1388
Died2 July 1419(1419-07-02) (aged 30–31)
Waiblingen, Württemberg
Burial
Stiftskirche, Stuttgart
SpouseHenriette of Montbéliard
Issue
HouseWürttemberg
FatherEberhard III
MotherAntonia Visconti

Life

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Eberhard was born around 1388, the only surviving child of Count Eberhard III and his first wife Antonia Visconti, daughter of Bernabò Visconti.[1][2] On 13 November 1397 he became engaged to Henriette of Mömpelgard. Henriette was the oldest daughter and main heiress of Henry of Mömpelgard, who died in 1396 one year before his father, Count Stephan of Mömpelgard. Their marriage, which occurred in 1407 at the latest, caused the county of Mömpelgard to become part of Württemberg.[3] Eberhard IV also had a child with Agnes von Dagersheim, (Elisabeth von Dagersheim X Conrad Lyher).

Eberhard took active part in management of the state from 1407. Starting 1409 he governed the county of Mömpelgard together with Henriette. After the death of Eberhard III on 16 May 1417, he became the ruler of all of Württemberg. At the time of his death on 2 July 1419, Eberhard's two sons, Ludwig, who would later become Count Ludwig I, and Ulrich, later Count Ulrich V, were only seven and six years old, respectively. A guardianship government of Henriette and up to 32 Württembergian councilors was instituted.

Family and children

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Eberhard was married to Henriette, Countess of Montbéliard and they had:

  1. Anna of Württemberg (1408–1471), married Philip I, Count of Katzenelnbogen
  2. Ludwig I of Württemberg (1412 – 24 September 1450, Urach).
  3. Ulrich V of Württemberg (1413 – 1 September 1480, Leonberg).

Ancestors

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References

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Citations

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Bibliography

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  • Sönke, Lorenz; Dieter, Mertens; Volker, Press, eds. (1997). Das Haus Württemberg. Ein biographisches Lexikon (in German) (Online ed.). Stuttgart: LEO-BW. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  • Debard, Jean-Marc (1980). Les monnaies de la principauté de Montbéliard du 16e au 18e siècles: Essai de Numismatique et d'Histoire Economique (in French). Annales Litteraires de l'Universite de Besancon.
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Eberhard IV, Count of Württemberg
Born: c. 1388 Died: 2 July 1419
German nobility
Preceded by Count of Mömpelgard
1409–1419
Succeeded by
Count of Württemberg
1417–1419
Succeeded by