The Wittelsbach seat on the Danube since the eleventh century and Louis's favourite residence; he was reputedly born in the castle.
A young planned town under the castle.
Who holds it
- Name
- Louis I
- Title
- Duke of Bavaria
- Confidence
- medium
Kelheim (de.wikipedia)
Lord in 1200
Duke Louis I, whose favoured residence it is.
Overlord
The duke of Bavaria and the king.
How things stand that morning
Ducal and quiet on 1 January 1200.
Charter
Town rights in 1181 under Duke Otto I by the town's history; its account of the arms puts them under Louis (1183-1231). The oldest town seal is of about 1280.
Council
None recorded.
Militia
Not recorded.
Walls and castle
The ducal castle (first named 1150, pulled down in 1476); the surviving gates are of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.
Trade and crafts
The Danube crossing at the Altmühl's mouth; the bridge on which Louis will be murdered on 15 September 1231.
Where the sources disagree
- Town rights: 1181 (Otto I) or under Louis; the same article gives both.
Evidence: Dates from the town's history; the 1181 charter is disputed within it.
Primary sources for Bavaria
Chronicles, registers, sagas and inscriptions written in or near 1200 that cover this entry. Each has its own page with editions, translations and where to read it.
- Annals of Schäftlarn and the Bavarian annals (12th and 13th centuries). Brief Bavarian annals. Read online
- The Austrian and Salzburg annals (kept in the 12th and 13th centuries, with continuations to the late 13th century). A family of monastic annals from Austria, Styria and Salzburg, printed together. Read online
- Chronicle of Otto of St Blasien, Otto of St Blasien (about 1209 to 1210). A Swabian continuation of Otto of Freising written from the Staufen side. Read online
- Regesta Imperii V: calendar of the acts of Philip, Otto IV and Frederick II, 1198 to 1272 (calendar of documents of 1198 to 1272, published 1881 to 1901). A dated calendar of every known act of King Philip and King Otto IV, with the acts of popes and princes that bear on the Empire. Read online
- Bavarian monuments: the charters of the Bavarian monasteries and bishoprics (charters from the 8th century onward, published 1763 to 1916). The great charter series of Bavaria, arranged by monastery and bishopric. Read online
- Charter book of the bishops of Trent (compiled 1207 to 1218; documents from the 11th century onward; edited 1852). The cartulary of the prince-bishops of Trent. Read online
Sources and studies
Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.