Louis III, Duke of Württemberg
Ludwig, even Louis the Pious, ( born January 1, 1554 Stuttgart, † August 28, 1593 ibid ) was from 1568 to 1593, fifth Duke of Württemberg.
Biography
Ludwig was the only surviving son of the Duke Christoph and stood after his death (December 28 1568) first under the guardianship of his mother Anna Maria of Brandenburg- Ansbach, Duke Wolfgang of Zweibrücken and the Margrave George Frederick of Brandenburg -Ansbach and Karl von Baden in whose name Count Heinrich of Castell led the administration of the country. Formally, he took a provision of his father according to the government only in his 24th year ( 1578) after he had acted independently for several years, essentially. So it was his work that, like the invitation of the Elector Frederick of the Palatinate to a defensive alliance of Protestant princes, in 1577 only five years earlier remained the same its object of diligence of Queen Elizabeth I of Württemberg without success and without consequences. However, he signed the Formula of Concord of 1577 and the Book of Concord of 1580 in its own name and as a co-guardian for the Margrave Ernst Friedrich ( 1560-1604 ) and James III. (1562-1590) of Baden.
Even the later insistence on a general Protestant Alliance (1585 ) gave Ludwig from, partly because he feared indirectly support by entering into such an alliance, the Calvinists, but mainly because he his father to the emperor and empire held as and anxious was, with ecclesiastical and secular princes and the country to get the neat from his father friendship peace. Apart from a train against Count Ludwig von Löwenstein, who refused to recognize his suzerainty (1579 ) and a made at imperial command expedition against Conrad von Pappenheim ( 1591 ) Go to any military undertakings of Louis account. The regent is nachgerühmt persistent diligence in carrying out the business of government and with great gentleness paired justice. But most emerges its religiosity, particularly his zeal for the Lutheran confession that his life he Calvinism as Catholicism against vigorously represented with a thorough knowledge of the religious questions of the day to promote, including through deployment orthodox theologians and religious discussions sought. In addition to such reflection, he did not neglect the pleasures of earthly life. He was a friend of knightly games in which he himself had practiced law, but mainly devoted to hunting and cheerful company with carousing. Only 39 years old, he died on August 28, 1593 without an heir, after he twice, from 1575 to 1583 with Dorothea Ursula von Baden -Durlach ( 1559-1583 ), daughter of Margrave Karl II of Baden -Durlach ( 1529-1577 ) since 1585 with Ursula von Pfalz- Veldenz († 1635), daughter of Count Palatine Johann Georg had been married from Luetzelstein ( 1543-1592 ).
He was buried in the church of Tubingen. The monument was created by Christoph Jelin.