Henry the Lion's market of 1158 on the Isar, now the bishop of Freising's town.
It is still small, but it holds the Isar crossing of the salt road, and both the bishop and the duke want it. In 1200 Duke Louis makes the first documented visit by a Bavarian duke and meets the bishop there; in 1209 King Otto IV will mediate between them over Munich, and in 1240 the duke will take it.
Who holds it
- Name
- Otto II of Freising (bishop 1184-1220)
- Title
- Bishop of Freising
- Since
- 1180 (the bishops' lordship), 1184 (Otto II)
- Confidence
- high
de.wikipedia (Geschichte Münchens; Freising)
Lord in 1200
The bishop of Freising, Otto II, under the Regensburg ruling of 1180 that gave Munich to his church after Henry the Lion's fall. The mint right stayed with the duke, a cause of later quarrels; Louis exercises lordly rights in the town and claims a share of the bishop's income.
Overlord
The duke keeps the mint; the king.
How things stand that morning
The bishop's town on 1 January 1200, with the duke's mint in it; no open quarrel is recorded that winter.
Charter
No charter yet: town law is first mentioned in 1214; the citizens' seal and their freedom from the bridge toll come in 1239. The Augsburg arbitration of 14 June 1158 confirmed the market and the mint and bound the town to pay a third of its revenues to the bishop of Freising.
Council
None recorded for 1200.
Fairs and markets
The weekly market (dates not pinned).
Militia
Not recorded.
Walls and castle
The first wall, begun in 1175 under Henry the Lion: about 17 hectares, about 1,400 metres long, with five gates.
Trade and crafts
The salt road from Reichenhall crosses the Isar here: in 1158 Henry the Lion built the bridge and burned the bishop's bridge at Föhring so that the salt traders had to pass through Munich. Market toll and bridge toll.
What the year holds
What happened next, if nothing in play changes it. Each event carries what it depends on and what would stop it.
- 1200 (day not pinned)Duke Louis comes to Munich and meets Bishop Otto II there.Depends on: Peace between duke and bishop. Stopped by: A quarrel over the market and the mint.
Places of note
- Isar bridge: Henry the Lion's bridge of 1158 on the salt road.
Where the sources disagree
Evidence: The founding and the 1180 transfer are well attested; the town in 1200 is little documented.
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.